Coming off a sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, the St. Louis Cardinals headed to the east coast for the first time this season to face the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Entering the game, not only did St. Louis have one of the best records in all of baseball, but they were riding a four game winning streak, and were looking to keep that streak going.
But despite coming back to tie the game in the ninth, it was a walk-off home run in the end that sealed their fate, as the Washington Nationals won 2-1.
Gio Gonzalez got the start on the mound for the Nationals, and aside from a walk to Matt Holliday, had a perfect top of the first inning. For the Cardinals, Lance Lynn, who in his last start garnered his 50th career victory, started the bottom of the first by allowing a base hit off the bat of Denard Span. Lynn would follow that by striking out the side, consisting of Ian Desmond, Jayson Werth, and Bryce Harper.
The second inning started with a strikeout of Mark Reynolds, who got the start at first base. Jon Jay then stepped up to the plate, and hit a one out single, bringing up Yadier Molina, who would fly out to Harper in right field. Kolten Wong would single past Desmond, but Lynn would strike out ending the top half of the inning.
In the bottom of the second, Ryan Zimmerman started off by doubling on a sharply hit ball past Jason Heyward. Yunel Escobar would then ground-out to send Zimmerman to third, followed by a critical Wilson Ramos strikeout, and a pop out by Gonzalez.
The top half of the third inning was notable for Holliday extending his MLB-leading hitting streak to 12 games with a single to right field. But that would be the only hit of the inning, as Jhonny Peralta would strike out swinging to end the inning. As for the bottom of the third, Desmond would hit a line drive double to right field, and following a Werth walk, Harper would single, which scored Desmond, and give the Nationals the first run of the game, and the 1-0 lead.
For the remainder of their respective times on the mound, it became a pitching duel between Lynn and Gonzalez. St. Louis would get base-runners on, such as a Molina double in the fourth, followed by a walk to Wong, but they could not capitalize on any of the instances for the majority of the game. Gonzalez would go six innings, allowing eight hits, no runs, striking four, and walking four.
Lynn, meanwhile, would give the Cardinals their fifth straight quality start from a starting pitcher. He would go six and one-third innings, allowing one run on five hits, striking out seven and walking four. His ERA on the season is a mere 1.56, which is one of the best in baseball.
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny would take Lynn out, as he had well crossed over the 100-pitch mark, and brought in Kevin Siegrist. Siegrist would strikeout one, but would also allow a hit as well. Seth Maness would then be brought in until the bottom of eighth, during which Matheny brought in Randy Choate, followed by Matt Belisle, all of whom kept the Nationals up only by one run, as the game headed into the ninth inning.
Matt Carpenter would lead off the ninth inning for the Cardinals, as closer Drew Storen pitched for the Washington Nationals, to try and finish the game. Carpenter, who went 0-4 prior to his fifth at-bat, singled into left-center. Heyward would step up to the plate, and a wild pitch would then send Carpenter to second base. A couple pitches later, another wild pitch would advance Carpenter to third, although Heyward was thrown out at first. Holliday was up next. And with a line drive single to left field, he tied the game up at 1-1, sending shock-waves through Nationals Park.
Despite blowing the save, Storen remained in for Washington, and would get a “strike-out, throw-out” double play involving Peralta and Holliday to send the game to the bottom of the ninth.
In the bottom of the ninth, Belisle gets Ramos to line out to Jay right away.
But then…the inning became dramatic.
Danny Espinosa would walk, and Dan Uggla would pinch-hit for Storen. Uggla would walk as well. Jordan Walden would pitch in place of Belisle and Pete Kozma would take his place in a double switch. On a fielding error by first baseman Matt Adams (who entered for Reynolds), Span would reach safely, and the bases would be loaded.
However, Desmond would strike out. And Jay would catch a line drive by Werth with an outstanding dive, which would take the game to extra innings.
A lead-off hit by Kozma would go unused as the Cardinals would go down 1-2-3 the remainder of the inning.
Carlos Villanueva entered the game in the bottom of the 10th, and got Harper and Zimmerman out. But Escobar stepped up to bat, and hit a home-run ball that not even Jay could catch.
The walk-off home run won the game for the Washington Nationals.
Wednesday night, John Lackey will get the start against Doug Fisher, as St. Louis looks to bounce back from Tuesday night’s loss.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
