The St. Louis Cardinals will look to restart their offense on Tuesday after mustering just three hits, all singles, against the visiting Washington Nationals during a 6-0 loss on Monday.
“That game couldn’t have ended quick enough,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “We’re looking forward to (Tuesday).”
The Cardinals had won seven of their past eight games and four in a row before coming up empty on Labor Day.
“Can’t attribute it to anything,” Marmol said. “There’s going to be days where you don’t drive in eight, and this is one of them. We’ll flush it and be ready to go (Tuesday).”
The Cardinals will start left-hander Jose Quintana (4-6, 3.47 ERA) in the second game of the four-game series. St. Louis is 45-23 at home this season.
Quintana lasted just 4 2/3 innings in his latest start, a game the Cardinals eventually won 5-3 in 13 innings at Cincinnati on Wednesday. He limited the Reds to two runs on seven hits and a walk.
He started against the Nationals twice this season while with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Quintana didn’t factor into either decision while allowing four runs on nine hits and five walks in 10 innings.
He is 0-1 with a 5.14 ERA in three career outings against Washington.
The rebuilding Nationals have won five of their past six games while testing some of their promising young players.
“The at-bats are better, they are putting the ball in play, they are making things happen,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “Overall our defense is playing well, it makes our pitching a lot better. We’re playing good baseball right now. If we can catch the ball and throw strikes, we’re going to be just fine. They’re doing that right now.”
Elite shortstop prospect CJ Abrams, 21, went 4-for-5 with two runs on Monday, and 24-year-old catcher Keibert Ruiz homered and singled.
“I love what I’m seeing right now, I really do,” Martinez said. “It’s been a lot of fun working with these guys. They are starting to get it, as you can see. They are starting to understand what we’re trying to do.
“It’s been a lot of fun for me, it’s been a lot of fun for my coaching staff. Watching those guys grow together, it’s been good.”
The Nationals will send right-handed pitcher Paolo Espino (0-6, 4.22 ERA) to the mound to counter Quintana. In his latest outing, Espino held the Oakland Athletics to one run on five hits in five innings in a Thursday game the Nationals went on to win 7-5 in 10 innings.
He struck out six batters and walked none in that contest.
Espino has made one career start against the Cardinals. He allowed four runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings against them on July 30. He didn’t record a decision, but once again, Washington managed to pull out the win.
Nolan Arenado and Paul DeJong hit solo homers against him in that game.
Nationals designated hitter Nelson Cruz hasn’t played since sustaining a contusion when he fouled a ball off his right knee on Friday. Cruz is batting .235 with 10 homers and 64 RBIs this season.
–Field Level Media
