Struggling Nats look for answers against Cards

Lefty Patrick Corbin, formerly of the Arizona Diamondbacks, has been just what the Washington Nationals wanted before an unusually bad outing Monday.

That has not been the case for Washington right-hander Anibal Sanchez (0-3, 6.00 ERA), who pitched last season for the Atlanta Braves.

Sanchez, who has struggled so far in 2019, will be opposed Tuesday by St. Louis Cardinals veteran Adam Wainwright (2-2, 3.96) in the second contest of a four-game set in Washington.

Sanchez last faced St. Louis on Sept. 18, 2018, allowing two runs on four hits with no walks and nine strikeouts while with the Braves. Those nine strikeouts tied a season-best for Sanchez.

Current St. Louis hitters are 21-for-72 (.292) with four homers against Sanchez.

That includes catcher Matt Wieters (.400), who is 6-for-15 with two homers off Sanchez. Wieters was the main catcher for the Nationals the previous two seasons before signing with the Cardinals prior to this year.

Slugger Paul Goldschmidt of the Cardinals is 4-for-10 against Sanchez. In his career, Sanchez is 2-3, 3.22 in seven starts against the Cardinals. He has not posted a win against them since 2012.

The Cardinals have won nine of 11 and exploded Monday for six runs in the top of the fifth against Corbin and won 6-3.

In that inning Paul Goldschmidt had a hit off Corbin -- he had been hitless in 13 trips to the plate against lefties before that.

Harrison Bader began the comeback with a solo homer and also made a nice sliding catch in center. All three of his homers this year have been hit on the road and 16 of his 18 in his career have come away from St. Louis.

"He jump-started our offense," Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said. "He had a really nice day overall."

St. Louis improved to 18-10 while the slumping Nationals fell to 12-15. Washington has lost seven of its past 10 games.

"They have a lot of guys with power," Corbin said of the Cardinals. "They made me pay for it. Just have to forget about this one and move on. I felt good today. The walks -- two in the fifth inning."

The Cardinals, who will start four righties in the series, will try to keep the momentum going with veteran Wainwright on Tuesday.

Wainwright is 8-4, 3.38 in 15 games against Washington, with 13 starts.

Current Nationals hitters are 20-for-68 (.294) with two homers off Wainwright. But that includes first baseman Ryan Zimmerman (.353, 12-for-34), who went on the injured list Sunday with a foot injury.

Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon is 1-for-13 (.077) against Wainwright in his career. But Rendon did not play again Monday as Howie Kendrick got the start at third base.

Rendon, who has a sore arm, was not in the starting lineup for the sixth time in seven games. He was hit by a pitch in Miami earlier this month. The Nationals have lost their previous three series and won just one series at home this year.

"Just have to move past it," Corbin said of the latest Washington loss.

Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina has hit in a career-high 16 consecutive games.

--Field Level Media