Harper cures ills at expense of Cards
WASHINGTON — After Bryce Harper swung into action, the St. Louis Cardinals were the ones who didn’t feel so good.
Ill for the past week, Harper hit a tying, two-run home run in the ninth inning, then delivered a sacrifice fly in the 10th that sent the Washington Nationals over the Cardinals 4-3 on Monday.
“I felt pretty good at the plate,” Harper said. “Body doesn’t feel very good. Just trying to grind every single day and not try and worry about it. But coughing, hacking, all that good stuff.”
Washington got back to .500 and pulled within 7½ games of NL East-leading Atlanta and 3½ games of Philadelphia after both lost.
The playoff-contending Cardinals have dropped three in a row for the first time since July 11-14.
The Cardinals led 3-1 with one out in the ninth when Harper hit his 31st home run, sending a 96 mph fastball from closer Bud Norris over the center-field fence.
Mark Reynolds led off the Washington 10th against Chasen Shreve (1-1) with a double that went in and out of right fielder Tyler O’Neill’s glove. Pinch-runner Michael Taylor moved to third on Adam Eaton’s bunt single. An out later, Harper flied to deep left. Taylor slid in safely, well ahead of Marcell Ozuna’s throw.
“Just trying to get it in,” Harper said. “I know nobody wants to play extra innings in here. Real hot out there today, so just trying to get the run in any way possible.”
It was the second rough outing in a row for Norris, who gave up three runs and two home runs in the 10th inning of Sunday’s 6-4 loss to Cincinnati.
“I pound the strike zone, and I’ve walked both leadoff guys in situations right there and that’s not helping me,” Norris said. “It’s hard this late in the year, but I have to be better. I have to make better pitches. He hit it, so I have to give him credit for that, but I have to make better pitches and get ahead of hitters.”
St. Louis Manager Mike Shildt said Norris, who has converted 28 of 33 save opportunities, is unlikely to be available today after pitching on consecutive days.
“He’s done a nice job for us all year, and you have to ride though some stuff with guys occasionally,” Shildt said. “Clearly, we’ll evaluate as we go. But it just wasn’t his day the last couple of days, and I know he feels as bad as anybody in the clubhouse.”
Greg Holland (2-2) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the victory against the Cardinals, who designated him for assignment July 27. It was his longest outing since a two-inning appearance for Kansas City on May 12, 2015.
Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty went five innings, giving up a solo home run to Trea Turner in the first. He loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but coaxed Ryan Zimmerman to fly out. Flaherty struck out five and walked five.
Washington’s Max Scherzer settled in after needing 33 pitches to get through a two-run first. He eventually retired 12 in a row, a stretch halted when Yairo Munoz led off the sixth with his seventh home run.
Scherzer pitched 7 innings, allowing 4 hits while striking out 11. It was his 15th outing with at least 10 strikeouts this season. He has a major league-leading 260 strikeouts for the year, his fifth consecutive season with at least 250.
Washington reliever Justin Miller entered with the bases loaded and none out in the eighth, but he induced a double-play grounder on his first pitch before striking out Ozuna to end the threat.
“Normally, I get myself in that situation,” Miller said of wiggling out of the jam.