WASHINGTON -- The final month of the regular season will be a chance for the Nationals to do some evaluating to determine which players will be a part of their future, and perhaps what roles they might fit into. They allowed themselves that flexibility, in part, by unloading some of their veterans in August to free up playing time in September.
Those tests are likely to bring growing pains, as they did throughout Washington's 11-8 loss to the Cardinals on Tuesday night at Nationals Park. Erick Fedde, filling the vacant rotation spot left by Giovany Gonzalez, matched a career high with seven strikeouts, but he endured a four-run second inning. Reliever Austen Williams, who had not given up a home run in 68 innings in the Minors this season, gave up three in the span of four batters in the sixth inning. And Sammy Solis gave up a grand slam to Yadier Molina on an 0-2 pitch in the ninth inning to give St. Louis a comfortable lead, despite Washington's late comeback attempt.
"That's going to happen with these young guys, but they're going to get an opportunity to pitch," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "They got to realize, if they want to pitch here, they got to get outs. These are the things we have to see. I can't keep using the same guys every single day. These guys have to pitch."
Fedde, the club's No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline who was making his first start since July 4, showed flashes of a starter who could claim a rotation spot next season. After a 1-2-3 first inning, he labored through the second, which included a three-run single from Matt Carpenter that was aided by an error in right field from Adam Eaton. Fedde settled in following the rally, however, and held the Cardinals to four runs on four hits in five innings.
"I think just that second inning got away from me a little bit," Fedde said. "I started getting a little slider happy with some of the guys that came up, and I think I just let it take over."
The Nats rallied back from the initial four-run deficit with a four-run fifth. Trea Turner and Juan Soto drew bases-loaded walks, with Bryce Harper's two-run double sandwiched in between.

The game would not remain tied for long, however, as Williams started the sixth by serving up a home run to Marcell Ozuna, his second of the night, and then a home run to Paul DeJong for back-to-back shots. After Molina flied out, Patrick Wisdom added the Cardinals' third home run of the inning off Williams to put St. Louis ahead 7-4. The Nats gave Williams an opportunity to work his way out the jam, showing a willingness to allow young players to work themselves out of unfamiliar spots, but he could not make it out of the inning. In his second career Major League appearance, Williams gave up three runs on four hits and walked a pair over two-thirds of an inning.
"I think there's just things that I might be able to do in the Minor Leagues that I can't here," Williams said. "I think mixing your pitches is so much more important and I think that's one thing I'll take [away from this]. I need to trust my breaking ball more and just try to be better with two strikes if I want to throw a fastball."
Still, the Nationals showed some heart in the ninth inning. Wilmer Difo, who took over as starting second baseman after Daniel Murphy was traded away to the Cubs, added a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth and Washington put three runs on the board in the ninth. Molina's late grand slam, however, proved to be too much to overcome, as the Nats fell on a night when their young pitchers struggled.

"They have to start pitching, keep us in the games," Martinez said. "I told them all, with our offense, we're going to score [runs]. Every inning you guys come in is a closer inning. You've got to go in there like you're going to close the game out. That's how important these innings are."
MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
After drawing a walk against Cardinals right-hander John Gant, Turner attempted to steal second base on a 3-2 pitch to Harper. Although Harper took the pitch for ball four, Molina threw down to second base and shortstop DeJong held the tag on Turner as his foot came off the base. Turner was initially ruled safe, but the Cardinals challenged. Because a walk is not a dead ball, Turner was only permitted to advance 90 feet, so after a quick review, the call on the field was overturned with Turner ruled out.
• Turner out after going from 1st to 2nd on walk

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Nats rally late: Molina's grand slam proved the game's decisive hit, as the Nats' made their last move in the form of a three-run ninth inning. Anthony Rendon doubled in a run and Ryan Zimmerman knocked in a pair with a two-run double. Eventually, Matt Wieters came to the plate as the tying run, causing the Cardinals to bring in right-hander Jordan Hicks for a save situation. After a six-pitch battle, Hicks induced a groundout to second base on a 102-mph sinker to end the game.

SOUND SMART
• Soto drew a pair of walks Tuesday, increasing his season total to 68, which surpasses Mel Ott for the most by a teenager since 1900.

• Tuesday's game was played in four hours and 10 minutes, making it the second-longest nine-inning regular-season game in Nationals history.
UP NEXT
The Nationals wrap up this three-game set with the Cardinals with Wednesday night's series finale at 7:05 p.m. ET. Tanner Roark will take the mound, looking to continue his success from a stellar August. In six starts last month, Roark posted a 2.78 ERA with just four walks over 35 2/3 innings. He will match up against Cardinals All-Star starter Miles Mikolas.