Cardinals Defeat Former Pitcher in 6-1 Win Over Nationals

St. Louis Cardinals tag Miles Milokas with third loss of the season in series victory over Washington Nationals.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 4:13pm

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting breaking down a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals into sharp, overlapping geometric planes of vibrant red, white, and blue colors.A cubist interpretation of the Cardinals' victory over the Nationals, with the game's action deconstructed into a dynamic geometric composition.Boston Today

The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Washington Nationals 6-1 on Wednesday, April 8, with a strong performance against former Cardinals pitcher Miles Milokas. Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker led the Cardinals' offense, while Michael McGreevy pitched a quality start for the winning side.

Why it matters

The Cardinals' win over the Nationals, including their success against a former teammate, keeps them competitive in the tight NL Central division race, where no team has a losing record so far this season.

The details

Alec Burleson started the scoring for the Cardinals with a two-out single in the second inning that brought home Thomas Saggese and Nathan Church. Washington scored one run in the bottom of the third when Jacob Young scored on a Luis García Jr. grounder, but that would be their only run of the game. Jordan Walker extended the Cardinals' lead with a fifth-inning home run, and Burleson and Yohel Pozo added insurance runs in the seventh and ninth innings, respectively. Michael McGreevy pitched six strong innings for the Cardinals, allowing just one run on four hits and striking out one.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
  • The Cardinals and Nationals will have an off day on Thursday before the Cardinals return home to face the Boston Red Sox on Friday.

The players

Alec Burleson

A Cardinals outfielder who led the team at the plate, going three-for-four with three RBIs.

Michael McGreevy

The Cardinals pitcher who threw a quality start, going six innings and allowing one run on four hits with one strikeout.

Miles Milokas

The former Cardinals pitcher who started for the Nationals and was tagged with the loss, lasting just three innings and giving up two runs on five hits and three walks.

Jordan Walker

A Cardinals infielder who hit a home run in the fifth inning to extend the team's lead.

Jacob Young

A Nationals player who scored the team's lone run in the third inning.

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What they’re saying

“We were excited to face Miles and get the better of him today. He's a former teammate, but we had to focus on getting the win.”

— Alec Burleson, Cardinals Outfielder

What’s next

After an off day on Thursday, the Cardinals will return home to face the Boston Red Sox on Friday. The Red Sox have struggled to start the season, sitting at the bottom of the AL East with a 4-8 record.

The takeaway

The Cardinals' win over the Nationals, including their success against a former teammate, keeps them competitive in the tight NL Central division race, where no team has a losing record so far this season. The team will look to build on this momentum when they return home to face the struggling Boston Red Sox on Friday.