The Washington Nationals are glad to have third baseman Ryan Zimmerman back, but they aren't exactly having the return game they were hoping for. The St. Louis Cardinals have jumped all over the Nationals early Tuesday night and have not shown any signs of relinquishing a 6-1 lead going into the sixth-inning.
Starter Yunesky Maya looked completely over matched from the get go. Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols started off the scoring for St. Louis (and the beginning of Washington's troubles) in the first-inning by smashing a two-run home run. Lance Berkman added to the damage in the fourth-inning by hitting a solo home run of his own. The Cards then tacked on three more runs in the fifth and chased Maya from the game after just four innings. Reliever Ryan Mattheus made his debut after Maya left and was able to get the final out of the inning.
The Nationals only run came in the fourth when Michael Morse scored on a Roger Bernadina single. Zimmerman is a bit rusty and is 0-for-3 with two strikeouts to start the night.