ST. LOUIS — There was a point earlier this season, if the Cardinals had committed three errors and were trailing by four runs as they were on Thursday night, the game for all intents and purposes would have been over.
And even though the Cardinals’ comeback bid fell just short against the Nationals, the fact that they made it a one-run game shows how much things have changed at Busch Stadium.
The loss snapped an eight-game winning streak and was only the third in 15 games in August in which the Cardinals have climbed back into the division and wild-card races.
A three-run sixth cut the lead to 5-4, and the Cardinals had the tying run on second base with two outs in the ninth but Yadier Molina flew out to end the game.
Here is how the game broke down:
At the plate: The Cardinals closed the four-run gap in the sixth on a double by Tyler O’Neill and two-out hits from Paul DeJong (single), Kolten Wong (double) and Harrison Bader (infield single) and a Washington error … With two outs in the ninth, pinch-hitter Jose Martinez singled and Matt Carpenter walked on a 3-2 pitch before Molina made the final out … Bader gave the Cardinals their first run with his ninth home run of the year, leading off the third … Carpenter, in the lineup after getting hit on his right hand by a pitch on Wednesday night, walked in the third to extend his streak of reaching base to 34 consecutive games .. DeJong’s single snapped his string of eight consecutive extra-base hits.
On the mound: Luke Weaver failed to get through the fourth inning, although he would have done except for a fielding error by Carpenter on what should have been the third out … Bryce Harper greeted Tyson Ross with a two-run single, which saddled Weaver with four runs, although two were unearned … Weaver has won only won once in 11 starts at home this season … Ross allowed another unearned run in the fifth because of errors by Wong and by himself but then got the game to the eighth, when Brett Cecil relieved and worked a perfect inning … Mike Mayers pitched around a leadoff single and one-out walk in the ninth.
Key stat: The Cardinals had committed only six errors in their first 14 games in August but the three on Thursday night raised their season total to 95, the most in the major leagues. It’s also one more than the team’s final total for last season.
Worth noting: Carlos Martinez is scheduled to pitch for Double-A Springfield on Friday night and Sunday and if those outings go well should join the Cardinals on Monday in Los Angeles. He last pitched out of the bullpen in 2015 … Adam Wainwright made his second rehab appearance for Class A Palm Beach on Thursday night. He worked two perfect innings, striking out three. He threw 31 pitches, 19 for strikes, and his velocity topped out at 92 miles per hour … All three of the Cardinals’ losses this month have come in one-run decisions.
Looking ahead: Jack Flaherty will get the start Friday night in the opener of the three-game series against the Brewers, followed by Miles Mikolas on Saturday night and John Gant on Sunday. Flaherty has made two starts against the Brewers this year and in 12 innings has allowed seven hits, two runs and recorded 22 strikeouts.