WASHINGTON -- Max Scherzer's one bad inning proved costly on Friday night as the Cardinals defeated the Nationals, 6-2, at Nationals Park.
Despite a pair of walks, Scherzer was able to get out of the first two innings unscathed, but the next inning proved to be a disaster, as the Cardinals scored five runs. With one out, Scherzer's counterpart, Jaime Garcia, singled to right field. After Greg Garcia walked and Aledmys Diaz singled, the bases were loaded when Matt Holliday walked to score Garcia. Stephen Piscotty followed with a grand slam over the left field wall.
Garcia ended up pitching seven solid innings, allowed two runs on seven hits and winning his fourth game of the season. He did allow a solo homer to Danny Espinosa in the fifth inning, and Bryce Harper scored the second run on a double-play ball hit by Ryan Zimmerman in the sixth.
The Cardinals would add to their lead in the eighth inning, when Greg Garcia hit his second home run of the season off Nationals reliever Yusmeiro Petit.
G. Garcia's solo shot
STL@WSH: G. Garcia rips a solo homer to left-center
Greg Garcia crushes a solo homer into the Cardinals' bullpen, extending the lead to 6-2 in the 8th inning
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Piscotty clears the bases: With the bases loaded and a run already in in the third inning, Piscotty whacked a slider from Scherzer into the left-field seats for his first career grand slam. That homer, Piscotty's sixth of the year, handed the Cardinals a 5-0 lead they never gave back.
Third time not the charm: After throwing 22 pitches in the first two innings, Scherzer threw 35 pitches in the third inning, allowing five runs on two walks and three hits. Scherzer retired the next 14 hitters he faced after Piscotty's grand slam.
Bill Ladson has covered the Nationals/Expos for MLB.com since 2002 and writes an MLBlog, All Nats All the Time. He also can be found on Twitter @WashingNats.
Alex Putterman is a reporter for MLB.com and covered the Cardinals on Friday.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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