WASHINGTON -- Back in the nation's capital this week, where Matt Adams spent the bulk of this season before returning to the franchise that drafted and developed him, a package awaited the Cardinals' first baseman. In it were a bundle of bats, Rawlings black models, Adams' favorite. He unwrapped them hopefully. Perhaps all it would take for Adams to swing his way out of his late-summer slump was some new lumber.
Hours later, fresh bats in hand, that's exactly what Adams did. Playing his second game in Washington since being claimed by the Cardinals off waivers from the Nationals last month, Adams socked two home runs to lead St. Louis to a 7-6 victory over his former team. He connected for a three-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the fifth, both off losing pitcher Tanner Roark.
"Pulled the bat out and it felt good," Adams said. "Taped it up, and used it."

As much as the bats, Adams cited a mechanical adjustment he'd made in recent days. The issue was with Adams' posture, he said. He made the change that led to his first extra-base hits since returning to the Cardinals. He'd hit .130 (3-for-23) in his first 10 games following the waiver claim, and had been 3-for-his-last-44 (.068) dating back to Aug. 5.
"Just getting comfortable with that again, everything from here on out is about having good ABs," Adams said. "The main thing is keeping with my work and my routine."

Those struggles had not kept Cardinals manager Mike Shildt, though, from inserting Adams into the No. 3 spot in the order on days he's started. Perhaps that is because the Cardinals are familiar enough with Adams and know not to bury him due to a small sample.
The first baseman hit .271 with 56 home runs across parts of six seasons with St. Louis, before being traded to the Braves last season. He signed with the Nationals during the offseason and hit .257/.332/.510 with 18 home runs in 94 games.
Shildt called Adams' performance Wednesday "very encouraging."
"He's been close, with how his swings looked," Shildt said. "Today he got some results from it."