▲ 1
Early Scoring
Daylen Lile · Michael McGreevy · James Wood
In the top of the first inning, Daylen Lile hit a two-run home run to center field off Michael McGreevy following a James Wood single, giving Washington an immediate 2-0 lead.
MLB
September 19, 2026 · Busch Stadium
Washington Nationals at St. Louis Cardinals Game Analysis — September 19, 2026
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSH | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 4 |
| STL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 2 |
Follow the scoring sequence from the first run to the final margin.
WSHScoreSTL
- 1Supports the analysis
Lile homered to center (404 feet), Wood scored.
2–0 - 6
Nuñez reached on infield single to shortstop, Vivas scored, Ruiz to second.
3–0 - 73–1Supports the analysis
Pagés reached on infield single to pitcher, Winn scored on throwing error by pitcher Lovelady, Pagés to second.
- 3–2Supports the analysis
Fermín singled to center, Pagés scored.
- 93–3Supports the analysis
Pagés singled to left, Church scored.
- 10Supports the analysis
Vivas singled to left, Tena scored, Vivas to second.
4–3 - 4–4Supports the analysis
Winn singled to right, Bernal scored, Winn out stretching at second.
- 11Supports the analysis
Young reached first base on catcher's interference, Morales scored on error, Nuñez safe at second on error, Ford safe at third on error. Washington Nationals challenged: call on the field was overturn
5–4 - Supports the analysis
Tena doubled to left, Ford scored and Nuñez scored, Young to third.
7–4 - Supports the analysis
Crews hit sacrifice fly to right, Young scored.
8–4 - 8–5
Wetherholt singled to center, Church scored.
Read the plays and performances in chronological order, or filter the view by team.
- 1–2 · linked
Matchup Effect
James Wood · Michael McGreevy
James Wood reached base in his first two plate appearances with singles against Michael McGreevy, finishing the game 2-for-5 with one run scored.
- 1–4
Player Influence
Michael McGreevy
Michael McGreevy worked 4.0 innings in his start for St. Louis, throwing 88 pitches while allowing two earned runs on five hits, one walk, and one strikeout.
- pitches
- 88
- innings appeared
- 1–4
- 1–6
Pitch Pattern
Andrew Alvarez
Andrew Alvarez threw curveballs on 44.6% of his pitches (41 of 92), inducing 21 swings and 10 whiffs while allowing just two hits on the offering.
- pitches
- 92
- innings appeared
- 1–6
- 1–9 · linked
Base Out State
Ivan Herrera
Ivan Herrera reached base four times for St. Louis, collecting three hits—including a third-inning double—and being hit by a pitch in the ninth inning.
- 1–10 · linked
Offensive Performance
Jorbit Vivas · Riley O'Brien · Jose Tena
Jorbit Vivas reached base four times on singles across six plate appearances, highlighted by a two-out RBI single off Riley O'Brien in the tenth inning that scored Jose Tena and gave Washington a temporary 4-3 lead.
- 2–9 · linked
Player Influence
Nathan Church
Nathan Church recorded two hits and scored two runs for St. Louis, including a leadoff double in the ninth inning that set up the game-tying run.
- ▲7–▼7
Middle-inning Rally
Pedro Pages · Jose Fermin · Richard Lovelady · Masyn Winn
St. Louis scored two runs in the seventh inning to narrow Washington's lead to 3-2, capitalizing on a Richard Lovelady throwing error on Pedro Pages's infield single before Jose Fermin delivered a two-out RBI single.
- ▲9–▼9
Late-inning Leverage
Pedro Pages · Nathan Church · Yovanny Cruz · Jordan Walker
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Pedro Pages tied the game 3-3 with an RBI single following a Nathan Church leadoff double, before Yovanny Cruz stranded two inherited runners by striking out Jordan Walker and retiring Leo Bernal with the bases loaded to force extra innings.
Bottom of the 9th — bases and outs
6 plate-appearance transitions in the bottom of inning 9. - 9–11 · linked
Substitution Window
Jose Tena
Jose Tena entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning and went 1-for-2 with a run scored and a two-run double in the 11th inning.
- ▼ 10
Scoring Sequence
Masyn Winn · Leo Bernal · Riley Cornelio
Masyn Winn tied the game 4-4 in the bottom of the tenth inning with an RBI single to right that scored Leo Bernal before Winn was thrown out attempting to stretch it into a double.
- ▲11–▼11
Extra-inning Offense
Gordon Graceffo · Jose Tena · Dylan Crews · Jacob Young
Washington broke a 4-4 tie in the 11th inning by scoring four runs against Gordon Graceffo, using a catcher's interference, a two-run double from Jose Tena, and a Dylan Crews sacrifice fly to take an 8-4 lead.
Gordon Graceffo pitch selection by count
Observed pitch-type mix across 4 count groups (34 valid pitches). - ▲11–▼11
Game Frame
Game Frame
Washington defeated St. Louis 8-5 in an 11-inning contest that featured 13 combined runs, 26 hits, and six defensive errors.
- ▼ 11
Game-ending Relief
Riley Cornelio · Will Dion · Ivan Herrera · Jordan Walker · Leo Bernal
After St. Louis loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the 11th, Riley Cornelio recorded consecutive strikeouts of Ivan Herrera and Jordan Walker before Will Dion induced a flyout to strand all three inherited runners and seal an 8-5 win.
Washington Nationals pitcher deployment
Observed pitching-staff sequence by inning (7 pitchers, 6 subsequent).
See what the reviewed evidence supports—and where its limits are.
Cruz's ninth kept the blown lead from ending it
MediumIt is safe to state that Pages tied the game in the ninth before Cruz prevented a walk-off by stranding the bases loaded to push the game into extra innings.
Evidence
Bottom 9th
- Pagés singled to left, Church scored.
- Church doubled to left.
Bottom 9
- Nathan Church vs Erik Tolman
- Pedro Pages vs Erik Tolman
- Jordan Walker vs Yovanny Cruz
- Leo Bernal vs Yovanny Cruz
- Walker struck out swinging.
- Bernal grounded out to second.
- Base/out transitions · Bottom 9
- Yovanny Cruz · 0.2 IP · 0 H · 0 ER · 1 K · 0 BB · 10 pitches
- Score after inning 9: 0–1
Not implied
- This does not imply Cruz had guaranteed mastery in high-leverage situations.
- This does not imply St. Louis had flawed late-game pinch-hitting tactics.
Limitations
- The evidence reflects observable outcomes and counts without proving managerial intent or psychological factors.
The seventh turned it into bullpen math
HighIt is safe to describe the Cardinals' two-run seventh inning as a rally sparked by an infield single and throwing error followed by Fermin's two-out single.
Evidence
- Score after inning 7: 0–2
Bottom 7th
- Pagés reached on infield single to pitcher, Winn scored on throwing error by pitcher Lovelady, Pagés to second.
- Fermín singled to center, Pagés scored.
Bottom 7
- Masyn Winn vs Richard Lovelady
- Pedro Pages vs Richard Lovelady
- Jose Fermin vs Richard Lovelady
- Richard Lovelady · 0.2 IP · 2 H · 0 ER · 1 K · 0 BB · 23 pitches
Not implied
- This does not imply managerial tactical mistakes in bullpen deployment.
- This does not imply psychological pressure caused the throwing error.
Vivas kept handing Washington another at-bat
HighIt is safe to state that Vivas compiled a four-hit game and delivered a two-out go-ahead single in the tenth inning.
Evidence
- Jorbit Vivas · 4-for-6 · 1 K
Top 1
- Jorbit Vivas vs Michael McGreevy
Top 6
- Jorbit Vivas vs Justin Bruihl
Top 10
- Jorbit Vivas vs Riley O'Brien
- Vivas singled to left, Tena scored, Vivas to second.
- Score after inning 10: 1–1
Not implied
- This does not imply a permanent breakout or season-wide offensive baseline for Vivas.
- This does not imply defensive positioning mistakes on his singles.
The 11th finally made the mess expensive
HighIt is safe to describe Washington's four-run 11th inning as the decisive offensive rally that established an 8-4 lead.
Evidence
- Score after inning 11: 4–1
- Gordon Graceffo · 1 IP · 2 H · 2 ER · 1 K · 2 BB · 34 pitches · L
Top 11th
- Young reached first base on catcher's interference, Morales scored on error, Nuñez safe at second on error, Ford safe at third on error. Washington Nationals challenged: call on the field was overturn
- Tena doubled to left, Ford scored and Nuñez scored, Young to third.
- Crews hit sacrifice fly to right, Young scored.
Top 11
- Jacob Young vs Gordon Graceffo
- Jose Tena vs Gordon Graceffo
- Dylan Crews vs Gordon Graceffo
Not implied
- This does not imply Graceffo was fatigued or pitched through injury.
- This does not imply intentional pitch mismanagement by St. Louis.
Cornelio and Dion took the only outs left
MediumIt is safe to state that Cornelio's back-to-back strikeouts with the bases loaded set up Dion to enter and record the final out, stranding three runners to finish the game.
Evidence
- Base/out transitions · Bottom 11
Bottom 11
- Ivan Herrera vs Riley Cornelio
- Jordan Walker vs Riley Cornelio
- Leo Bernal vs Will Dion
- Herrera struck out swinging.
- Walker struck out swinging.
- Bernal flied out to right.
- Riley Cornelio · 1.2 IP · 3 H · 0 ER · 2 K · 1 BB · 33 pitches · W
- Will Dion · 0.1 IP · 0 H · 0 ER · 0 K · 0 BB · 2 pitches
- Final score 8–5
Not implied
- This does not imply Dion or Cornelio possesses an innate clutch gene.
- This does not imply St. Louis hitters adopted an incorrect tactical approach in the 11th.
Limitations
- The evidence demonstrates the observable sequence of outs and run prevention without establishing broader bullpen durability or clutch traits.