Nats fall 8-5 after blowing late lead

ST. LOUIS - With two outs in the first, Kolten Wong misplayed a grounder, allowing Bryce Harper to reach safely on the error. Ryan Zimmerman followed with a double sliced down the right field line. With Stephen Piscotty dealing with the carom off the corner of the wall, Nationals third base coach Bob Henley aggressively waved the hustling Harper around. As the relay throw reached the plate, Harper slid safely head first just inside the tag of Yadier Molina.

Gio Gonzalez has yielded one hit with three strikeouts over two scoreless innings.

Update: Gonzalez issued a one-out walk to Jhonny Peralta in the fourth. Anthony Rendon and Gonzalez then had no play on Jayson Heyward's soft grounder, leaving everyone safe.

Yadier Molina followed with a drive to right-center. Harper seemed to take a bad route to the ball and his diving attempt fell short as Peralta scored easily on the single.

Kolten Wong continued the rally with a ground ball base knock to center just past the outstretched Rendon, plating Heyward.

Mark Reynolds then ripped Gonzalez's changeup to center, scoring the Cardinals' third run of the frame.

Update II: Zimmerman started the sixth with a base knock to center and Yunel Escobar followed with a bullet single to right.

Ian Desmond then hit into a double play, but Zimmerman crossed the plate to cut the Cardinals' lead in half.

Update III: Gonzalez's evening ended after six innings. The left-hander allowed three runs on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts. He threw 92 pitches.

Update IV: Pinch-hitting for Gonzalez, Danny Espinosa drew a walk to start the seventh. After Jayson Werth struck out and Rendon flew out, left-hander Kevin Siegrist walked Harper.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny opted to stay with Siegrist to face Zimmerman. On a 3-1 count, Zimmerman made him pay, blasting a three-run homer to straightaway center.

Zimmerman now has 15 RBIs in his last eight games.

Right-hander Casey Janssen will pitch the seventh for the Nats.

Update V: Janssen gave up back-to-back singles to start the seventh. After getting pinch-hitter Greg Garcia to ground into a double play, Janssen walked Matt Carpenter.

Piscotty and Peralta followed with RBI singles to tie the game. That ended Janssen's night after 26 pitches, his second-highest total for an inning this season.

Left-hander Felipe Rivero followed Janssen to the mound and promptly surrendered a two-run double off the left field wall to Jason Heyward. Two batters later, Molina knocked in Heyward on a single, giving the Cardinals a five-run frame.

Janssen was charged with four of the runs.

Update VI: The Cardinals beat the Nationals 8-5.

The Nationals fall 6 1/2 games behind the first-place Mets, who defeated the Phillies 3-1.