Abrams Makes History, Cavalli Dominates as Nationals Rout Cardinals 9-1
The Washington Nationals jumped on the St. Louis Cardinals early and never looked back Friday night, rolling to a 9-1 victory at Busch Stadium behind another strong outing from Cade Cavalli and a historic night for CJ Abrams.
Washington scored three runs in the first inning and four more in the third, building a 7-0 advantage before St. Louis could generate any offense. The Nationals improved to 72-82 while the Cardinals fell to 75-79 and were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention.
While the lopsided score told part of the story, two individual accomplishments made this one particularly noteworthy. Abrams joined the 30-home run, 30-stolen base club, while Cavalli reached 200 strikeouts for the season only hours after the Nationals announced his new contract extension.
Nationals Strike Immediately
Washington wasted little time putting pressure on Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy.
Daylen Lile reached and eventually scored when Abrams delivered an RBI single, giving Washington a 1-0 advantage. Abrams then stole second base for his 30th steal of the season, and the play became even more damaging for St. Louis when catcher Leo Bernal’s throwing error allowed Dylan Crews to score.
Brady House followed with an RBI groundout that brought Abrams home and made it 3-0 before the Cardinals had even taken their first swings.
It was exactly the kind of start Washington needed on the road. Rather than allowing St. Louis an opportunity to settle into the game, the Nationals immediately forced the Cardinals to play from behind.
Abrams Joins the 30-30 Club
Abrams’ stolen base represented much more than another insurance run.
The Nationals shortstop became the 52nd player in Major League Baseball history to record at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the same season. He also became the first player in Nationals history since Alfonso Soriano in 2006 to accomplish the feat.
Abrams entered Friday having already reached the 30-home run mark. His stolen base against Leahy and Bernal completed the milestone.
It adds another major accomplishment to what has developed into an impressive season for Washington’s shortstop. Abrams finished Friday 1-for-4 with an RBI, run scored and stolen base.
Crews Blows Game Open
Washington was not finished after its three-run opening inning.
Crews stepped to the plate with Lile aboard in the third and launched a two-run home run to right field. It was Crews’ 12th homer of the season and extended Washington’s advantage to 5-0.
The Nationals continued attacking later in the inning.
House and Miguel Vivas reached base before Yohandy Morales drove both home with a two-run double. Washington suddenly led 7-0 after only three innings.
Leahy’s night ended after the third. The Cardinals starter surrendered seven runs, six earned, on five hits while walking three and striking out one. The seven runs represented a season high allowed by Leahy.
Washington accomplished all of that despite finishing the game with only seven hits.
St. Louis committed three errors and issued six walks, and the Nationals consistently converted those additional opportunities into runs.
Cavalli Continues Impressive Season
With a seven-run advantage behind him, Cavalli made sure the Cardinals never had an opportunity to get back into the game.
The right-hander pitched five scoreless innings, allowing four hits without issuing a walk. Cavalli struck out six and improved to 13-5 with a 3.02 ERA.
His final pitch provided one of the game’s biggest moments.
Cavalli recorded his sixth strikeout to reach 200 for the season, becoming the fifth Nationals pitcher to produce a 200-strikeout season. He joined a group that includes Patrick Corbin, Gio Gonzalez, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.
The milestone arrived only hours after Cavalli signed a four-year contract extension with Washington. ESPN reported the deal at $47 million, while Reuters noted incentives could increase its total value.
Cavalli has been particularly effective during the second half of the season. Reuters reported that he owns a 1.90 ERA over his 12 starts since the All-Star break.
For a Nationals organization building toward the future, Cavalli’s development into a dependable starting pitcher represents one of the more encouraging developments of the 2026 season.
Washington Keeps Adding On
The Nationals continued adding runs after chasing Leahy.
Lile’s sacrifice fly in the fourth inning extended Washington’s advantage to 8-0.
James Wood then joined the scoring in the sixth. Wood doubled home Jacob Young for Washington’s ninth and final run. It was Wood’s 30th double and 76th RBI of the season.
Washington finished with seven hits but scored nine runs because of timely hitting, patience at the plate and several St. Louis defensive mistakes.
Crews led the offense with two hits, two runs and two RBIs. Morales drove in two runs, while Abrams, House, Lile and Wood each recorded an RBI.
Young also doubled and scored twice.
Bullpen Finishes Cavalli’s Work
Brad Lord replaced Cavalli and continued shutting down St. Louis.
Lord pitched two scoreless innings, allowing only one hit while striking out three. That meant Washington carried a 9-0 shutout into the eighth inning.
The Cardinals finally broke through against Jack Sinclair.
Nathan Church doubled and later scored on an Iván Herrera RBI single, accounting for St. Louis’ only run.
Josiah Gray handled the ninth, allowing one hit but keeping St. Louis off the scoreboard to complete Washington’s 9-1 victory.
Washington’s pitching staff allowed seven hits but only one walk while recording nine strikeouts.
Cardinals Eliminated
Friday’s loss officially ended whatever remained of St. Louis’ postseason hopes.
The Cardinals fell to 75-79 and were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.
Bernal was one of the few bright spots for St. Louis, collecting three hits in four at-bats. The Cardinals, however, could not turn their seven hits into sustained offense against Cavalli and Washington’s bullpen.
The Nationals, meanwhile, have an opportunity to finish a difficult season with some momentum.
Washington’s record does not reflect a postseason contender, but performances from Abrams, Cavalli, Crews, Wood, House and other young players provide considerably more importance to the final weeks than the standings alone suggest.
By the Numbers
Washington scored nine runs on seven hits and committed no errors. St. Louis finished with one run on seven hits and committed three errors.
Cavalli earned the victory to improve to 13-5, while Leahy took the loss and fell to 10-5. Washington scored three runs in the first, four in the third, one in the fourth and another in the sixth.
Crews supplied the game’s only home run. Abrams stole his 30th base, while Wood, House, Morales and Young each recorded doubles.
Perhaps the most impressive statistic was Washington scoring nine times despite collecting the same number of hits as St. Louis.
The Nationals simply made their opportunities count.
MSB Take
The Nationals may not be playing for a postseason berth, but Friday night’s game offered exactly the type of performance Washington wants to see from a young roster late in the season.
Abrams reaching the 30-30 club is a significant individual accomplishment. He has developed into one of the central pieces of Washington’s lineup, and combining 30-home run power with 30-steal speed demonstrates the impact he can make in several different ways.
Cavalli’s performance may be equally important for the organization’s long-term outlook. Washington committed to him with a multi-year extension Friday, and he responded by throwing five scoreless innings and recording his 200th strikeout of the season. A rotation built around a pitcher capable of missing bats at that level gives the Nationals an important foundation moving forward.
Crews homered, Morales drove in two, Wood contributed another extra-base hit and the Nationals played clean defense. Washington did not need 15 hits to score nine runs because it took advantage of walks and mistakes and delivered with runners in scoring position.
For a rebuilding club, development matters as much as the final standings. Friday provided several reasons for Washington to feel encouraged about where some of its most important young players are heading.
