JUPITER, Fla. • Utility infielder Greg Garcia hardly has earned his keep with the Cardinals as an extra-base machine. But, after racking up an inside-the-park homer in the ninth inning of their previous exhibition game, Garcia tripled to left center off Washington’s Max Scherzer in the first inning Wednesday and came home on a sacrifice fly by Matt Carpenter.
Jhonny Peralta doubled off former teammate Scherzer with two outs in the inning but was out at home trying to score from second on an infield hit by Stephen Piscotty and the Cardinals still led 1-0.