The Washington Nationals mounted a thrilling comeback with a six-run eighth inning to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 on Monday night. James Wood, Brady House, and CJ Abrams each homered in the decisive frame, leading the Nationals to their second straight win.
Key Performances
Wood got the rally started with a key hit against Ryne Stanek. House followed with a two-run homer off Matt Svanson (0-1), making the score 8-6. Abrams then added to the lead with a solo home run, marking his 500th career hit.
The Nationals have now scored 64 runs through their first 10 games, the most in franchise history and second only to the Dodgers and Brewers this season.
Wood also made an impact defensively, making a leaping catch near the right-field corner in the fourth inning to rob Nolan Gorman of a hit.
Pitching Performance
On the mound, Zack Littell earned a solid start, going five innings and allowing just one run on four hits. He struck out six, including a notable strikeout of Nolan Gorman, which marked his 500th career strikeout.
Relievers Ken Waldichuk and Andre Granillo combined to allow three runs in the eighth, but Cionel Pérez (1-1) tossed a scoreless ninth inning to seal the win for Washington.
Cardinals’ Contributions
The Cardinals were led by Ramon Urías, who hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to put the Cardinals ahead 3-2. He later doubled in a run in the eighth. Jordan Walker added a solo shot in the eighth, but it wasn’t enough to hold off Washington’s late-game explosion.
Cardinals starter Andre Pallante went five innings, allowing two runs on three hits, but did not factor into the decision.
Up Next
The series continues Tuesday with Cade Cavalli (0-0, 2.79 ERA) starting for the Nationals, facing Matthew Liberatore (0-0, 1.64 ERA) for the Cardinals.
