Field Level Media
Jul 15, 2023
CJ Abrams scored three runs and stole two bases as the visiting Washington Nationals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 7-5 in 10 innings Saturday in the resumption of the suspended game from Friday.
Joey Meneses drove in two runs for the Nationals, who won their third straight game.
Nationals starting pitcher Trevor Williams allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings Friday before rain halted the game.
Kyle Finnegan (4-3), the fourth Washington reliever on Saturday, got the victory and Hunter Harvey earned his ninth save.
Brendan Donovan hit a three-run homer, and Lars Nootbaar and Willson Contreras hit solo shots for the Cardinals.
St. Louis starter Miles Mikolas pitched three hitless innings Friday. Jordan Hicks (1-6), the sixth St. Louis pitcher, suffered the loss.
The game resumed in the bottom of the third inning, with the Cardinals leading 1-0 on Nootbaar's first-inning homer on Friday.
Washington tied the game in the fourth inning. Abrams led off with a single, stole second base and scored on Meneses' single.
The Nationals moved ahead 4-1 in the fifth inning thanks to sloppy Cardinals fielding that accounted for three errors.
Dominic Smith walked and advanced on an errant pickoff throw by catcher Contreras. Smith took third base on a wild pitch. After Luis Garcia walked, Alex Call hit a dribbler in front of the plate and Smith scored as pitcher Chris Stratton threw home late.
Abrams grounded into a fielder's choice, then led a double steal that triggered another throwing error by Contreras that allowed Garcia to score. Abrams scored as Lane Thomas reached on an error by Nolan Arenado.
The Cardinals tied the game 4-4 in their half of the inning on Donovan's three-run homer.
Washington moved ahead 5-4 in the eighth when Ildemaro Vargas singled, advanced on a balk and scored on Meneses' double.
Contreras hit a game-tying homer in the bottom of the inning.
The Nationals surged ahead 7-5 in the 10th when Abrams and Thomas singled to produce one run, and Vargas grounded into a run-producing double play.
Nationals third baseman Jeimer Candelario suffered a bone bruise in pre-game drills Friday and exited the game after one at-bat. He was replaced in the lineup by Vargas.
--Field Level Media