WASHINGTON _ After two days of coming from behind to overtake the Nationals, the Cardinals and their league-best record started May by showing how they do when holding a lead.
Marcell Ozuna's fortunate double in the first inning and Jose Martinez's two-run single zoomed the Cardinals to an early three-run lead against Max Scherzer and the Cardinals held on from there. Ozuna reached base for his fourth time and scored his second run of the game to help the Cardinals extend their lead to a 5-1 victory Wednesday at Nationals Park.
Miles Mikolas allowed the fewest runs he had in any start yet and darted around seven hits in six innings to hold the Nats to a run.
He struck out four.
In the fourth inning, the Nationals loaded the bases against Mikolas (3-2) with three singles and a walk, yet could only eke across the one run as he eventually got Michael A. Taylor to line out to center field. In the sixth inning, Mikolas' last inning, Taylor uncorked a fly ball deep to left field, but a nook in the wall allowed Ozuna to settle under it for a catch. Had the ball drifted four, five feet to Ozuna's right it would have left the ballpark and tied the game.
Instead, Ozuna looked to his teammates in the bullpen, all of whom had a good view of him going back to the wall to make the catch.
Ozuna had two doubles off Scherzer, a single, and a walk. He was a part of the Cardinals' two rallies _ three runs in the first inning and two more in the eighth. In the first inning, two misplays by Nats fielders greased the basepaths for the Cardinals rally, though neither of the plays was ruled an error. That stuck Scherzer (1-4) with all of the runs as earned.
The right-hander allowed three runs on eight hits _ two of which were questionable _ and he struck out eight in seven innings.
The Cardinals won their fifth consecutive game and their 11th of their past 12. They will play for the series sweep Thursday at Nationals Park.
