The Washington Nationals continue their road trip as they travel to the midwest to take on the first-place St. Louis Cardinals on Monday as part of four-game series. The Nationals come in riding high after surprisingly taking two out of three games from the first-place Mets as the Nats seem to be embracing their role as spoiler. The Cardinals come into the series with their largest lead of the season in the NL Central, 8.5 games in front of second-place Milwaukee. The pitching matchup on Monday will be Anibal Sanchez (1-5, 5.05) of the Nationals taking on Jack Flaherty (0-0, 5.63). First pitch is scheduled for 4:15pm EST.
The Washington Nationals long out of the National League playoff picture, have seemingly embraced their role of spoiler. In the last six games, the Nationals have won four times. Included in those wins were two wins over the Mets over the weekend. In the two wins, the Nationals outscored the Mets 14-2 and pushed the Mets to just a game over second-place Atlanta in the NL East Division. The Nationals now face a Cardinals team that is also in first-place and has the chance to again spoil the aspirations of a playoff-hopeful.
Sound the trumpet! ?? pic.twitter.com/75UKnc1XK0
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 4, 2022
The Nationals lineup has come alive in recent days, a lineup that has been severely depleted of the team's top bats after the trade deadline. In the team's last six games, the Nats are hitting .299 as a team and scoring nearly six runs per game. They have hit seven home runs and 22 extra base hits in those six games. On the mound in game one will be veteran right-hander Anibal Sanchez. Sanchez recently won his first game in nearly two years as the righty has battled back from injury. In his last five starts, Sanchez is 1-1 with a 3.08 ERA. He has allowed just 19 hits in 26.1 innings pitched in those five starts.