Nootbaar, Contreras and Arenado homer as Cardinals beat Nationals 6-1
for 3-game sweep
[May 12, 2025]
By BYRON KERR
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lars Nootbaar, Willson Contreras and
Nolan Arenado homered, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Washington
Nationals 6-1 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.
The Cardinals have swept back-to-back series during an eight-game
winning streak, their longest since August of 2022. |
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas throws during the
second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals,
Sunday, May 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) |
|
Miles Mikolas (2-2) allowed one run on four
hits over 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts and one walk. All
five of his career wins against Washington have come at
Nationals Park.
Nootbaar cranked his sixth homer of the season and seventh
leadoff homer of his career well into the second deck in right
field on the fifth pitch from MacKenzie Gore (2-4).
Contreras launched a 406-foot blast over the center field wall
to begin the second, his sixth of the season. He is hitting .615
(8 for 13) against Gore with two doubles, a homer and three
RBIs.
Arenado’s two-run shot in eighth was his fourth of the year.
Gore lasted 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs, striking out
seven and walking three on 101 pitches, 62 for strikes. He leads
the majors with 75 strikeouts.
Nathaniel Lowe hit his seventh homer for the Nationals, who have
lost five straight.
Key moment
Gore struck out Iván Herrera to end the fourth to match Mark
Langston’s franchise record for most punchouts by a left-hander
in first nine starts (71 in 1989). Max Scherzer holds the
franchise record with 91 strikeouts in his first nine starts in
2018.
Key stat
The Cardinals have not lost since since May 2, outscoring their
last two opponents 33-7.
Up next
Cardinals: LHP Matthew Liberatore (3-3, 3.07 ERA) opens the
three-game series at Philadelphia Monday against LHP Cristopher
Sánchez (4-1, 2.89).
Nationals: RHP Jake Irvin (2-1, 3.94) begins their seven-game
road trip at Atlanta Monday night versus RHP Grant Holmes (2-3,
4.58)
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