Watch: Nationals' Cesar Hernandez gets 'silent treatment after HR

Washington Nationals second baseman Cesar Hernandez (1) at bat against the Cincinnati Reds during the eighth inning at Nationals Park. Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Nationals' Cesar Hernandez gets 'silent treatment after breaking 155-game HR drought

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 9/4/22

Washington Nationals infielder Cesar Hernandez had to wait over a year, but it finally happened.

On Sunday, Hernandez tallied his first home run of the season, snapping a 155-game homer-less streak going back to August 2021.

Hernandez swatted a Trevor Williams 2-2 pitch over the right-field wall to help lift the Nationals to a 7-1 win over the New York Mets Sunday.

Once Hernandez returned to the dugout, his Nationals' teammates did not acknowledge the home run, giving the 32-year-old the "silent treatment" usually reserved for rookies after their first career long-ball.

César Hernández hit his first homer of the season and the dugout went full silent treatment pic.twitter.com/raR0wS7Udb
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 4, 2022

"I'm extremely happy to get the first one out of the way," Hernandez told reporters after the game. "Hopefully, I find some more consistency the rest of the season and hit a few more."

Hernandez hit a career-high 21 home runs splitting time with the Cleveland Guardians and Nationals last season, making his home run drought even more curious.

"He can hit," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "He's hit the ball fairly hard all year and run into some situations where he's had two or three hard-hit balls and nothing to show for it. ... I said, 'Just keep swinging the bat.'"

In 128 games for the Nationals this season, Hernandez has slashed .245/.309/.316 with a home run and 28 RBI.

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