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Big seventh inning propels Nats past Cards

Jun 15, 2011 - 5:25 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Pinch-hitter Laynce Nix drew a go-ahead bases-loaded walk as part of a six-run seventh inning, as the Nationals came back to shock the Cardinals, 8-6, in the opener of a three-game set.

Danny Espinosa went 3-for-5 with a run batted in and Michael Morse chipped in with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI for Washington, which kept the momentum going after posting a 6-5 record on their recent West Coast tour, marking their first winning road trip since going 4-3 on a seven-game trek from May 12-18, 2008.

The Nationals have won four straight and five of their last seven overall.

Ryan Zimmerman, reinstated from the 15-day disabled list prior to the game, posted an RBI double in the seventh. He missed more than two months of action because of a torn abdominal muscle that required surgery.

Henry Rodriguez (2-1) earned the win for tossing a scoreless top of the seventh.

Albert Pujols hit a two-run homer and Lance Berkman added a solo shot and drove in a pair for the Cardinals, who have lost four straight and five of six.

"It was a nightmare of a seventh inning," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "It was uncharacteristic."

Trailing 6-2, the Nats put up six in the seventh, sending 12 men to the plate to go ahead off reliever Miguel Batista (3-2).

With men on first and second, and one down, Zimmerman's double to right brought in a run and Morse's groundout scored another. Espinosa singled up the middle to score Zimmerman and Wilson Ramos followed with a base hit that chased Batista. Left-handed specialist Trever Miller entered and hit Roger Bernadina, then uncorked a wild pitch that scored Espinosa with the tying run.

Pinch-hitter Ivan Rodriguez walked intentionally to load the bases and Jason Motte was summoned from the bullpen. Nix drew an 11-pitch walk to force in the go-head run and Jayson Werth added an RBI single for an 8-6 lead. Ian Desmond fanned to end the inning.

"We got a couple breaks, a couple big hits, great at-bat by Nix to draw the walk," Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said. "There were a lot of great at- bats and the bullpen did a good job also."

Tyler Clippard worked a perfect eighth to bridge the gap for Drew Storen in the ninth. The right-hander issued a one-out walk to Ryan Theriot, who stole second. After Storen retired Colby Rasmus on a fly ball, Riggleman elected to give Pujols an intentional walk.

Storen then set down Berkman on a comebacker to lock down the win and record his 16th save of the season.

Theriot led off the game with a base hit and crossed the plate when Pujols crushed a curveball over the left-center field fence.

Berkman's blast to right in the fourth put the Cards ahead by three, but Bernadina's RBI single in the home half made it 3-1.

St. Louis loaded the bases in the fifth and the Nationals failure to turn a tailor-made double play resulted in a fielder's choice RBI for Berkman.

Yadier Molina and Andrew Brown followed with a run-scoring singles to put the Cards in front 6-1.

With the bases full and no outs in the sixth, Bernadina bounced into an unconventional 4-3-6 twin killing that plated a run.

Game Notes

Nationals center fielder Rick Ankiel left the game in the bottom of the second inning with a strained left intercostal muscle....Washington starter Yunesky Maya lasted only 4 2/3 innings after getting roughed up for nine hits, six runs and two walks with a pair of strikeouts...Jaime Garcia got the starting nod for the Cardinals and worked six solid innings, giving up two runs on eight hits with one walk. The left-hander struck out seven.