Sat Apr 5 16:25:16 2008

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Wainwright shines as Cardinals hold on to win over Nationals

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St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Adam Wainwright dazzled for eight frames then watched Anthony Reyes and Randy Flores barely close out the game, as St. Louis held on for a 5-4 victory over Washington at Busch Stadium.

Yadier Molina drove in a pair of runs and Adam Kennedy scored twice for the Cardinals, who have won four straight after losing their opening game of the season.

Wainwright (1-0) threw 64 of his 107 pitches for strikes, walking just one batter and scattering eight hits and two runs with four strikeouts. Reyes came in to close the door, but Jesus Flores hit a two-run home run to cut the deficit to 5-4.

Randy Flores threw just one pitch to Cristian Guzman, who flew out to center to end the game.

Matt Chico (0-1) suffered the loss after yielding four runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks in six innings. Nick Johnson finished 3-for-4 with a solo home run and run-scoring single, and Ryan Zimmerman doubled twice in defeat. The Nationals have lost three in a row after winning three straight to begin the season.

The Cardinals got to Chico in the home half of the second inning. Troy Glaus singled and Molina followed Ryan Ludwick's line out with a base hit of his own. After Kennedy grounded into a force out, Wainwright helped himself with a run-scoring single to center. Cesar Izturis followed with a hard single to left, scoring Kennedy for a 2-0 advantage.

Two more runners crossed the plate in the bottom of the third. Rick Ankiel doubled and Albert Pujols walked before each runner moved up on Glaus' towering deep fly to right. Molina game through in the clutch with a two-out, two-run single to right for a 4-0 lead.

The Nationals put one run across in the fourth before Wainwright worked out of difficulty. Zimmerman doubled for the second time with one out and scored on Johnson's base hit to center. Austin Kearns reached on a force out and moved to second on Ronnie Belliard's single. Felipe Lopez walked to load the bases, but Jesus Flores grounded a 3-2 pitch to third to thwart the rally.

Johnson's solo shot in the eighth cut the deficit to 4-2.

The Cardinals scored an insurance run in the bottom of the inning as Kennedy scampered home on Jesus Flores' passed ball.

Game Notes

St. Louis has won two straight over Washington after dropping four in a row to the Nationals...Chico tossed a pair of no decisions against the Cardinals last season, giving up three runs over nine total frames in those two outings...Belliard and Lastings Milledge each doubled for the Nationals.