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Across 5 2/3 scoreless innings on Thursday at Busch Stadium, Mikolas limited Washington to two hits, one walk, and notched six strikeouts to help lead the Cardinals to an 8-1 victory that notched their first series win since sweeping a three-game road series in Cleveland at the end of June.

Mikolas, who allowed eight runs and six homers in Chicago during the July 4 start, induced 10 groundouts against the Nationals. He began his outing by allowing a leadoff double to CJ Abrams and stranded him there to end the inning. He did not allow a second hit until former Cardinal Paul DeJong singled with one out in the fifth inning.

After leaving DeJong at first base to end the frame, Mikolas exited his start following 71 pitches, 50 of which were strikes. The right-hander left with two outs in the sixth inning and a runner on first base following a walk to All-Star James Wood.

Reliever Steven Matz’s stranded the runner he inherited from Mikolas to help the righty to his first scoreless start since May 17. The outing improved Mikolas to 6-3 in 11 career starts (12 appearances) when facing the Nationals. He shrunk his ERA against the National League East club from 3.26 to 2.98.

Mikolas’s effort held tight a 2-0 lead provided by RBIs from Alec Burleson in the first and third innings. That lead evolved into a 7-0 lead by the end of the sixth inning when Cardinals hitters produced five-runs against right-handed reliever Mason Thompson in the sixth inning. They pushed the lead to 8-0 by the end of the seventh inning when Willson Contreras homered.

The only run the Cardinals allowed in their series-clinching win came in the eighth inning Kyle Leahy.

Lars Nootbaar was pinch-hit for in the seventh inning by Garrett Hampson. It was unclear if the exit was related to an injury.

Grounding the Nationals

After the second pitch of his 71-pitch outing was pulled to right-center field for a ground-rule double by Abrams, Mikolas did not allow another hit until the fifth inning, when his 53rd pitch of night was lined to right field for a single by DeJong.

Between the double by Abrams and single by DeJong, Mikolas recorded five of his six strikeouts and seven of his 10 groundouts. The only ball that got off the ground against during the stretch between the Nationals two hits vs. the righty was a pop up to shortstop hauled in with ease by Masyn Winn.

Following the Abrams single, Mikolas kept the Nationals shortstop stranded at second base with striking out Wood, looking, getting Luis Garcia Jr. to pop up, and Josh Bell to ground out.

A swinging strikeout of Daylen Lile and groundout by the ºüÀêÊÓƵ-born Drew Millas did not let DeJong advance past first base.

Busting the game open

To begin the sixth inning, the Cardinals wasted little time in welcoming the right-handed Thompson as Contreras singled on the first pitch he saw from the Nationals reliever and the next four hitters reached bases with either a hit or a walk.

Behind Contreras, Nootbaar hit a ground-rule double to right-center field, Nolan Arenado singled home Contreras on a ground ball to the opposite field, Nolan Gorman worked a seven-pitch walk, and Yohel Pozo singled to left field on a ball he hit to shortstop that Abrams failed to get a glove or his body on.

And when the Cardinals didn’t get hits, their outs continued to add to their lead.

A force out that allowed Victor Scott II to reach first base scored Arenado, put runners on first and third base for Brendan Donovan, and led to Thompson’s removal.

Facing Jackson Rutledge, the Donovan hit a sacrifice fly on the first pitch he saw from the righty and, after Scott stole second base with two outs to give him his 23rd stolen base of the year, Winn doubled the speedy center fielder home on a ground ball to right field that reached the warning track in right field.

Donovan gets on, Burleson gets him in

When the Cardinals produced a run apiece in the first and third innings, they had a common leading man and similar RBI producer.

Donovan, the Cardinals’ lone All-Star representative when All-Star game rosters were announced on Sunday, singled to begin both innings. He scored two batters later in each instance. In each instance, it was Burleson who brought him in.

In the first inning, Donovan singled to right field, advanced to third base on a double from Masyn Winn, and scored when Burleson grounded out to shortstop. The Cardinals’ run-scoring opportunity in the first inning ended with a strikeout by Contreras and a groundout by Nootbaar.

Donovan lined a single to left field to lead off the third inning and, after advancing to second base on a wild pitch, Burleson lined a single to center field that allowed to score Donovan without a throw to home plate.