The St. Louis Cardinals earned a 6-3 victory over the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Sunday in spring training action. Nelson Velázquez paced the offense, going 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Richard Fitts turned in a solid outing, working 4.2 innings of 2-run ball with five strikeouts. The Cardinals finished with 8 hits on the day while holding the Nationals to 5. The Cardinals will take confidence from a well-rounded effort on both sides of the ball. Spring training is about building toward the regular season, and this was a step in the right direction.

Key Performers

Nelson Velázquez was the top performer at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Cardinals will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.

Alec Burleson provided support, going 2-for-2, Masyn Winn also contributed, going 1-for-3, and José Suárez chipped in, going 1-for-1. Multiple contributors at the plate made life difficult for the opposing pitching staff.

On the other side of the diamond, Joey Wiemer led the Nationals offense with a 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI day. CJ Abrams also contributed, going 1-for-2. Keibert Ruiz added a 1-for-2 effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Cardinals pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.

On the Mound

Richard Fitts earned the win after turning in a quality outing, working 4.2 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on 1 hit with five strikeouts. He threw 78 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.

The bullpen combined for 4.1 innings of work, allowing 1 earned run while striking out four. The Cardinals continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting. Matt Pushard recorded the save to close out the game.

Among the relievers, Riley O'Brien stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.

How It Happened

The Cardinals struck first, scoring three runs in the first inning. Nationals countered with three runs in the second. The Cardinals struck back with a run in the second. The Cardinals added a run in the fifth. The Cardinals tacked on a run in the eighth. The Cardinals spread their scoring across four different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Cardinals out-hit Nationals 8-5 on the day, with 5 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 4,737 was on hand to take in the action.

Looking Ahead

The Cardinals will look to build on this positive performance as spring training winds down. With the regular season rapidly approaching, outings like this one provide confidence and continuity for a roster that is rounding into form. Every remaining exhibition game is another chance to sharpen the details before the games start counting for real.