ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt hit a game-ending homer in the ninth inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Sunday to snap a three-game skid.
Leading off the ninth, Goldschmidt hit a 2-2 sinker from Dylan Floro (3-3) into the left field stands for his 16th homer of the season and eighth career walk-off shot.
“I was just trying to get on base,” Goldschmidt said. “There’s been a lot of times this year, way more often than not, that I have not come through in the ninth or extra innings. So, I’m just thankful to be able to get the job done today.”
It was the Cardinals’ second walk-off win of the season and first since Nolan Gorman homered on April 22 against Arizona.
“I called the walk-off homer,” Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras said. “We needed it. He needed it. Everybody needs it. It was just a good game. We battled, tough innings, but we never gave up.”
John King, Andrew Kittredge and Ryan Helsley (4-2) combined to pitch three innings of scoreless relief. Starter Miles Mikolas allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings.
“You’re trying to make a push at this time of year,” Mikolas said. “It was a big spot for me coming out here, keeping it close, giving us a chance. We played some great defense.”
Rookie Washington starter DJ Herz allowed two runs on three hits and struck out eight in five innings.
“He didn’t rely on his offspeed stuff,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “He got ahead and stayed with the fastball which was good. Our reports were to try to get the ball up on some of those guys, and he did a great job.”
Contreras homered for the Cardinals on the first pitch he saw from Herz the first inning, his 13th of the season. It was Contreras’ fifth homer in his last eight games against Washington.
Michael Siani hit an RBI single that deflected off the glove of Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams in the seventh to tie the game at 3-all.
“The two-out walks hurt us today,” Martinez said. “Overall, I can’t be really disappointed because we played really well this series against a really good team, too. We just have to come back tomorrow and go 1-0.”
James Wood tripled to right field to lead off the sixth inning and scored on Juan Yepez’s sacrifice fly to right to put Washington ahead 3-2.
Lane Thomas drove in Jacob Young with his second double of the game to tie the game at 2-all in the third.
Pedro Pagés tripled to right-center field to put St. Louis ahead 2-0 in the second and extend his hitting streak to 13 games.
ROSTER MOVES
Nationals: Traded OF Jesse Winker to the New York Mets for minor league RHP Tyler Stuart. OF Alex Call was recalled from Triple-A Rochester.
Cardinals: Recalled RHP Kyle Leahy from Triple-A Memphis and designated RHP Giovanny Gallegos for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: LHP Steven Matz (lower back strain) will throw up to two innings and 40 pitches when he begins a minor league rehabilitation assignment Thursday.
UP NEXT
Nationals: LHP Mitchell Parker (5-6, 4.34 ERA) opposes Diamondbacks LHP (7-5, 6.11 ERA) in the opener of a three-game series at Arizona on Monday night.
Cardinals: RHP Andre Pallante (4-4, 3.92 ERA) will face RHP Nathan Eovaldi (7-4, 3.31 ERA) in first game of a three-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers Monday on night.
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