ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Dylan Crews homered in the ninth inning, C.J. Abrams also hit a solo homer and the Washington Nationals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Saturday.
The Nationals look to win a franchise record-tying sixth consecutive road series when the teams finish off the three-game set Sunday.
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Tampa Bay Rays' Cedric Mullins, right, reacts after striking out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, June 20, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Rays' Taylor Walls (6) steals second base before the take from Washington Nationals second baseman Nasim Nuñez during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz, left, and pitcher Clayton Beeter, right, celebrate after their win over the Tampa Bay Rays in a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz (20) tags Tampa Bay Rays' Richie Palacios out at home on a fielder's choice during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Nationals' CJ Abrams celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, June 20, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Mitchell Parker (3-3) worked 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, and Brad Lord threw three shutout innings. Clayton Beeter finished for his fifth save, striking out Ben Williamson with the tying run on second base to end it.
Ian Seymor (3-1) took the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits. Tampa Bay lost at home for the 10th time in 35 games.
Washington starter Cade Cavalli, scratched from the lineup the previous day due to illness, labored through 2 2/3 innings. But despite loading the bases in each of the first two innings and allowing six hits, Cavalli limited the damage to two runs.
After Junior Caminero put the Rays up 1-0 on a sacrifice fly in the first, Washington answered with Abrams’ 16th home run of the season and a double by Nasim Nunez in the top of the second. Chandler Simpson singled in Caminero in the bottom off the third to make it 2-2.
Andres Chaparro put Washington in front for good with a squib grounder in front of home plate that brought home Keibert Ruiz in the fifth inning.
Washington LHP Andrew Alvarez (1-0, 3.49 ERA) was scheduled to face RHP Nick Martinez (6-2, 2.60 ERA) on Sunday.
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Tampa Bay Rays' Cedric Mullins, right, reacts after striking out during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, June 20, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Tampa Bay Rays' Taylor Walls (6) steals second base before the take from Washington Nationals second baseman Nasim Nuñez during the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz, left, and pitcher Clayton Beeter, right, celebrate after their win over the Tampa Bay Rays in a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz (20) tags Tampa Bay Rays' Richie Palacios out at home on a fielder's choice during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 20, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Washington Nationals' CJ Abrams celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, June 20, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
NEW DELHI (AP) — Supporters of India’s viral Cockroach Janta Party banged steel plates with spoons in a protest Saturday to demand the resignation of the education minister over allegations of examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks.
The protest near Parliament in New Delhi by hundreds of students and young supporters of the nascent movement added to the pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government while also seeking wider support among Indians.
Authorities deployed heavy security and police used cameras and drones to monitor the protest.
Some carried placards and others banged plates, their noise cutting through the crowd protesting and demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The banging of plates appeared to satirize Modi’s call for Indians to step onto balconies and rooftops and bang utensils in solidarity with front-line health workers during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, a political communications strategist and Boston University student, urged supporters on social media to bring plates and spoons on Saturday. “There is a virus called Dharmendra Pradhan that has to be removed,” he told the crowd, adding that the CJP was open to talks with the government if Pradhan stepped down.
"This is just the beginning. If Dharmendra Pradhan doesn’t resign or if no action is taken regarding this issue, this protest will not end here,” said a CJP supporter, Deepak Kumar.
The exam paper for a nationwide medical program was leaked last month through social media app Telegram. Authorities subsequently postponed the exam and also temporarily banned Telegram in India. The exam is scheduled to be held on Sunday. The government says the leak is under investigation.
“We study in poverty, live in poverty for 24 hours everyday, for years at length, and after that our (exam) papers get leaked. Will I not get angry at this?” said student Vicky Kumar.
The movement emerged in May, after Supreme Court Judge Surya Kant’s remarks comparing some unemployed youth to “cockroaches” triggered outrage. Supporters embraced the term as a symbol of resilience, helping the group amass more than 22 million followers on Instagram.
The movement’s message has since expanded to include concerns over unemployment, rising living costs and government accountability.
The CJP mixes self-deprecating humor with political criticism. Supporters jokingly call themselves unemployed and chronically online, while videos and memes mocking unemployment, corruption and political dysfunction have attracted millions of views. Many parody CJP accounts have also adopted the cockroach as a satirical political symbol.
Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party shout slogans during a protest demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks, in New Delhi, India, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
An Indian paramilitary soldier walks past a few remaining Cockroach Janta Party protesters after authorities move to disperse a demonstration demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks in New Delhi, India, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party furls Indian flag during a protest demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks in New Delhi, India, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party shout slogans during a protest demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks, in New Delhi, India, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party speaks during a protest demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks, in New Delhi, India, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Abhijeet Dipke, center, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party addresses supporters during a protest demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks, in New Delhi, India, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party addresses supporters during a protest demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks in New Delhi, India, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Indian security personnel stand guard during a protest demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks, in New Delhi, India, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party wear masks during a protest demonstration demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks in New Delhi, India, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Abhijeet Dipke, center, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party gestures as he holds the photograph of Mahatma Gandhi and Bhim Rao Ambedkar during a protest demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities and repeated paper leaks in New Delhi, India, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
