Monday’s Game Report: Cardinals 6, Nationals 3
The Cardinals had just one hit through the first four innings Monday night against the Nationals’ Patrick Corbin in Washington, D.C.
It turned out they were saving them for the fifth inning.
A home run by Harrison Bader started a six-run inning, which included six consecutive batters reaching base with two outs, as the Cardinals rallied from a 3-0 deficit.
Marcell Ozuna drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single before Jose Martinez doubled in a run and Yadier Molina capped the inning with an RBI single, his 20th RBI in April.
It was the second biggest inning of the season for the Cardinals, who won their third game in a row.
Here is how the game broke down:
At the plate: After getting the five hits in the fifth, the Cardinals had only two hits the rest of the game, a two-out single by Ozuna in the seventh and a two-out double by Paul DeJong in the ninth … Ozuna increased his RBI total to 28, the most by a Cardinal in the first 28 games of the season since Albert Pujols had 31 RBIs in 2009 … Molina’s single extended his hitting streak to 16 games, which ties the longest streak of his career. It’s the fourth time he has hit in 16 consecutive games, doing it twice in 2017.
On the mound: Michael Wacha came off the injured list to make the start and pitched five innings, getting the win. He allowed four hits and walked three, including walking Corbin with the bases loaded in the second when the Nationals scored all of their runs … Giovanny Gallegos retired all six batters he faced … John Brebbia issued three walks in the eighth but got out of the jam without allowing a run … Jordan Hicks earned his ninth save, working a 1-2-3 ninth … It was the third consecutive game when the Cardinals did not allow a home run.
Key stat: This is the fourth time in Molina’s career he has driven in 20 runs in a month. His career high for any month is 22 in September 2017. He drove in 21 runs in August of 2015 and also had 20 in September 2013.
Worth noting: To make room for Wacha on the roster, right-hander Ryan Helsley was optioned to Memphis. Helsley had a 2.84 ERA in three relief appearances for the Cardinals, allowing two runs, both on solo homers, in 6 1/3 innings … The Cardinals are expected to make a decision on Tuesday about whether to activate Luke Gregerson from the injured list … Kolten Wong sat out for the first time this season after starting the first 27 games. The only Cardinals now who have started all 28 games are Paul Goldschmidt and DeJong.
Looking ahead: Adam Wainwright will get the start on Tuesday night in the second game of the series. A win would be the 18th in April for the Cardinals, which would tie the franchise record for most wins in April, set in 2008.
