The Cardinals finally allowed a run, but their winning streak rolls on after a victory over the Nats

WASHINGTON (AP) — By the time St. Louis finally allowed a run, Andre Pallante had worked into the eighth inning and the Cardinals were on their way to a seventh straight victory.

Strong pitching was the story again. Pallante took a shutout into the eighth, and although the Cardinals fell a couple innings short of their third consecutive shutout, their overall winning streak rolls on after St. Louis beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Saturday.

“Credit to the pitchers. They’re going out there and executing," said St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol, who also credited the catchers and the game plans. "It’s been really fun to watch.”

The Cardinals allowed a run in the sixth inning against Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, eventually winning that game 2-1. Then came a 5-0 victory over the Pirates and a 10-0 rout of the Nationals that included an individual shutout by Erick Fedde.

Then St. Louis scored four runs in the second Saturday, and Pallante kept the Nationals off the scoreboard until the eighth.

“When your team puts up four runs in the second inning, you can feel them kind of start and deflate with their at-bats," Pallante said. "The offense did a great job of taking them out of it.”

This was the second-longest outing of Pallante's career. He threw eight scoreless innings — also at Washington — in a 2022 game.

“It was good for him to touch that eighth. He'll build off of that," Marmol said. “From a confidence standpoint, really good.”

Pallante was pulled after allowing a two-run homer to Dylan Crews with one out in the eighth. Then the Nationals put two on against reliever JoJo Romero that inning but didn't score again.

Ryan Helsley gave up a hit and two walks with two out in the ninth, but Marmol wasn't overly concerned about his closer.

“If you look at the shape of the fastball, the velo and actual ride on it, is what we would like it to be compared to other outings," Marmol said. "Obviously, it wasn't as clean has he would have liked or we would have liked, but there are some positives in that outing.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Ryan Helsley (56) throws during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher JoJo Romero throws during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante throws during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked a shot by LeBron James and stole the ball from him on consecutive possessions in the final minute, and the Milwaukee Bucks blew a fourth-quarter lead before rallying for a 105-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 22 points, and he hit two free throws to break a tie after Antetokounmpo blocked a driving layup attempt by James with 39 seconds left.

Antetokounmpo then knocked the ball out of James' hands from behind with 2 seconds left, and Porter hit two more free throws to seal Milwaukee's fifth win in seven games — its first over a team with a winning record since Dec. 11. Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points in his lowest-scoring effort since returning from his right calf strain.

Luka Doncic had 24 points and nine assists on 8-of-25 shooting for the Lakers. He had his lowest-scoring performance since Christmas, and he fouled out on Porter's 3-point attempt with 16.2 seconds to play.

James had 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, but Antetokoumpo got the best of the top scorer in NBA history at crunch time. Los Angeles has lost six of 10.

Milwaukee surged to a double-digit lead in the first half even with Antetokounmpo on a minutes restriction in his injury return. Doncic scored 12 points in the third quarter but also committed four fouls in the period, including his fifth of the game.

Los Angeles abruptly erased its deficit by going on a 17-4 run to open the fourth, with James putting the Lakers ahead when he stole the ball from Antetokounmpo for a layup with 6:02 left. Milwaukee missed nine of its first 12 shots in the period, but Porter's layup tied it with two minutes left.

Lakers starters Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura remain sidelined by injury, but Hachimura (calf) might return early next week from his six-game absence, coach JJ Redick said.

Bucks: At Denver on Sunday.

Lakers: At Sacramento on Monday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart, left, tries to shoot as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. go after a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)