WASHINGTON โ The St. Louis Cardinals triumphed over the Washington Nationals with a decisive 6-1 victory on Sunday, achieving a clean sweep in their three-game series. Homers from Lars Nootbaar, Willson Contreras, and Nolan Arenado were pivotal in securing the win. This victory marks the Cardinalsโ eighth consecutive win, the longest streak for the team since August 2022.
Miles Mikolas, now with a 2-2 record, showcased a strong performance by conceding just one run and four hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one, continuing his impressive track record at Nationals Park, where he has secured all five career victories against Washington.
The Cardinals set the tone early as Nootbaar smashed his sixth home run of the season, a towering leadoff shot into the second deck in right field from MacKenzie Goreโs fifth pitch. Contreras followed suit with a 406-foot home run to center in the second inning, contributing to his impressive .615 batting average against Gore; he has accumulated eight hits in 13 at-bats, including two doubles, a homer, and three RBIs against him this season. Arenado added a two-run homer in the eighth, marking his fourth of the year.
Gore, who pitched 6 2/3 innings, gave up four runs on 101 pitches, striking out seven and walking three. He continues to lead the majors with 75 strikeouts. Despite the strong start, it wasnโt enough to prevent the Nationals from dropping their fifth straight game. Nathaniel Lowe provided a lone highlight for Washington with his seventh home run.
A notable moment came in the fourth inning when Gore struck out Ivรกn Herrera, equaling Mark Langstonโs franchise record for the most strikeouts by a left-hander in the first nine starts, set at 71 in 1989. Max Scherzer maintains the franchise all-time record with 91 strikeouts in his first nine starts in 2018.
In their recent stretch, the Cardinals have dominated their last two opponents by a scoring margin of 33-7, staying unbeaten since May 2.
Looking ahead, the Cardinals will begin a three-game series in Philadelphia on Monday, where left-hander Matthew Liberatore (3-3, 3.07 ERA) will face off against Phillyโs left-hander Cristopher Sรกnchez (4-1, 2.89 ERA). The Nationals will embark on a seven-game road trip, starting in Atlanta, with right-hander Jake Irvin (2-1, 3.94 ERA) going up against Atlantaโs right-hander Grant Holmes (2-3, 4.58 ERA).