Cardinals blank Nationals to take three of four in series

Alec Burleson homered and drove in three runs, Miles Mikolas pitched into the seventh inning and the visiting St. Louis Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 6-0 on Monday.

Paul Goldschmidt homered and scored twice for the Cardinals, who took three of four from the Nationals and have won six of eight overall.

Mikolas (7-7) worked 6 1/3 innings, giving up six hits while striking out three without a walk.

Washington rookie Mitchell Parker (5-5) completed seven innings for the third time this season, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits. He walked one and struck out six.

Keibert Ruiz had two hits for the Nationals, who went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

Nolan Gorman singled leading off the third for St. Louis and Michael Siani reached on a bunt single. With one out, Burleson grounded to third. Trey Lipscomb threw to second to get Siani, but CJ Abrams' throw to first was wild and Gorman came around to score the first run.

Goldschmidt homered on a 3-1 fastball leading off the fourth and the Cardinals led 2-0.

The Nationals threatened in the fifth. Lipscomb and Jacob Young hit consecutive one-out singles, but Abrams grounded into a forceout and Mikolas retired Lane Thomas on a fly to right.

Burleson led off the eighth inning with a home run to right center off Jacob Barnes. With one out, Goldschmidt reached on an error by Abrams. Another out later, Brendan Donovan hit a blooper to center. Young attempted a diving catch, but the ball got past him and rolled to the wall for a double as Goldschmidt scored to make it 4-0.

Gorman singled to start the ninth against Joan Adon and went to third on Siani's single. Siani stole second and, after Masyn Winn struck out, Burleson singled to right just beyond the reach of a diving Luis Garcia Jr., scoring both runners to increase the lead to 6-0.

--Field Level Media