JUPITER, Fla - The Nationals ignited their offense late in the game against the St. Louis Cardinals, spearheading a significant turnaround in the seventh and eighth innings. With 17 hits and only six stranded, they secured an 11-4 victory over the Cardinals, bringing their spring training record to 8-8.

The Nationals staged a comeback in the seventh inning by scoring four runs. RBI singles from Jacob Young, Alex Call, Drew Millas, and Juan Yepez fueled the rally and contributed to the Nationals' impressive resurgence.  This afternoon, the Nationals went 8-19 with runners in scoring position and left seven on base.

However, left-handed pitcher Patrick Corbin struggled this afternoon against the Cardinals. He pitched 3.2 innings, conceding three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out six. Corbin threw 74 pitches, with 45 strikes, including four cutters. Despite the challenging outing, Corbin's spring training ERA stands at 5.11, showing a slight improvement from his 5.20 ERA last season.

RHP Thaddeus Ward (1-0; 2.25 ERA), who got the win this afternoon in his third game appearance of Spring Training, was very efficient. He pitched only one inning and one strikeout, a total of 10 pitches, seven of them strikes. [After today’s game, Ward was optioned to the minors.]

On the offensive side, former St. Louis Cardinal Juan Yepez, now signed with the Nationals under a minor league contract, showcased his skills against his former team. Yepez went 2-2 with 4 RBIs and scored a run, elevating his batting average to .333 and boasting an OPS of .868.

Let's not overlook James Wood. In today's game, prospect James Wood went 0-1 with a strikeout but scored a run in the top of the seventh during the crucial four-run inning.

Lastly, Eddie Rosario went 1-3 in his Washington Nationals debut, beating out a slow roller to short in his first AB with the Nationals.

Other Washington Nationals News:

The first cut is the deepest: As previously covered in this morning's briefing, the Washington Nationals made their initial round of cuts before today's game. Seven players were removed from the spring training roster. Right-handers Joan Adon, Cole Henry, and Amos Willingham, left-handers DJ Herz and Mitchell Parker, and infielder Jake Alu were all optioned to Triple-A Rochester. Outfielder Travis Blankenhorn, not on the 40-man roster, was reassigned to the minor league camp.

Robert Hassell III update: Reports indicate that Robert Hassell III was scheduled for an MRI today to assess his groin, an injury that sidelined him over the weekend. According to Davey Martinez, the outfield prospect is undergoing an MRI to ensure a thorough evaluation.

Next, the Nationals will host the New York Mets, with the first pitch at 6:05 p.m. The starters for both teams have yet to be announced.

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