Casey Janssen gives up walk-off homer, Nats lose 8-5

ST. LOUIS - Cardinals rookie left-hander Marco Gonzales' first start of the season didn't last too long. Joe Ross and Jayson Werth delivered consecutive singles to start the third. After bunting Gonzales' first pitch foul, Anthony Rendon roped a double to right-center, scoring Ross and Werth to put the Nationals on the scoreboard.

Rendon advanced to third on the play and then scored on Bryce Harper's sacrifice fly to center.

A red-hot Ryan Zimmerman followed with a deep blast to center. The solo homer was Zimmerman's 14th of the season and second in as many nights.

Two more singles from Ian Desmond and Wilson Ramos caused Cardinals manager Mike Matheny to end Gonzales' evening.

Right-hander Carlos Villaneuva came out of the bullpen to strike out Michael A. Taylor to end the threat.

Ross, who escaped a jam after walking two in the second, continued battling major control issues in the third. After whiffing Villanueva, Ross issued a free pass to Matt Carpenter. After advancing to second on Stephen Piscotty's groundout, Carpenter then scored on Jhonny Peralta's single to center.

Then it fell apart for Ross. Three straight walks led to a second Cardinals run and forced manager Matt Williams to go to his bullpen.

Doug Fister followed Ross to the mound and promptly hit Mark Reynolds, bringing the third Cardinals run to the plate. Fister then stuck out Brandon Moss looking to escape the disastrous frame.

Ross threw 68 pitches over 2 2/3 innings, surrendering three runs on one hit with six walks and three strikeouts.

Update: Fister pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, yielding two hits and striking out two.

Blake Treinen induced a double play grounder with the bases loaded to escape a jam in the sixth.

The Nats added a run in the seventh on an RBI groundout by Yunel Escobar.

Felipe Rivero blanked the Cardinals in the seventh.

Update II: Drew Storen gave up a leadoff single to Tommy Pham to start the eighth. Then Storen missed inside with a slider, hitting Moss.

Greg Garcia followed with a bunt. Storen fielded the ball and opted for the force play at third, but his throw was late and wide, getting past Escobar. Pham jogged home on the error to cut the lead to one.

Williams then called for Storen to intentionally walk Carpenter to load the bases. Piscotty grounded into a double play, but Moss crossed the plate, tying the game.

Update III: Moss smashed a walk-off three-run homer off Casey Janssen with two outs in the ninth.

The Cardinals beat the Nats 8-5.