Jordan Walker homers for third consecutive game as Cardinals beat Nationals 6-1

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jordan Walker homered for the third consecutive game, Michael McGreevy earned his first victory of the season, and the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Washington Nationals 6-1 on Wednesday.

Alec Burleson had three hits and drove in three runs for St. Louis, which won two of three against the Nationals and finished 3-3 on a road trip that began in Detroit.

Miles Mikolas, who made two All-Star appearances while pitching for St. Louis from 2018-25, surrendered two runs in three innings in his first outing against the Cardinals as Washington lost for the seventh time in eight games.

Walker continued his strong start, ripping Brad Lord’s full-count slider to center in the fifth inning. The 23-year-old has five homers in 49 plate appearances in St. Louis’ first 12 games after hitting six in 396 trips to the plate last year.

After the Nationals’ Cionel Perez walked the first two batters in the seventh, Burleson singled in a run to make it 4-1. Yohel Pozo added a two-run single in the ninth.

McGreevy (1-1) yielded a run on four hits in six innings to lower his ERA to 2.16. The right-hander struck out one but retired the last 11 batters he faced, including seven consecutive groundouts to end his outing.

Mikolas (0-3) allowed eight of the 17 hitters he faced to reach safely and was lifted after throwing 55 pitches. But Burleson’s two-run single in the second accounted for the Cardinals’ only scoring against the right-hander.

Luis García Jr. drove in Washington’s run on a grounder in the third.

After a day off Thursday, St. Louis opens a three-game series at home against Boston. RHP Dustin May (0-2, 15.95 ERA) makes his third start for the Cardinals.

Washington is also off Thursday. RHP Jake Irvin (1-1, 8.00) starts Friday as the Nationals begin a road trip in Milwaukee.

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

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop JJ Wetherholt runs the bases against Washington Nationals in the seventh inning during a baseball game, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

Washington Nationals third baseman José Tena breaks his bat against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning during a baseball game, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

Washington Nationals third baseman Brady House fields a ground ball against St. Louis Cardinals in the second inning during a baseball game, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Michael McGreevy pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

Washington Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

DENVER (AP) — The Houston Astros had a pair of players leave the game with injuries in the span of a few minutes during their game Wednesday against Colorado.

Mid at-bat in the second inning, center fielder Jake Meyers left with lower back tightness. Mid-warmups in the bottom of the frame, right-hander Cristian Javier was taken out with shoulder tightness.

Astros manager Joe Espada had no further updates after the Rockies swept the three-game series with a 9-1 win.

“Not what I want to see. It’s hard, hard, hard,” Espada said of the injuries. “Got to flush this and get ready to play ball.”

Hard to flush a series like this?

“I trust these guys,” Espada said. “They know how to do it. The injuries piled on. Not a good feeling. If there’s a team that knows how to bounce back, it’s this group in there.”

It's been an injury-filled week for the Astros, who on Sunday placed righty Hunter Brown on the 15-day injured list with a strained shoulder.

Meyers tweaked his back while facing Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen. Trainers came out to check on Meyers and he stepped back into the batter's box. But after another pitch he was taken out. Brice Matthews took over with a 2-2 count and delivered a pinch-hit single to left.

“Took a swing, thought I was good to go,” Meyers said after the game. “Took a harder take and it tightened it up more.”

After taking the mound, Javier motioned toward the dugout following a warmup pitch. A brief mound visit led to manager Joe Espada taking him out and replacing him with AJ Blubaugh, who gave up five runs in the second.

Javier threw one inning and allowed one run while striking out one.

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

Houston Astros' Jake Meyers (6) is guided back to the dugout by manager Joe Espada, left, and a trainer after Meyers was injured while batting against the Colorado Rockies in the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Cristian Javier works against the Colorado Rockies in the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)