Mitchell Boggs answered the St. Louis Cardinals' closer riddle in the second game of their impromptu doubleheader with the Washington Nationals Wednesday, striking out a batter in a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the save in their 5-3 win over the Nats in Busch Stadium. It came just hours after former closer Ryan Franklin allowed a run in two innings of middle-relief work in their game one loss. Jaime Garcia picked up his third win with five shaky innings made shakier by three Cardinals errors, and fellow young-relievers Jason Motte and Eduardo Sanchez struck out three in three scoreless innings to bridge the gap to Mitchell Boggs.
Lance Berkman continued his astonishing hot streak, going 3-4 with a double and two RBI to drive the Cardinals' offense. Yadier Molina went 2-3 with a double, while Nick Punto went 1-4 with an RBI single in his Cardinals debut after missing most of April with a hernia.
The Cardinals and Nationals will close their series with a 12:45 day game at Busch Stadium. Former Chicago Cub Tom Gorzelanny will get the start for the Nationals; the Cardinals will send a resurgent Kyle Lohse to the mound.