WASHINGTON • The bullpen has an alibi.
At one point already this evening, the Cardinals tied the game, 2-2, with a solo home run by Randal Grichuk. Lance Lynn had his cleats firmly planted on the rubber and was following his fastball to some success against the lefthanded-laden Washington Nationals. Then things went sideways.
Before the Cardinals embattled bullpen could even enter the game, the Nationals had three home runs and had pulled away for a 6-2 lead.
It felt larger.
Jayson Werth broke the 2-2 tie with a solo home run to elft field, and two batters later the switch-hitting Matt Wieters connected for a solo home run that put the Nats ahead, 4-2.