It wasn't as easy a victory as it probably should have been, but the Washington Nationals have taken the first game of a day/night doubleheader over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Nationals scored six runs in the third inning and held on to pick up an 8-6 victory. It's the Nationals' fourth straight win and it puts them at 9-7 on the season.
John Lannan ended up getting the win, pitching 5+ innings and allowing just two earned runs. Danny Espinosa went 3-5 on the day, and Laynce Nix had two RBI and a solo home run.
The Nationals sent 10 men to the plate in the third inning, as seven straight hitters reached base. But their bullpen struggled, allowing the Cardinals to score three runs in the sixth inning. An error by Ian Desmond eventually led to all three runs, as Chad Gaudin struggled mightily to recover. However, Tyler Clippard came in to retire Albert Pujols with two on and two out, and the Cardinals never seriously threatened again.
Game 2 is scheduled for 8:15 Wednesday night.