Nats Run Unbeaten Streak to Five with 3-2 win over Cards

The Washington regulars (mostly Starlin Castro) got three in the first six innings and the ‘pen didn’t blow it in a 3-2 win over the Cardinals, extending the Nats’ unbeaten streak to five games.

It also sorta, kinda helped that Max Scherzer was perfect for his three innings in his second start of the spring. The 36-y.o. struck out five and got nine outs on 42 pitches.

Playing time for the Watchlist players and notables continues to dwindle, with just two position players and one pitcher making appearances in the final three frames.

Jackson Cluff took over 2B from Castro, who homered and tripled and drove in all three runs, and struck out for the second out of Washington’s 8th inning. It was his third K in five hitless spring AB’s

Yasel Antuna subbed for Trey Turner at SS and grounded out for the third out after Cluff’s whiff. His ST line is now 2-for-7 with a double, walk, and a stolen base.

Ben Braymer got the rulebook save with a run let in on a one-out triple followed by groundouts to Cluff and Antuna. It was his first run allowed in three one-inning outings, none of which have been “clean.”

The Nats (4-3-2) head to Jupiter to visit the Marlins (4-1-4), with Partick Corbin slated to make his second start of the spring. The game can be heard on MLB Audio with the Washington feed.

Earlier this week, Baseball America posted its latest transactions that MLB deigned to release. Aside from the cryptic release of erstwhile Jeremy Jeffres, the following players were signed:

• RHPs Andrew Machado and Justin Miller
• LHPs TJ McFarland and Sean Nolin
• OFs Ramón Flores and Gerardo Parra

Skipping over former Nats, Machado is a longtime Royals farmhand who pitched in the immortal Constellation Energy League in Texas (four teams playing at the home field of the now AAA Sugar Land Skeeters).

McFarland is a journeyman southpaw originally drafted by the Indians and has spent the last eight seasons in Baltimore, Arizona, and… wait for it… Oakland.

Nolin was raised on the Toronto farm and has had cups of coffee with the Blue Jays and the A’s. He pitched 35 innings last summer in the Japanese Leagues.

Flores came up through the Yankees’ organization and spent parts of three MLB seasons (2015-17) with New York, Milwaukee, and Los Angeles (AL). He split time between AAA and the Atlantic League in 2018 and 2019 and his most recent pro experience was in the 2020-21 Venezuelan Winter League.