Cardinals Rally Late to Beat Nationals in Extra Innings

St. Louis scores twice in the 10th to edge Washington in back-and-forth affair.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 4:54am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball game, with overlapping planes of green, red, and blue representing the field, players, and crowd in an abstract, cubist style.The Cardinals' dramatic comeback victory over the Nationals showcases the unpredictable nature of baseball through a cubist lens.Washington Today

The St. Louis Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning, including a go-ahead double by JJ Wetherholt, to defeat the Washington Nationals 7-6 in a back-and-forth game on Tuesday night.

Why it matters

The win keeps the Cardinals in the thick of the National League playoff race, while the loss is another tough one for the struggling Nationals, who have now dropped 7 of their last 10 games.

The details

After the Nationals tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the 9th, the Cardinals struck quickly in the 10th. Thomas Saggese led off with a double to score the automatic runner, and Wetherholt followed with a double of his own to drive in the go-ahead run. The Nationals got one back in the bottom half but couldn't complete the comeback.

  • The game was played on Tuesday, April 8, 2026.
  • The Cardinals scored twice in the top of the 10th inning to take the lead.

The players

Thomas Saggese

A Cardinals infielder who hit a go-ahead double in the 10th inning.

JJ Wetherholt

A Cardinals outfielder who drove in the winning run with a double in the 10th inning.

Washington Nationals

The home team, who were unable to complete a comeback in the bottom of the 10th inning.

St. Louis Cardinals

The visiting team, who rallied late to earn the victory.

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What they’re saying

“We kept fighting all night and found a way to get it done in extra innings. That's the kind of resilience this team has shown all season.”

— Oliver Marmol, Cardinals Manager

What’s next

The two teams will play the second game of their three-game series on Wednesday night.

The takeaway

The Cardinals' late-inning heroics kept them in the thick of the NL playoff race, while the Nationals' struggles continued as they try to turn their season around.