Finding success in the 2026 March Madness bracket often means going on a roll at just the right time. Which teams can do that will go a long way in determining who comes home with this year’s title at the end of the 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket. The obvious favorites are the top seeds like Duke in the East, Arizona in the West, Florida in the South and Michigan in the Midwest. However, due to the amount of talent throughout the 2026 NCAA bracket, nothing seems impossible for a good portion of the 2026 March Madness field.
In 2014, seventh-seeded UConn cut down the nets after defeating eighth-seeded Kentucky in the championship game. Nine years later, the Huskies won another championship when they downed fifth-seeded San Diego State. Who will be the 2026 March Madness Cinderella team? Before you make your 2026 NCAA Tournament predictions, see the 2026 March Madness bracket picks from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
Two years ago, SportsLine’s computer simulation nailed massive upsets, including huge wins by No. 11 Oregon over No. 6 South Carolina, No. 11 NC State over No. 6 Texas Tech, No. 10 Colorado over No. 7 Florida. Last year, SportsLine’s computer simulation nailed massive upsets, including calling both 9-seeds that advanced in the first round, No. 12 Colorado State over No. 5 Memphis, and No. 6 BYU advancing to the Sweet 16. The model has beaten over 91 percent of all CBS Sports bracket players in four of the past seven tournaments.
This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has nailed 25 first-round upsets by double-digit seeds since its inception in 2016 and nailed UConn’s championship run in 2024. It nailed 12 teams in the Sweet 16 and correctly predicted all four Final Four teams a year ago.
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The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every college basketball game 10,000 times. It entered conference tournament week on a sizzling 14-2 run on its top-rated over/under college basketball picks dating back to last season, and is on a 28-21 run on top-rated CBB side picks. You shouldn’t even think about making a pick without seeing what their model has to say.
Top 2026 March Madness bracket upset picks
One South Region surprise the model has identified: No. 9 Iowa defeats No. 8 Clemson in the first round. Iowa has completely changed its style under first-year head coach Ben McCollum, who led Drake to the Round of 32 in last year’s Big Dance. He brought six players with him to Iowa, including Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz. That move has paid dividends, with Stirtz averaging 20.0 points and 4.5 assists per game this season.
The Hawkeyes play at the eighth-slowest adjusted tempo in college basketball, according to KenPom. They are facing a Clemson team that does not have anyone scoring 12 points per game, and second-leading scorer Carter Welling tore his ACL in the ACC Tournament. The Tigers lost to No. 12 seed McNeese State in the Round of 64 last season, and they are in line for another first-round exit this year.
Another South Region surprise the model has identified: No. 5 Vanderbilt over No. 4 Nebraska to advance to the Sweet 16. The Huskers are having one of their best seasons ever, going 26-6 overall and finishing tied for second in the Big Ten at 15-5. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, is 26-8 overall and tied for fourth in the SEC at 11-7. The Commodores made it to the SEC Tournament championship game, where they lost 86-75 to Arkansas.
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Nebraska appears to be trending in the wrong direction. After starting the season 20-0, the Cornhuskers have gone just 6-6 since, including a 20-point loss at UCLA on March 3. They fell 74-58 to eventual champion Purdue in the Big Ten Conference Tournament quarterfinals. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, appears to be on a roll, having won four of its last five games, including three of those games coming against ranked opponents. See which other 2026 March Madness upsets and matchups to target here.
How to make 2026 NCAA Tournament bracket predictions
The Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao rematch promotional run is not going smoothly following the official announcement.
Mayweather and Pacquiao faced off back in 2015, where ‘TBE’ claimed a legendary decision win over the Filipino phenomenon before hanging up the gloves two years later.
‘Pac Man’ revealed that he had suffered a severe right rotator cuff tear before the fight and has later said opting not to postpone the clash was the biggest regret of his career. He had surgery on his shoulder shortly after the fight but was unable to secure a rematch, that was until earlier this year, with a shock second encounter announced for September – undoubtedly one of the biggest events of the 2026 boxing calendar despite disapproval from many fans.
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However, in recent days the fight has been thrown into doubt after Mayweather said that the venue was not finalised and that it would be an exhibition, not a pro contest as announced. Pacquiao’s team say he is in breach of contract for that, as well as other reasons.
Now, in an interview with FightHype, Shane Mosley, who lost to Mayweather in 2010 and Pacquiao the year after, declared that he has heard rumours that Pacquiao’s shoulder is hindering him once again.
“Floyd’s not the same Floyd that he was … but Manny also has some complications. I don’t know if it’s his shoulder, in his sparring or something like that. There’s stuff going on with him too.
“I’m seeing that he [Pacquiao] is having complications with his shoulder and stuff, so I don’t think that he will be able to train the same way that he did to get ready for the [Mario] Barrios fight. So, that could be something.
“Before [hearing of the shoulder injury] I was saying Pacquiao [will win], now I am saying that I don’t really know because I don’t know what Pacquiao can do. I don’t know if he can still run or spar, he can’t do what he used to do.”
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It remains to be seen whether those whispers are true or not, with Pacquiao claiming to be fighting fit ahead of what is, until official word says otherwise, a professional rematch with Mayweather, scheduled for Saturday, September 19, live on Netflix.
Coco Gauff released a shocking 8-minute response addressing the backlash to her Miu Miu campaign. The American star spoke out in defense of her natural hair and used the moment to stand up against the criticism faced by Black individuals.
The controversy around Gauff and Miu Miu started after their latest campaign began circulating online. While many fans loved seeing her step into the fashion space, the reaction quickly turned negative on social media.
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A lot of the criticism was focused on her hair. Gauff chose a simple, natural look, where she put her hair in a bun, but some comments were unnecessarily harsh and crossed the line. Some users made offensive comparisons between the tennis star’s look and historical civil rights imagery, which many found deeply inappropriate.
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Initially, Gauff did not respond publicly. However, after returning to X following a month-long break, she came across the negative comments and called them out. A few days later, she addressed the backlash more directly, sharing an 8-minute video response on TikTok.
The two-time Grand Slam champ explained that the photoshoot was a simple setup in her parents’ backyard. The outfit choice, she made clear, was entirely hers.
“First of all, it’s Miu Miu. That’s their aesthetic. I love the Miu Miu aesthetic. So if you don’t like it, the girls who get it, get it. The girls who don’t, don’t. I picked the outfit out,” she said.
She also addressed comments about her hair, explaining why she chose the natural bun.
“I personally don’t like to slick back my hair super sleek because it does damage my hair.”
She added that she prefers to let her “4C hair” be natural, especially as a tennis player. Gauff emphasized representation as well, saying:
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“I’m not going to apologize for the way that my hair looks… There are other girls who have the exact same hair as me.”
She added that if her hair was good enough for a high-fashion campaign, “then yours is good enough” too.
“Black people are beautiful” – Coco Gauff’s positive message to people after Miu Miu controversy
Coco Gauff at the Miami Open – Source: Getty
The latter half of Coco Gauff’s response video was filled with positive messages. She explained that people who criticize others are insecure about themselves, and no one should pay much heed to such criticism.
Sharing a beautiful and positive message for black people, Coco Gauff said:
“Black people are beautiful. Black hair texture, kinky afro hair texture is beautiful. You don’t need people on the internet who don’t like themselves, who are insecure about themselves to tell you that. Because, people who are secure will also find my shoot beautiful.”
On the tennis side of things, Gauff is gaining momentum in 2026. She started slowly but has reached the semifinal in Dubai and the final in Miami recently. She lost to Aryna Sabalenka in the final in Miami, but will move into the clay season with confidence as she looks to defend her French Open title.
Anthony Joshua is getting ready to return to the ring and his 2026 fight plan is beginning to take shape.
Following a stoppage win over Jake Paul in December last year that, despite doing little for his standing in the heavyweight division, gained him significant interest in the US, Joshua was involved in a tragic car crash that claimed the lives of two close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele.
Though he escaped with minor injuries, it was unclear how the physical and mental toll would affect ‘AJ’s future inside the ropes. Now back in training with former rival Oleksandr Usyk, he has confirmed he will continue fighting. That means that talk of a fight against Tyson Fury – who returns this weekend in London – has resumed, but promoter Eddie Hearn recently confirmed to assorted media that his charge will not be going straight in with ‘The Gypsy King,’ instead targeting another long-awaited fight in the interim.
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“This is what I want. We need a warm-up fight before we fight Tyson Fury, because AJ’s coming off an accident, he’s rehabilitating his body… We’ll take Deontay Wilder as that warm-up fight and then we’ll fight Tyson Fury in December.”
Joshua and Wilder were once in the position to fight for the undisputed title, but the fight failed to materialise on more than one occasion. With Wilder’s recent win over Derek Chisora, this may be the best chance to make it happen before a retirement ends the prospect for good.
“By the way, I respect Wilder and I think he looked much better [against Chisora] than he has done previously. But let me tell you – cause I was 6 feet away – Anthony Joshua will walk through Wilder within 3 rounds.”
The one obstacle that may stand in the way is a hand injury suffered by Wilder during those twelve rounds with Chisora. If he is fit by the end of the summer, this plan looks all the more likely.
Owners of On Display are determined to overturn the result from 12 months prior in pursuit of a Stakes win in Adelaide.
The mare, now four years old and under the care of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, heads toward the Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville on April 25, having run fourth there last year en route to victory in the Listed Morphettville Guineas (1600m) a week on.
Strategy for the Queen Of The South Stakes hinges on the Anniversary Vase, where barrier three was drawn and Thomas Stockdale is retained to partner.
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Price and Kent Jnr have likewise entered Golden Path and Taken into the Anniversary Vase, with Kent Jnr viewing On Display as the standout of their entries.
“She’s the high quality one of ours in the race,” Kent Jnr said.
“She is going well. She found the leader biased track at Flemington difficult to overcome and last time behind Treasurethe Moment, I haven’t seen a race where they have gone that slowly for a long time.
“The sectionals meant she had no chance, but she zipped home as good as anything in the race and she’ll run well.”
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Arriving third-up on Saturday, On Display placed third behind Scheelite in the Shaftesbury Avenue Stakes at Flemington March 7, then fifth to Treasurethe Moment in the Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Caulfield March 21.
Taken boasts the minimal impost for the stablemates but draws the widest post in the 14-horse contest.
Kent Jnr was impressed by Taken’s second last out on a yielding track at Flemington.
“I thought he was excellent and he should be a good chance down in the weights, despite the draw,” Kent Jnr said.
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A Queensland path awaits Golden Path, whom Kent Jnr expects to improve with another run after his sixth on debut back in the Flemington race Taken contested.
“He’s heading to Queensland and I think he needs another warm up run before he strikes form,” Kent Jnr said.
Apr 6, 2026; Henderson, Nevada, USA; quarterback Kirk Cousins discusses signing with the Raiders and reuniting with head coach Klint Kubiak during a media session, addressing his fit with new teammates including tight end Brock Bowers after joining Las Vegas three weeks into 2026 free agency. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
In 2021, Kirk Cousins played the best ball of his career, and the man who offensively coordinated him is now the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders: Klint Kubiak. So when Cousins praised his new head coach and his lieutenants this week, it made sense.
Cousins touted Kubiak this week, and the familiar partnership could matter for the Raiders’ next step at quarterback.
Las Vegas signed Cousins last week, presumably as a patchover quarterback for Fernando Mendoza, and Cousins thinks the relationship will work because of his prior experience with Kubiak.
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Vikings Reunion Energy Followed Cousins to Vegas
Cousins and Kubak ride again in the AFC West.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak speaks with attendees and observes activity Mar 31, 2026, at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona, during the NFL Annual League Meeting, where coaches and executives gather to discuss league matters and offseason developments ahead of the upcoming season. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Cousins on Kubiak
The former Viking spoke with Raiders reporters this week, unshy about recalling Minnesota memories.
“Thrilled to be here. It’s such an iconic logo, iconic jerseys, so to get to be a part of it is a real privilege to me. I think it starts with the coaching staff. I was really excited about being able to work with coaches I worked before. Klint Kubiak, Rick Dennison, Andrew Janocko,” Cousins said.
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“I had some of my best years playing with them, and coaching is a big deal in this league. A big reason why I’m sitting in this chair and I’m now a Raider is because of Klint Kubiak. I can talk about him all I want, but my actions really show what I think of him by being here. Great football mind and extremely hardworking. There’s a humility there that I deeply respect.”
It also helps that Kubiak won a Super Bowl two months ago as the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks, helping to propel another ex-Viking, Sam Darnold, to the championship.
A New Pile of Cash, Too
Cousins is set to earn a fully guaranteed $20 million in 2026. Although his contract is structured as a five-year, $172 million deal, it essentially operates as a one-year, $20 million agreement. Entering the offseason, when it seemed evident that Atlanta would drop him, some wondered if Cousins might sign a minimum deal to re-establish his market value, but this did not happen.
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Cousins continued his pattern of securing high-value contracts. After receiving $100 million in guaranteed dough from Atlanta in 2024 and 2025, he is now collecting the aforementioned $20 million from Las Vegas. The outcome aligns with Cousins’ reputation for maximizing his earnings.
The Raiders also hold a two-year, $80 million option for the following offseason, depending on Mendoza’s progress. If Mendoza develops successfully, Las Vegas can transition without major complications.
In all likelihood, Cousins will be a free agent next March, and he’ll do the same song and dance again.
Probably a Month to Post a Winning Record
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The Raiders do not live in an easy division, and Cousins will have Mendoza breathing down his neck for the QB1 job, assuming he topples Mendoza at training camp for the QB1 job. How can he keep Mendoza at bay? Well, the simplest way to think about it is a winning record. If the Raiders exit September with a 2-2 or 3-1 record, for example, the Cousins show will likely continue. Anything worse than that would pave the way for Mendoza’s insertion into the starting lineup.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) drops back and delivers a pass in the second quarter Dec 7, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, facing the Seattle Seahawks as he works through reads and releases the football during live game action. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
After all, first overall picks always see the QB1 job before too long, and frankly, it’s a little weird that Cousins is in town to serve as a patchover quarterback. Most franchises tear the band-aid off these days and let it rip. See: Caleb Williams in 2024 and Cam Ward in 2025.
Cousins has one big chance to help the Raiders stack wins before Mendoza inevitably takes over.
He also has the humility for the job. Cousins said this week, “Honestly, I don’t want to start unless I’m the best option. I told Klint that: The best player should play. Certainly, as long as that’s the case, I have no qualms about how it plays out. I do think Fernando is going to be a great addition to our team. I think he’s going to have a great future in the league.”
“I have no problem being a voice in the room to help him to the degree that I can. … Being able to watch a veteran quarterback go through his habits, routine and process, that can be a great asset for him. … It’ll be a noisy quarterback room, we’ll all be helping each other, and we’ll all be pulling in the same direction.”
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Cousins’ Numbers with Kubiak
The new Raiders signal-caller became a full-time starter in 2015 for the Washington Commanders. There are his NFL rankings per EPA+CPOE since then, with the rankings in bold during the Kubiak years:
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins walks along the sideline during the first half Aug 17, 2024, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, observing preseason action against the Ravens while teammates rotate through series during early exhibition play. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Cousins played his most consistent ball with Kubiak’s tutelage, so perhaps in 2026, he can turn the clock back to 2021 or 2022.
Oddsmakers, though, are not high on the Raiders. They expect Kubiak and Co. to win four or five games next season.
PSG took a big step towards the Champions League semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Liverpool at home in the first leg. Désiré Doué opened the scoring in the 11th minute, before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia doubled the lead in the 65th minute. The reigning champions could even have regrets, given how much they dominated the match (74 percent possession, 18 shots).
In the other match of the evening, Atletico Madrid claimed a surprising 2-0 victory over Barcelona. Antoine Griezmann’s side capitalised on Pau Cubarsí’s red card in the 43rd minute to gain a significant advantage ahead of the second leg in Madrid next Tuesday.
In tennis, Daniil Medvedev had a nightmare day in Monte Carlo. The world No. 10 lost 6-0, 6-0 to Italy’s Matteo Berrettini, a first in his career.
Seasoned race followers may recognise Fatty Finn for his breakthrough maiden success as favourite at Sale.
The moniker comes from a Sydney-originated 1920s comic character, featured in an 1980s film led by Ben Oxenbould.
On his third run, the horse triumphed in the Programmed Property Services Maiden Plate (1415m) at Sale last Wednesday.
Charlotte Littlefield prepares Fatty Finn, alongside Bruiser Murphy, the cleverly named debut winner at Moe, owned by the same group.
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Littlefield, who strapped at Sale on the day, soon recounted a delightful history for Fatty Finn.
“Ben, the actor who played the character in the movie, got in touch with us,” Littlefield told racing.com.
“He’s going world-wide this horse and now that he’s won, he’s going to be even more famous.
“It’s a great story.”
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Ridden by Zac Spain at $2.10 favourite odds, Fatty Finn led throughout and won by 1-½ lengths from Just For Kicks ($5), with She’s Got The Cash ($6) a head back third.
“He rode that to perfection,” Littlefield said.
“He took luck out of the equation, he went forward and the horse was too good.
“A big thank-you to Lyn Joyce who has entrusted this horse in my care, and she has two horses, very well named, Bruiser Murphy and Fatty Finn.”
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Littlefield is set for England’s Magnolia Cup in July at the Glorious Goodwood Carnival, a ‘Ladies Day’ charity race for 12 riders from business, sport, fashion, and media after intensive coaching.
“I grew up just down the road, so Goodwood was my local racecourse,” Little said.
“To now return here and compete at such a prestigious event is truly a pinch-me moment.”
Discover racing betting markets offering great value on events like the Sale maiden plate.
The former Manchester United goalkeeper has lifted the lid on his life since leaving Old Trafford
Ex-Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has opened up about his year spent away from the game. The Spaniard has referred to those 12 months as the “best” of his life.
De Gea became a legend at Old Trafford. The now 35-year-old won the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup under Sir Alex Ferguson as he claimed the mantle as one of the greatest shot-stoppers in the game.
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After 12 seasons at United, he left in July 2023 and spent the entirety of the 2023/24 season as a free agent before signing with Serie A club Fiorentina, where he continues to play his football to this day. Thursday will see De Gea return to English shores with La Viola as they take on Crystal Palace in the first leg of the Europa Conference League quarter-finals.
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The former Atletico Madrid star has endured a mixed season in Florence, with Paolo Vanoli’s side becoming embroiled in a relegation fight. De Gea and his team-mates have since pulled off a dramatic U-turn, however, and began climbing the Serie A standings.
Touching on his life spent outside of the sport after leaving United, De Gea told Gazetta: “It was an easy decision. After 12 years at United, I needed a break.
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“So I took a year off to dedicate to my family and friends: it was the best year of my life. But I continued to train with a coach, Craig, who was very supportive and did a great job with me.
“I was sure I could compete at a high level again. When Fiorentina called me, I was ready. The first time I walked into Rocco B. Commisso Viola Park, I was speechless: there aren’t many facilities like it in Europe.”
De Gea waxed lyrical over his time in Manchester. He labelled Sir Alex a “father figure” and insisted that losing the Premier League in agonising circumstances to city rivals Manchester City in 2012 was the driving force behind United’s title win the following season.
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“We lost the Premier League in our first year when City took the title from us with a last-minute win despite our victory over Sunderland. I made up for it by winning it in 2012/13 – every game at United was special,” he continued.
Elaborating on Fiorentina’s difficulties this season, he said: “There’s no explanation. We started badly and put a lot of pressure on ourselves. It was tough for me too, as I found myself fighting for survival for the first time.
“The young players suffered more; in these situations, you have to be mentally strong. I wasn’t at my best either, but I didn’t give up. Hard work is the only way to get out of it.
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“The hardest moment was at the end of 2025, when we were last, hadn’t won a game, and the statistics said no one in our situation had ever survived. I was worried then: I felt like I was in a nightmare. Now, however, we’ve improved in many areas and are still in the running in the Conference, but we have to keep working hard.”
The tie against Palace has been one to watch for the star, with returning to England always a tantalising prospect. He concluded: “We’re focused on Serie A, but we have to believe in it. Crystal Palace are strong, and it’ll be great for me to return to England. Winning a trophy would be amazing for the fans; we can do it.”
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Apr 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson (41) hits a 2 RBI single against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
Jordan Walker homered again, Alec Burleson drove in three runs and notched three hits and starting pitcher Michael McGreevy retired the final 10 batters he faced as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the host Washington Nationals 6-1 on Wednesday.
Walker hit his fifth home run of the season and three St. Louis relievers completed what became a combined four-hitter. McGreevy (1-1) worked six innings, yielding one run on four hits without a walk. He struck out one.
Walker moved into a share of the big-league lead for homers after smashing a long ball for the fourth time in a five-game stretch.
The Nationals, who have lost seven of their past eight games, never led. They completed a 1-5 homestand.
Starting pitcher Miles Mikolas (0-3) allowed two runs on five hits with three walks in three innings. He fanned three.
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Washington’s James Wood went 2-for-4 to join Burleson as the only players in the game with more than one hit.
Matt Svanson, Justin Bruihl and Riley O’Brien pitched in relief for St. Louis.
The Cardinals, who stranded nine runners, struck first on Burleson’s two-run, two-out single in the second inning.
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Washington scored its run in the third on Luis Garcia Jr.’s fielder’s choice grounder for the second out. He was the last batter before McGreevy began his stretch of notching outs on the Nationals’ next 10 batters.
Walker’s solo homer came with one out in the fifth off Brad Lord.
The Cardinals began the seventh with back-to-back walks, and Burleson followed with an RBI single. However, a strikeout and a double-play grounder allowed the Nationals to escape without additional damage.
St. Louis tacked on two runs in the ninth. After Walker walked to load the bases with two outs, Yohel Pozo delivered a two-run single.
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The teams split the previous two games of the three-game series, with the Nationals prevailing 9-6 on Monday and the Cardinals claiming a 7-6 decision in 10 innings on Tuesday.
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