The Nationals entered Game 1 without closer Daniel Hudson, who was placed on paternity leave; Wander Suero was activated in his place. Washington got one run in the second as Yan Gomes drove in Howie Kendrick with a two-out double. Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas went six innings, allowing one run on seven hits while striking out seven. The Nationals added a run in the seventh, again with two outs, as Kendrick drove in Adam Eaton, who had tripled. Washington starting pitcher Aníbal Sánchez did not allow a hit until a two-out single by José Martínez in the eighth inning; Sánchez struck out five, walked one, and hit two batsmen in innings. Sean Doolittle relieved Sánchez and recorded the final four outs, giving Washington the 2–0 win and a 1–0 lead in the series. Sánchez had also been the starting pitcher in the most recent prior one-hitter in playoff history, Game 1 of the 2013 ALCS, coming against the Boston Red Sox when he played for the Detroit Tigers. It was Doolittle's first save this postseason.