Apr 12, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) forces out Washington Nationals right fielder Juan Soto (22) and throws to first to complete the double play during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Andrew Stevenson hit a pinch-hit homer and Juan Soto had three hits to lead the visiting Washington Nationals to a 5-2 win against St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.
Kyle Schwarber and Yan Gomes had two hits each as Washington snapped a five-game losing streak.
Schwarber, Josh Bell and Josh Harrison, who each missed the first six games following a COVID-19 outbreak on the team, returned from the injured list and made their season debuts, going a combined 4-for-12.
Yadier Molina hit his second home run of the season for the Cardinals.
Kyle Finnegan (1-0), who allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings of relief, got the win. Brad Hand worked around a single and a walk in the ninth for his first save.
Cardinals starter John Gant (0-1) gave up three runs on six hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out four.
Washington starter Erick Fedde allowed a run on two hits over 4 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out five.
The Nationals jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Victor Robles tripled on the first pitch of the game and scored on a single by Soto.
The Cardinals tied in the third. Matt Carpenter led off with an infield single, went to second on Gant’s sacrifice bunt and scored when Tommy Edman grounded a single to right.
Soto singled to open the sixth and Bell drew a walk. Schwarber followed with a double to right center, scoring Soto. Bell scored when Starlin Castro fouled out down the right field line to give the Nationals a 3-1 lead.
Molina homered in the sixth to pull St. Louis within 3-2, but Stevenson’s pinch-hit homer leading off the seventh against Giovanny Gallegos made it 4-2.
Washington added a run in the eighth when Bell walked, Schwarber singled and Castro followed with an RBI single to left scoring Bell, who reached base three times.
–Field Level Media