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WASHINGTON, D.C. - MAY 10 - The Washington Nationals lost the second game of this Cardinals series by a score of 4-2. Trevor Williams struggled again and the lineup was held to only a Dylan Crews homer.

Trevor Williams took the mound for the Nationals and endured another rough outing, surrendering four earned runs on seven hits over six innings. All the damage came in the second inning, where the Cardinals strung together a series of hits, including a two-run double by Lars Nootbaar, to take a commanding lead. Williams managed to settle down afterward, but the early deficit proved too much for the Nationals to overcome. The bullpen provided solid relief, with Cole Henry, Zack Brzykcy, and Jose A. Ferrer combining for three scoreless innings, keeping the game within reach.

Offensively, the Nationals struggled to generate momentum against Cardinals starter Andre Pallante, who carried a shutout into the eighth inning. The lone bright spot came from Dylan Crews, who launched a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth, his fifth of the season, to cut the deficit in half. Despite this spark, the Nationals couldn't get any additional offense, leaving seven runners on base and going 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. CJ Abrams continued his consistent performance, adding two hits to his tally, but the rest of the lineup failed to capitalize on scoring

This loss marks the Nationals' fourth consecutive defeat and drops their record to 17-23, placing them further behind in the National League East. The team's recent struggles, which have really been in starting pitching, have been evident during this streak. Dylan Crews’ offense has been a silver lining, but the rest of the lineup’s inability to support solid pitching efforts is a problem. The Nationals will need to address these issues promptly to stay competitive, if they are ready to be.

Up next…

Looking ahead, the Nationals will aim to avoid a series sweep as they face the Cardinals in the final game of the series on Sunday. Ace MacKenzie Gore is scheduled to start for Washington, bringing a 2-3 record and a 3.33 ERA into the matchup. He will be opposed by Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas, who holds a 1-2 record with a 4.76 ERA. The Nationals will look to Gore to deliver a strong performance and end the team's four-game losing streak before embarking on a challenging seven-game road trip against the Braves and Orioles.