The Washington Nationals dropped both games on Thursday, including the first spring breakout game
The Washington Nationals had a busy Thursday with the spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals in the afternoon then the spring breakout game in the evening. Recap of how both went:
Spring Training Game
With Zack Littell on the mound, St. Louis would open the scoring after giving up a walk and infield single to start the game before a single into right field brought in the game's first run. Daylen Lile would open the top of the second inning with a single into left field before Luis Garcia Jr reached first base on a fielder's choice. That would be enough to come home after advancing to third on a CJ Abrams double, then coming off after Keibert Ruiz grounded out to second base.
But that would be the final run of the game for Washington as the Cardinals took over. After giving up two walks in the third inning, Littell's day ended with Eiker Huizi taking the mound, promptly giving up a walk then two-run single to make it a 3-1 deficit. St. Louis pounced again in the fifth inning with Cole Henry on the mound after a 364 foot home run over the right field wall pushed the deficit to 5-1.
Brad Lord tossed three strikeouts and allowed one hit in his three innings of work, while Drew Smith tossed a pair of strikeouts in three batters faced.
Spring Breakout Game
It started on the right food after Eli Willits reached base after drawing a walk, then stealing second during the next at bat. That would put him in position to score as Gavin Fien belted a double to capitalize and put Washington up, 1-0.
Washington copy-pasted that in the second inning, but this time with more runners on with Ronny Cruz on third base and Caleb Lomavita as Fien's second double proved to be a three-run hit, putting Washington up 4-0.
The Cardinals would narrow the gap with Yoel Tejeda Jr. on the mound after a two-run home run narrowed Washington's lead to 4-3 in the fifth inning, but the Nationals would widen the gap once more.
After Yeremy Cabrera drew a two-out walk, consecutive singles into the outfield would eventually bring Cabrera home to make it 5-3. St. Louis would then answer back in the bottom of the inning after a solo home run made it 5-4 before Tucker Biven crumbled in what ended up being a five-run inning that cemented the loss. Biven gave up a single, then walk, then hitting the batter to load the bases. St. Louis would make him pay after driving in an RBI single then a grounder driving in another run, putting Washington in a 7-5 deficit. Josh Randall would then replace Biven before another single, this time to center field, added an insurance run.
Eventually trailing 9-5 in the top of the ninth, the Nationals would get themselves in position after loading the bases with no outs. Phillip Glasser hit a two out RBI single into centerfield to make it 9-8 before Kevin Bazzell grounded out back to the pitcher, cementing the two loss day.