(Photo credit: Jeff Le)

Cade Cavalli pitched five scoreless innings and recorded the 200th strikeout of his first full major league season Friday night, leading the Washington Nationals to a 9-1 victory against the host St. Louis Cardinals.

Cavalli, who agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Nationals earlier in the day that could be worth up to $70 million, allowed four hits and struck out six. He is the seventh pitcher with at least 200 strikeouts so far this season.

With his ace staked to a big lead thanks in part to a two-run home run by Dylan Crews and a two-run double by Yohandy Morales, manager Blake Butera pulled Cavalli after he threw 73 pitches.

Cavalli (13-5) earned strikeout No. 200 on the final pitch of his outing, a changeup on the inside corner that froze JJ Wetherholt without a swing to end the fifth. Cavalli gave a smile and pumped his fist as he walked off the field with catcher Harry Ford.

He has posted a 1.90 ERA in 12 second-half starts.

Cavalli is the first Nats pitcher to reach 200 strikeouts in a season since Patrick Corbin, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg did it in the 2019 World Series season.

Cavalli's extension guarantees him $47 million and could be worth up to $70 million if the Nationals exercise their 2031 team option.

The Nationals (72-82) pushed three runs across in the first inning, keyed by an RBI single from CJ Abrams and a run-scoring fielder's choice grounder from Brady House.

Abrams also stole second base in the first to become the first Nats player since Alfonso Soriano in 2006 to reach 30 homers and 30 steals in the same season.

Crews' 12th homer of the year came during a four-run third against Kyle Leahy (10-5). Leahy allowed seven runs -- six earned -- along with five hits and three walks over three innings.

Brad Lord followed Cavalli with two scoreless frames, and the Cardinals (75-79) scored their lone run against right-hander Jack Sinclair in the eighth on an RBI grounder by Ivan Herrera.

Josiah Gray pitched a one-hit ninth for Washington, which has won five of six.

--Field Level Media