The Washington Nationals traveled to St. Louis on Friday, September 18, 2026, and handed the Cardinals a lopsided 9-1 defeat at Busch Stadium. Cade Cavalli was untouchable through five innings — six strikeouts, zero walks, zero earned runs — while Dylan Crews provided the offensive spark with a home run and two RBI. Washington's bats kept coming, piling on against a Cardinals pitching staff that couldn't find an answer, sending the Nats home with an eight-run victory that was every bit as comfortable as the final score suggests.

Cavalli Controls the Cardinals Through Five Innings

Cavalli's line was as clean as it gets for a starter: 5.0 innings pitched, four hits allowed, no walks, six strikeouts, and zero earned runs. He kept St. Louis hitters off balance from the jump, working efficiently enough to hand a comfortable lead over to the bullpen. Kyle Leahy took the loss for the Cardinals, and it is easy to see why — he lasted just three innings, surrendering six earned runs on five hits and three walks before the Cardinals turned to their bullpen for damage control.

Brad Lord followed Cavalli out of the Washington bullpen and was equally stingy, logging two perfect innings with three strikeouts and no hits or walks allowed. Jack Sinclair allowed one earned run in his inning of work, and Josiah Gray closed things out by throwing a scoreless ninth, giving up just one hit.

Dylan Crews Powers Washington Offense

Crews was the standout bat in Washington's lineup, going 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. His power stroke gave the Nationals an early cushion that Cavalli and the bullpen never had to sweat. Washington's offense did not stop with Crews — the club plated nine runs in total, doing enough damage against Leahy and Cooper Hjerpe, who inherited the mess and allowed two more earned runs over four innings of relief work.

Key Offensive and Pitching Performances

  • Dylan Crews: 2-for-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI
  • Cade Cavalli (W): 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
  • Brad Lord: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
  • Kyle Leahy (L): 3.0 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
  • Cooper Hjerpe: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
  • Leo Bernal (STL): 3-for-4, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Turning Point: Early Damage Against Leahy

The game turned decisively in the early innings when Washington's hitters got into Leahy, who could not find the strike zone consistently. Three walks mixed with five hits and six earned runs over just three frames put St. Louis in an unwinnable hole before the Cardinals had a chance to respond. With Cavalli dominant on the other side, there was never a path back for the home team.

The lone Cardinals bright spot was Leo Bernal, who went 3-for-4 at the plate. But with St. Louis managing just one run on the day, his individual output amounted to nothing in the team's column.

What's Next for the Nationals

Washington takes a strong performance from Cavalli and a well-rounded team effort into the next chapter of the 2026 regular season. The Nationals will look to carry this momentum forward as the schedule continues in September.