Nationals 3 - 5 Cardinals
Final
  for this game

Cardinals top Nats to split doubleheader

Apr 21, 2011 - 4:46 AM St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Lance Berkman had three hits and drove in a pair of runs, as St. Louis beat Washington, 5-3, to split a day/night doubleheader at Busch Stadium.

In the day game, Ian Desmond and Laynce Nix both drove in two runs to help the Nationals grab an 8-6 win. Danny Espinosa collected three hits and scored two runs in the opener.

The nightcap saw the Cardinals move in front for good with back-to-back RBI singles from Berkman and Yadier Molina in the fifth inning.

Jaime Garcia (3-0) was charged with four hits and three runs -- one earned -- over five-plus innings. Jason Motte threw a scoreless sixth and Eduardo Sanchez tossed two spotless frames. Mitchell Boggs surrendered a two-out single to Desmond in the ninth, but then retired pinch-hitter Nix on a pop out to first to end the game. Boggs picked up his first career save to wrap up St. Louis' seventh victory in 10 games.

"As a starting pitcher you try to go six, seven or more (innings)," Garcia said. "Anytime your bullpen goes four innings without giving up a run that's huge."

Espinosa, Rick Ankiel and Jayson Werth each had an RBI for the Nationals, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

Jordan Zimmermann (1-3) was saddled with the loss after surrendering eight hits and five runs over six frames.

With two outs in the fifth, Albert Pujols walked and Matt Holliday singled. Berkman then singled on a line drive right past Zimmermann. Molina's base hit up the middle made it 5-3.

"I really didn't want to make a mistake there, I walked him," Zimmermann said of his matchup in the fifth with Pujols. "I should have bore down a little more. It was a snowball effect."

Desmond was called out on strikes to end the top of the sixth, leaving a runner at third.

Ankiel stole second and went to third on Molina's throwing error in the opening inning, but he was left stranded after Adam LaRoche grounded out.

The Cardinals opening the scoring in the third. Daniel Descalso singled and scored later in the frame on Colby Rasmus' base hit to center.

Holliday's fielding error allowed Ankiel to get to third in the next inning, and he scored on Werth's groundout.

Holliday walked ahead of Berkman's RBI double to the left field corner in the bottom of the fourth. Two batters later, Nick Punto singled to right field for a 3-1 lead.

Run-scoring singles from Espinosa and Ankiel tied the game in the fifth.

Game Notes

Garcia is 5-1 lifetime against NL East opponents in eight starts (10 appearances)...The Nationals have lost nine of their last 10 games at Busch Stadium...The three-game series wraps up Thursday afternoon with Tom Gorzelanny pitching for the Nationals and Kyle Lohse for the Cardinals.






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