Paul Goldschmidt's game-ending HR lifts Cardinals over Nationals

Paul Goldschmidt hit a walk-off homer in the ninth inning to lift the St. Louis Cardinals past the visiting Washington Nationals 4-3 on Sunday.

Goldschmidt led off the inning and drilled a 2-2 sinker from Dylan Floro (3-3) over the wall in left. It was Goldschmidt's 16th blast of the season.

Willson Contreras also hit a home run for the Cardinals, who snapped a three-game losing streak.

Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas allowed three runs on seven hits in six innings. He struck out three and walked one.

Reliever Ryan Helsley (4-3) pitched the ninth inning to earn the victory.

Lane Thomas had two doubles and an RBI for the Nationals, who lost for the fourth time in six games.

Nationals starting pitcher DJ Herz held the Cardinals to two runs on three hits in five innings. He struck out eight batters and walked one.

St. Louis moved ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the inning on Contreras' 150th career homer, a 402-foot blast into the third deck in left field.

The Cardinals increased their lead to 2-0 in the second inning. Lars Nootbaar walked and came around to score on Pedro Pages' triple into the right-center field gap.

Washington answered in the third inning. Riley Adams drew a leadoff walk, went to third on Jacob Young's double and scored on CJ Abrams' groundout.

Thomas followed with an RBI double to tie the game 2-2.

James Wood hit a leadoff triple in the sixth inning and scored on Juan Yepez's sacrifice fly to put the Nationals up 3-2.

The Nationals threatened to add on in the seventh inning. Young hit a one-out single in the seventh inning, then stole second and third base.

But Thomas flew out and Woods grounded out to strand him.

The Cardinals tied the game 3-3 in the bottom of the inning. Nootbaar walked, went to third on Pages' single and scored on Michael Siani's single.

--Field Level Media