Poor fundamentals doom Nats in 4-1 loss

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter jumped on the first pitch of the game from Nationals starter Max Scherzer and roped a double off the wall in right-center field. He advanced to third base on right fielder Jason Heyward's soft single to left and scored the game's first run when Scherzer uncorked a wild pitch.

Scherzer was able to work out of the inning, getting two strikeouts.

Update: Shortstop Danny Espinosa missed a homer by about two feet when he ripped a double off the right field wall to start the fifth. He moved to third as Scherzer reached on an error after laying down a bunt when first baseman Matt Adams failed to touch the bag. Center fielder Denard Span followed with a bouncer into right field to plate Espinosa and even up the score.

The Nats wasted a prime opportunity to do further damage with Scherzer on third and Span on first and nobody out. Cardinals starter Michael Wacha was able to get shortstop Ian Desmond to pop out, right fielder Bryce Harper to strike out and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman to ground out.

The lack of added scoring in the fifth would immediately cost the Nats in the next frame, as the Cardinals quickly responded.

With two outs, Heyward singled and then moved into scoring position when Scherzer hit right fielder Matt Holliday. He would score easily and give the Cardinals the lead after Adams smacked a base hit to left.

Update II: Scherzer's day ended after seven innings and 82 pitches. He allowed two runs on six hits with no walks and four strikeouts. His first-inning wild pitch and sixth-inning hit batter led to the Cardinals' only two runs against him.

Lefty Matt Thornton recorded the first two outs of the eighth. When Holliday singled to center, Nationals manager Matt Williams opted for righty Aaron Barrett to face pinch-hitter Mark Reynolds. The Nats have displayed some comical fielding blunders early this season, but what followed has to be their most embarrassing debacle.

Reynolds crushed a ball off the wall in right. As Holliday rounded the bases, Harper gathered and fired to Espinosa who launched a wild relay throw over catcher Jose Lobaton. Barrett, who was backing up Lobaton, collected the ball and hurried a throw to second in an attempt to get Reynolds. The ball sailed into center field and Reynolds came all the way around to score.

Update III: Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal picked up his sixth save as he shut down the Nats in order in the ninth.

The Cardinals beat the Nats 4-1 to take the series.