The St. Louis Cardinals triumphed over the Washington Nationals with a dominating 10-0 victory on Friday night, marking their sixth consecutive win. Erick Fedde took the spotlight with his first career shutout, while Willson Contreras provided significant offensive support, driving in three runs. This victory streak highlights the Cardinals’ defensive strength, as they’ve allowed just 13 runs across their last six games and recorded consecutive shutouts. Moving their season record above .500 for the first time since April, the Cardinals are on their longest winning streak since July.
Erick Fedde, who was a staple in the Nationals’ lineup from 2017 to 2022 and contributed to their 2019 World Series win, made an unforgettable second start against his previous team. The 32-year-old right-hander delivered a masterful performance, conceding only six hits while achieving eight strikeouts and maintaining a no-walk policy over 109 pitches. This achievement marks Fedde’s first complete game shutout.
Notably, Fedde shut down the Nationals just last season during a May encounter when he played for the Chicago White Sox. He now joins the ranks of Texas’ Nathan Eovaldi and San Diego’s Michael King as the only pitchers to throw shutouts thus far in 2025. The Nationals, facing their third consecutive loss, have been shut out for the third time this season, while St. Louis continues to stack up its own set of five shutout victories.
On the offensive side, Willson Contreras made an impact with a two-run double against Nationals’ pitcher Mitchell Parker in the first inning. Meanwhile, Nolan Arenado, returning after a game missed due to back spasms, contributed with three hits. Parker had a brief stint on the mound, lasting only four innings while allowing four runs off seven hits, exacerbating his recent struggles by conceding 15 earned runs over his last three starts.
A pivotal moment in the game unfolded in the ninth inning when Fedde gave up a single to James Wood. Nevertheless, manager Oliver Marmol decided to keep him in the game, and Fedde successfully completed the shutout by securing a double-play grounder from Nathaniel Lowe and a popout from Keibert Ruiz.
Highlighting the Cardinals’ offensive prowess, Contreras achieved a 2 for 4 performance at the plate, successfully extending his on-base streak to 21 games. Over this impressive stretch, he has achieved a .366 batting average (26 for 71) and collected 15 RBIs.
Looking ahead, the series is set to continue on Saturday with Andre Pallante (2-2, 4.75 ERA) taking the mound for the Cardinals, facing off against the Nationals’ Trevor Williams (2-3, 5.76 ERA).