DeJong hits walk-off blast as Cards clip Nats

[August 14, 2018]  Paul DeJong hit a walk-off homer leading off the bottom of the ninth inning as the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Washington Nationals 7-6 on Monday night at Busch Stadium.

The Nationals' bullpen struggled once again, giving up five runs, all of which came on homers in the final two innings. Koda Glover (0-1) allowed the DeJong solo blast, which came on a 3-1 pitch. It was the second straight night Washington's bullpen gave up a walk-off homer.

St. Louis finished with 17 hits but went just 4-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10.

Dakota Hudson (3-0) earned the win after getting out of a jam in the top of the ninth. The Nationals tied the game with two runs in the frame before Hudson entered.

Washington starter Tommy Milone lasted just 4 1/3 innings, getting a no-decision after allowing two runs on 10 hits. For St. Louis, Miles Mikolas allowed four runs on just four hits in seven innings.

Marcell Ozuna gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI single.

The lead did not last long. Ryan Zimmerman, named the National League's Player of the Week earlier in the day, kept up his hot hitting with a second-inning RBI double that tied the game.

Bryce Harper then gave Washington a 2-1 lead by leading off the fourth with his 29th homer this season. The Cardinals tied it in bottom of the inning when Mikolas helped his own cause with a sacrifice fly.

Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong (12) hits a walk off solo home run off of Washington Nationals relief pitcher Koda Glover (not pictured) during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Juan Soto gave the Nationals a 4-2 lead with a two-run homer in the seventh off Mikolas.

Jedd Gyorko led off the bottom of the eighth with a homer off Justin Miller that made it 4-3, his ninth long ball of the year. Later in the inning, Matt Carpenter hit his 33rd homer of the season to give the Cardinals a 6-4 lead.

Washington tied it in the top of the ninth. Daniel Murphy's run-scoring single made it 6-5, and Matt Wieters evened the game with a single to right, knocking Cardinals closer Bud Norris out of the game.

Entering with runners at second and third and one out, Hudson got a groundout and a strikeout to escape the inning.

--Field Level Media

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