Wilson Scores 28, Grabs 10 Rebounds As Aces Beat Wings 104-85
WASHINGTON -- — Willson Contreras hit his second homer of the series and the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Washington Nationals 8-3 on Sunday.
Contreras hit a line drive 395-foot homer off Nationals reliever Derek Law in the seventh. He also singled and scored twice with three RBI. The two-run shot was his ninth of the season and third homer in the past five days. Contreras said he recently switched from 33.75 inch to 34-inch bat.
“He got me a little out front," Contreras said. "But I used a (34-inch bat) and I was able to stay through the zone long which helped me to make contact with that curveball right there. Because being honest, I wasn’t looking for curveball at all.”
Nolan Gorman added a single, double and two RBI. Gorman has enjoyed his stay in D.C. this weekend, going seven for his last 11 after a 6-for-69 (.087) slump from June 12-July 4. He has reached base safely in 46 of his last 50 games.
Nolan Arenado has also had a great series against the Nationals. The veteran third baseman had a two-run single in the three-run fifth inning. He has seven hits in the series.
“There was a decent amount of fight in them yesterday," Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said on the bounce back following 14-6 loss Saturday. "Today some really good at-bats. We’d been missing out on that two-out big hit to score a couple and Arenado came through there and drove the baseball to score two. Gorman is starting to feel better, you see him stay on some balls, which is awesome. Contreras with the homer. Overall, really good day.”
The Cardinals have won five of their last seven and have the best record in the National League since May 12 at 32-18 (.640).
Kyle Gibson (7-3) finished five innings plus three batters, allowing three runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts and two walks on 96 pitches, 61 for strikes. In his first win in three starts at Nationals Park, Gibson has now won three of his last four dating to June 14.
“My stuff was consistent again," Gibson said. "Curveball was maybe my best pitch and that doesn’t happen very often so that’s probably why you saw a little bit more of them. That’s something I worked a lot on in the bullpen.”
Three Cardinals relievers combined to record the final four scoreless frames.
Brendan Donovan singled and walked to extend his on-base streak to 20 games.
Fresh off a 10-strikeout performance against the Mets July 2, Nationals starter DJ Herz could not replicate that outing Sunday. Herz (1-3) lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts on 102 pitches, 65 for strikes.
“There were a lot of uncontrollables," Herz said. "But the one thing I could control was the two-out walk, and obviously the other walks. The walks came back to hurt me today, and that’s something I can control.”
Jesse Winker with two doubles and RBI for the Nationals, who have lost nine of their last 13.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbar (oblique strain) is nearing a return. He has been playing rehab games for Double-A Springfield, going 2-for-5 with a homer Friday night.
“I talked to him last night, he felt good,” Marmol said. “They’re obviously off today and tomorrow. We will talk to him again today and see what’s next.”
Nationals No. 3 prospect third baseman Brady House has been promoted to Triple-A Rochester. House, the 11th overall selection in the 2021 first-year amateur draft, hit .234 with 11 doubles, one triple, 13 homers and 34 RBI in 75 games at Double-A Harrisburg.
UP NEXT
Cardinals send veteran right-hander Miles Mikolas (6-7, 5.19 ERA) against Nationals fourth straight left-handed starter, Mitchell Parker (5-4, 3.61), in the series finale Monday afternoon.
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
60efc86dbd7874039b42dd10c66b5847 211aea1ccb9868c444b5a0ec5086e1480feb69ea VIAJES%2BSilk Road In The I Century AD Es.svg World Silk Road Map 1 China The New Silk Road Silk Road 11tmag Travel Map VideoSixteenByNine3000 C79dc9b0 863b 11e9 9ff5 A942f0f49842Cbsz 2019 The Silk Road Map The Silk Road Map Which Used To Be The Main Route Connecting Europe To East Asia Through 1 MAP Of The Silk Road Routes The Silk Road D1c70 0c7 Eeb1 E5c B54f7f513f13 De4f4a15 Cb4c 43ca 87bd D1b021de8017 9a66178a46c33f22fcfcd5d9905da187 Silk Road Map Silk Road Map 3 Orig A Map Showing The Main Route Of The Silk Road Which Connected East And West Between The 2nd Century Bce And The 18th Century The Silk Road Derives Its Name From The Lucrative Trade In Silk Carried Out Along Its Length 2BDX9FT Map China Silk Road 624 Wide 173b6bfc128441ca5d69d7d63d6d9cc71454a86d Bfed29c2f6dae66dcd124795cbaa88ef 2 140602143H51M Srfvideocover Silk Roads Map 1 Map Of The Ancient Silk Road Between China And Europe 2M5DHEN Cbsac 2019 YcKECzirCXez8ZXbgxKoSPvqwVMH7yYLJ47qFzpFDA0 Iron Silk Road 2048x1322