Wacha outdueling Gonzalez early at Busch (Nats lose 2-1)

ST. LOUIS - Gio Gonzalez is doing his part to put the Nationals in position to win (and perhaps earn himself a spot in the All-Star Game). But Michael Wacha is up to his usual tricks against the Nats, leaving Gonzalez in danger of yet another hard-luck loss.

Wacha has tossed five scoreless innings to begin tonight's game at Busch Stadium, the Nationals having managed only three hits so far (none of them strung together).

Anthony Rendon's double in the second and single in the fifth, and Michael A. Taylor's single in the third represent the Nats' entire offensive output against Wacha, who has a track record of dominance against this team. The Cardinals right-hander came within an out of no-hitting them in his rookie season in 2013 and now in five career head-to-head starts owns a 1.38 ERA.

Gonzalez, as he's done throughout the season's first half, has pitched well. The left-hander allowed one run on two hits through his first two innings. But he has once again been the victim of poor run support.

Gonzalez's only trouble came as a result of a pair of walks he issued in the bottom of the second. The left-hander has been brilliant pitching out of jams this season - he entered the game with an major league-best .101 batting average against with runners in scoring position - but St. Louis rookie Alex Mejia managed to send a two-out single up the middle for his first career hit to give his team a 1-0 lead.

Rendon certainly hasn't been to blame for any of the Nationals' struggles tonight. In addition to being 2-for-2 at the plate (raising his season batting average to .300) he also has made two stellar plays at third base, including a tumbling catch into the stands on a foul popup.

Update: We're through seven innings here, and it remains a 1-0 St. Louis lead. Gonzalez did everything he could, tossing seven innings of one-run, two-hit ball, striking out nine while walking only two. He now sports a 2.77 ERA and has made a compelling All-Star case for himself.

Wacha tossed six scoreless innings but was pulled after throwing 94 pitches, with Mike Matheny entrusting the rest of this game to his bullpen. Brett Cecil got things started with a 1-2-3 seventh.

Update II: The Nationals avoided their first shutout loss of 2017, but they still lost nontheless. After Sammy Solis surrendered a home run to Mejia on his very first pitch after a two-month DL stint, the Cardinals took a 2-0 lead in the eighth. The Nats got one back in the ninth but stranded the tying runner on third and thus lost 2-1.