Cardinals jump on Gonzalez early, go on to win 9-4

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

May 28, 2016, 5:55pm

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A Nationals starter gave up a big inning early in his outing for the second straight game.

Similar to Friday night, a 6-2 loss to the Cardinals in which Max Scherzer allowed five runs in the third inning, lefty Gio Gonzalez had a difficult second inning.

The Cardinals scored four runs with two outs in that inning, highlighted by an Adam Wainwright two-run double. They later added a two-run double from pinch-hitter Matt Adams in the eighth and went on to win 9-4.

The big problem for Gonzalez was control. After striking out the side in the first inning, Gonzalez surrendered four walks.

He also had trouble closing out innings. Five of the six base hits for the Cardinals against Gonzalez came with two outs.

On this night, manager Dusty Baker was unable to squeeze out seven innings from his starter while his team faced a sizable deficit. Gonzalez lasted only 4 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on six hits, including a home run.

The Nationals got two runs back on Ryan Zimmerman's blast in the second, but were unable to mount another big rally against Wainwright. Zimmerman hit his second homer of the game to lead off the seventh. Zimmerman finished 4-for-4 with two homers, two singles and three RBIs.

Bryce Harper slammed a solo homer over the center field wall in the sixth to cut the St. Louis lead to 6-3. It was Harper's 13th homer of the season.

Adams' hit in the eighth inning ended a streak of 24 consecutive runners inherited by the Nationals bullpen who did not score.

The Nationals have scored a total of eight runs in their last four games, losing three times.