Efficient at-bats producing early runs (Nats win 12-2)

JUPITER, Fla. - The Nationals insist they want to be better fundamentally this season, and that includes more efficient at-bats with runners in scoring position. They're living up to the mantra so far this afternoon against the Cardinals.

The Nats jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings, with all four runs scoring on something other than a base hit.

Adrian Sanchez drove home the day's first run with an RBI groundout in the top of the second, allowing Victor Robles (who walked and advanced to third on Andrew Stevenson's double) to score from third.

The Nationals then added three more runs in the top of the third, with Pedro Severino scampering home via a wild pitch, then Trea Turner and Adam Eaton scoring on back-to-back sacrifice flies. (Matt Adams and Robles provided those run-scoring flyouts.)

It's Feb. 24, of course, so tread carefully when trying to draw major conclusions from these events. But surely Davey Martinez will be pleased with the offensive approach from a club that admittedly needed to be better in those situations last season.

The Nationals also got quality work from their starter today, with Erick Fedde making a nice early impression in his 2019 spring debut.

Fedde retired six of the seven batters he faced, including St. Louis regulars Matt Carpenter, Dexter Fowler and Paul Goldschmidt. The lanky right-hander, whose fastball registered 93-94 mph on the stadium radar gun, recorded three strikeouts. He got Fowler, Tyler O'Neill and Yairo Muñoz, all swinging at sliders.

Fedde faces long odds to make the opening day roster, assuming the Nats' five veteran starting pitchers all remain healthy. But the organization knows the former first-round pick will be needed at some point this season and intends to keep him stretched out as a starter at Triple-A Fresno if he's not in the big leagues.

Update: The good news: The Nationals lead 8-2 in the sixth, thanks in part to a solo homer by non-roster infielder Jacob Wilson and an opposite-field RBI single by Carter Kieboom. The bad news: Koda Glover was pulled after facing only four batters, the last three of whom he walked, in the bottom of the fifth. It's unclear if Glover was injured, but pitching coach Derek Lilliquist was the one who pulled him in favor of Austen Williams, who was given extra time to warm up. We'll see what we can find out postgame.

Update II: This has turned into a full-blown rout. The Nationals scored three more times in the top of the seventh to extend their lead to 11-2. Wilson, Jake Noll and Taylor Gushue all doubled to keep the line moving.

Final update: Noll's homer in the ninth pushed the Nats' lead to 10. Vidal Nuño struck out Dylan Carlson to cap a 1-2-3 bottom half. Nationals beat the Cardinals 12-2.