St. Louis scored three runs in each of the first three innings to give Jaime Garcia all the support he would need as the Cardinals pummeled the Washington Nationals, 10-1, on Wednesday.
Allen Craig had a two-run single and Shane Robinson also knocked in a pair of runs while finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored, helping to fortify a strong performance from Garcia.
The left-hander struck out eight over eight innings of one-run ball, allowing just six hits and no walks.
Jimmy Van Ostrand’s sacrifice fly in the fourth plated Washington’s only run.
Taylor Jordan was lit up in the start for the Nationals, chased from the contest after 2 1/3 innings. He gave up nine runs — seven earned — on 10 hits.