WASHINGTON -- A game, a series, and likely a road trip soured on the Cardinals Sunday afternoon as the last-place Washington Nationals took down the fading defending NL Central champs and starting pitcher Adam Wainwright 4-2 at Nationals Park.
Consecutive two-run innings against Wainwright were enough to prevent him from becoming the National League's first 18-game winner while dropping the Cardinals to five games off the Cincinnati Reds' division lead.
Lefthander John Lannan worked 7 2/3 innings of a game that saw the Cardinals push only two runners into scoring position.
The third loss of a four-game sereis dropped the Cardinals to 2-5 on a road trip that now goes to Houston. They fell to 11-13 this month. The Cardinals have lost 10 of 14 since climbing a season-high 16 games over .500 Aug. 13.
Wainwright allowed four runs in five innings and suffered a loss in a third consecutive start for the first time in his career.
Third baseman Pedro Feliz' ninth-inning solo home run brought the Cardinals within two runs. The the visitors brought the tying run to the plate after a two-out error but pinch hitter Colby Rasmus struck out.
The ninth inning was spiced by a protracted tiff between manager Tony La Russa and the umpiring crew after Nats reliever Drew Storen buzzed left fielder Matt Holliday with a pitch. The crew had delivered a "heads up" to both teams before the game after an eighth-inning incident Saturday in which Nats outfielder Nyjer Morgan elbowed catcher Bryan Anderson. Anderson had his back turned at the time, prompting a rebuke and a benching by manager Jim Riggleman Sunday.
Plate umpire Rob Drake and crew chief Joe West debated La Russa before consulting the rest of the crew. Storen was warned but allowed to remain in the game over La Russa's protest.
Waino Not Bueno
Adam Wainwright left Sunday's start after five innings and 104 pitches with the Cardinals trailing the Washington Nationals, 4-0.
The start ties Wainwright's second-shortest in 27 outings this season and also threatens to erode his 9-1 record in day games this season. The Nationals reached Wainwright for two runs on pitcher John Lannan's two-out second-inning double then doubled their lead on right fielder Michael Morse's two-run home run in the third.
The Cardinals so far have been outscored 31-19 in the series with starting pitchers Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia, Kyle Lohse and Wainwright allowing 18 runs (15 earned) and 35 hits in 21 1/3 innings during the 4-game series. The numbers include 5 1/3 shutout innings from Garcia during Friday's 4-2 win.
The Nationals are three innings away from winning consecutive games for the first time since July 30-31. Entering today's game they had one two-game and one three-game win streak since the All-Star break.
Wainwright struck out seven but for a second straight game piled up a heavy pitch count. He walked three after issuing four passes in his previous start Aug. 24 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The seven walks represent a season high in back-to-back starts by Wainwright. A loss today would mark the first time in his career that he has lost three consecutive starts.
Rasmus out due to "match-up" concern
The intrigue surrounding center fielder Colby Rasmus continues to grow, though this time apparently not through Rasmus' doing.
Minutes away from making his first start since Aug. 15, Rasmus was removed from Sunday's lineup by manager Tony La Russa due to what sources familiar with the situation say were La Russa's concerns about a matchup of Rasmus and plate umpire Rob Drake. La Russa met with the umpiring crew before Sunday's start over a Saturday eighth-inning incident in which Washington Nationals outfielder Nyjer Morgan gave a blind-side forearm to catcher Bryan Anderson. It isn't known at this time if Rasmus' history with Drake was discussed. La Russa discussed Rasmus' return to the lineup at length prior to meeting with the crew and offered no second thoughts regarding Rasmus' start. Rasmus was posted as the Cardinals' No. 6 hitter about two hours before first pitch.
Rasmus was stunned when La Russa notified him of the scratch less than 30 minutes before first pitch, according to the source.
Raz' Scratched at 1:33 p.m.; first pitch: 1:35 p.m.
Literally seconds before the Washington Nationals took the field, the Cardinals announced that Colby Rasmus has been scratched from today's start in center field. No explanation was given.
The resulting changes have Skip Schumaker moving from second base to right field, Jon Jay moving from right to center and Aaron Miles entering the lineup at second base. Further explanation will be offered if made available during the game.
Rasmus, Molina Return to Lineup
After spending two weeks in limbo -- or at least outside the starting lineup -- Colby Rasmus returns to center field today as the Cardinals attempt to salvage a series split against the Washington Nationals.
Rasmus last started on Aug. 15 due to a right calf strain that confined him to a pinch-hit role. Rasmus passed a conditioning test prior to Saturday's game and returns as the No. 6 hitter in the lineup against lefthander John Lannan (5-6, 5.23). Manager Tony La Russa is starting lefthanded bats Skip Schumaker at second base and right fielder Jon Jay in addition to Rasmus.
La Russa acknowledged the difference Rasmus could make to a lineup that has struggled for consistency in his absence. Of course, Rasmus has also struggled for consistency in a season that once saw him lead the NL in on-base-plus-slugging percentage.
"We've seen different Colbys," La Russa said.
Adam Wainwright (17-8, 2.18) takes the ball for the Cardinals and will attempt to become the National League's first 18-game winner.
The Cardinals will also try to improve to 3-4 on a road trip that takes them to Houston for a three-game series. The last-place Nationals will attempt to win consecutive games for the first time this month.
Molina returns after missing two games with right knee inflammation that resulted from him jamming his leg on first base while running out an 11th-inning ground ball Friday.
La Russa and Nationals manager Jim Riggleman met with crew chief Joe West to defuse any lingering anger stemming from an eighth-inning incident Saturday in which Nats outfielder Nyjer Morgan took what La Russa considered a "cheap shot" at Cardinals catcher Bryan Anderson. Anderson had his back to the plate when Morgan veered out of the baseline to make contact. Several of Anderson's teammates became livid at the display. However, Riggleman assured La Russa following the game that he was handling the matter. Morgan is not in today's starting lineup.
The Rest:
CARDINALS
LF Skip Schumaker
RF Jon Jay
1B Albert Pujols
LF Matt Holliday
3B Pedro Feliz
CF Colby Rasmus
C Yadier Molina
SS Brendan Ryan
P Adam Wainwright
NATIONALS
2B Adam Kennedy
SS Ian Desmond
CF Roger Bernadina
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam Dunn
RF Michael Morse
LF Willie Harris
C Wil Nieves
P John Lannan
