James Wood could not fix the Nationals’ bullpen Monday night, but he could give it some life.

In the top of the eighth inning, he’d watched the Cardinals take a one-run lead on a homer that soared over his head and into the bullpen area in right field, another late-inning dagger against a Nationals reliever. In the bottom of the eighth, Wood kick-started the rescue mission.

His game-tying three-run homer to center field launched a comeback that ended with two more blasts and, mercifully, a 9-6 win over St. Louis that ended a five-game losing streak. It was Washington’s first win at Nationals Park this season after the Los Angeles Dodgers finished off a series sweep Sunday.

Wood finished 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, two walks and a home run-robbing catch, helping the Nationals (4-6) avoid a second straight eighth-inning implosion. Washington’s relievers entered the night with the fifth-worst ERA (5.85) in baseball. In their first game this season against a team that missed the 2025 postseason, they did themselves few favors.

Ken Waldichuk allowed three runs in 2 1/3 innings, including the go-ahead blast to Jordan Walker in the eighth inning that gave St. Louis a 4-3 lead. Andre Granillo gave up two earned runs in two-thirds of an inning. A small home crowd (an announced 12,319) that hadn’t seen the Nationals win yet in the District was left to grit its teeth as Cionel Pérez closed out the game in the ninth.

The Nationals’ offense, one of baseball’s most pleasant surprises, needed a while to get going against the Cardinals (5-5). They entered the eighth inning with just three runs. Then Wood homered to center field, scoring Drew Millas and Joey Wiemer. Curtis Mead followed with a double, and Brady House drove him with a two-run blast to center field. CJ Abrams added a solo shot to make it 9-6.

The Cardinals likewise needed to get to the Nationals’ bullpen to find a groove. Starter Zack Littell, who signed with the Nationals less than a month ago and didn’t throw in spring training until mid-March, offered St. Louis batters the same treatment he accorded Phillies batters Tuesday. He was there to give the Cardinals a hard time, if not for a long time.

After throwing 75 pitches in a 3-2 loss in Philadelphia, Littell allowed just one earned run and four hits and struck out six batters over 70 pitches and five innings Monday. Manager Blake Butera said before the game that the right-hander had told him he was “there” with his form; the Nationals were willing to take a wait-and-see approach.

“We need you to pitch a full year healthy, so don’t try to amp it up too much, too quickly at risk of hurting yourself,” Butera said. “But he keeps saying he feels great.”