Cardinals 4, Nationals 2
Yadier Molina delivered a two-run single in the first inning as visiting St. Louis scored three times off Stephen Strasburg and held on to finish a three-game sweep of Washington.
Matt Carpenter and Matt Holliday each had three hits for the Cardinals, who have won four of their last five. St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia (2-1) gave up four hits and one run over 5 2/3 innings to earn the victory and Edward Mujica pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save.
Strasburg (1-4) allowed three runs - all in the first inning - and five hits while striking out seven over seven innings in his 50th career start. Jayson Werth belted a solo homer in the eighth for Washington, which has lost four straight to fall under .500 for the first time since the end of the 2011 campaign.
Carpenter doubled, Holliday singled and Carlos Beltran walked to set up Molina’s liner just inside the right-field line. Another run came home on an Anthony Rendon throwing error. Strasburg settled down after that, retiring 10 consecutive batters at one point.
Strasburg singled to lead off the sixth and scored on a groundout by Bryce Harper to close the gap to 3-1 before reliever Joe Kelly struck out Ian Desmond with two on and two out, ending the threat. Carpenter singled and later scored on Holliday’s infield hit in the eighth to extend the Cardinals' lead.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Nationals C Kurt Suzuki was given the day off, allowing Jhonatan Solano to get his first start of the season. Solano finished 1-for-4. Washington C Wilson Ramos, recovering from a strained hamstring, could begin his rehab stint as early as Friday. … St. Louis OF Jon Jay snapped an 0-for-21 slump with a single in the eighth inning. … Washington recorded nine double plays in the series.