James Wood, Brady House and CJ Abrams homered in a six-run eighth inning and the Nationals rallied for a 9-6 win against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday night in Washington, ending their five-game losing streak.
With Washington trailing 6-3, Drew Millas and Jorbit Vivas singled off Ryne Stanek with one out and Wood lined a homer to center to tie it. Matt Svanson (0-1) came on and Curtis Mead doubled. House followed with a shot to center and to make it 8-6 and Abrams capped the inning with a solo shot.
House collected three hits and Wood had two, including his second homer in two games. Cionel Perez (1-1) pitched the ninth and was given the win after Andre Granillo allowed two runs in the eighth.
Ramon Urias had three hits, including a homer for the Cardinals, and Jordan Walker had a homer and a single.
Walker homered leading off the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie. Before the inning was over, Urias doubled home Mason Wynn and Urias later scored on a squeeze bunt by Victor Scott II to make it 6-3.
The Nationals took a quick 2-0 lead. Wood led off the first with a single and Luis Garcia, Jr. walked. House grounded out and both runners advanced. Wood scored on a ground out. After Abrams walked, Nasim Nunez lined a single to center, scoring Garcia.
Wood made a leaping catch at the wall in right to rob Nolan Gorman of a homer in the fourth.
In the St. Louis fifth, a double by Saggese and walks by JJ Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera loaded the bases with one out. When Alec Burleson grounded to second, Herrera was out at second, but Abrams dropped the ball before making the relay and Saggese scored to make it 2-1.
Gorman walked leading off the sixth and one out later Urias homered to center to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead.
Cardinal reliever Justin Bruihl retired the first two batters in the sixth, but then walked Jose Tena and Millas before Jacob Young doubled, scoring Tena with the tying run.
St. Louis starter Andre Pallante allowed two runs on three hits over five innings; while Washington’s Zack Littell went five innings, allowing a run on four hits.
