Central STL News

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals secured their 50th win of the season with an 8-1 victory over the Washington Nationals at Busch Stadium on Thursday night. Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas delivered a strong performance, providing 5 2/3 scoreless innings. "It felt pretty good," Mikolas said, reflecting on his improved performance after a challenging game against the Cubs.

This was Mikolas' second start against Washington this season, following a solid outing in May. After allowing a leadoff double to CJ Abrams, Mikolas maintained control, preventing further baserunners until Paul DeJong's single in the fifth inning. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol praised Mikolas for his effective pitching and ability to induce ground balls.

First baseman Willson Contreras humorously suggested giving Mikolas a piggyback ride due to the frequent ground balls hit his way. Contreras also contributed offensively with his 12th home run of the season.

Mikolas expressed satisfaction with keeping the ball in play and credited the team's defense for supporting him. Only three Nationals players reached base against him as he improved his career ERA against Washington.

Nationals interim manager Miguel Cairo acknowledged Mikolas' skillful pitch mixing, which challenged their hitters. Despite exiting with a narrow lead, the Cardinals' offense erupted in the sixth inning, scoring five runs against reliever Mason Thompson.

Steven Matz and Kyle Leahy completed the game for St. Louis, with Washington scoring its sole run on a fielder’s-choice grounder by Jacob Young.

Contreras emphasized the importance of maintaining intensity throughout games and highlighted recent discussions within the team about consistent effort.

Brendan Donovan and Alec Burleson made notable contributions to St. Louis' offense as they prepare for an upcoming series against the Braves. With their current standing just outside playoff contention, decisions loom ahead of the July 31 Trade Deadline.

Contreras urged focus on upcoming games rather than anticipating breaks: “Just not think about the break. Think about tomorrow and think about the game.”