Nationals’ Offensive Struggles Continue as Cardinals Sweep
By Pablo Roa
Jun 15, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher
Doug Fister(58) delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
For the third straight day, a scuffling Washington Nationals lineup was unable to produce against St. Louis pitching as the Cardinals defeated the Nationals, 5-1, completing a three-game sweep.
Doug Fister got the start for the Nationals as he looked to continue his recent dominance and help put an end to Washington’s three-game losing streak. Fister entered the game with a 2.68 ERA but struggled against the Cardinals, giving up four runs on seven hits over six innings of work.
The Cardinals started the scoring in the bottom of the second inning on a two-run home run off the bat of Cardinals slugger Matt Adams, who hit his third home run in as many days against the Nationals. St. Louis made it a 3-0 game an inning later on another home run against Fister, this time off the bat of Matt Holiday.
After wasting a one out, bases loaded opportunity in the top of the second inning, the Nationals finally got on the board in the fifth on a bases loaded walk by Jayson Werth. But that was all the damage the Nationals would do in the inning as Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia got Ryan Zimmerman to ground-out, ending the Nationals’ threat.
The Cardinals got the run back in the bottom of the frame on a sacrifice fly by Holliday, making it a 4-1 game. St. Louis would add another run in the seventh inning on an RBI double off the bat of Allen Craig.
Washington had yet another chance to get back in the game in the ninth inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, the Nationals scored their second run of the game when Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal walked Adam LaRoche. But once again that was all the damage the Nationals would do in the inning and the Cardinals took game three, 5-2.
With the loss, the Nationals stretch their losing streak to four games and sit a half game behind the Braves in the division.