Top prospect James Wood hit his first-ever home run in the major leagues—a three-run shot—and also hit a two-run double, totaling a career-high five RBIs as the Washington Nationals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 14-6 on Saturday.
Wood’s homer, a 383-foot blast to the opposite field, gave the Nationals a 7-0 lead in the second inning. He has now reached base in all six games since joining the Nationals, tying Ian Desmond (2009) for the second-best start in club history.
“It’s definitely a big moment, especially when you’re trying to get an early lead in the game,” Wood said about his home run.
Wood’s five RBIs are tied for the second-most by a rookie in Nationals history. Danny Espinosa had six RBIs in a game on Sept. 6, 2010.
“It felt good,” Wood remarked. “I was hitting the ball well but mostly on the ground, so it was nice to get one in the air.”
In the third inning, Wood hit a double off the left field wall, adding two more runs. These were his first extra-base hits in the majors.
“He came through with the big home run and then the double when they were starting to come back,” said Nationals manager Dave Martinez. “He’s been playing really well since he got here. I love his approach at the plate. He’s patient and looking for pitches in the strike zone, which is something we’ve been working on with him since spring training. He’s doing a great job.”
Keibert Ruiz also had a strong game, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and a three-run homer off Cardinals starter Lance Lynn (4-4).
The Nationals scored a season-high 14 runs on 15 hits, including three home runs and four doubles.
Lynn had a rough outing, allowing a career-worst 11 runs (10 earned) in just 2 2/3 innings on 82 pitches. He gave up nine hits, walked four, and struck out two, marking his shortest start of the season. This was only the second time this season he allowed three homers in a game.
