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WASHINGTON -- There are plenty of reasons why the Cincinnati Reds have lost eight of nine and are in last place, 22 games under .500.At the top of the list: Ineffective starting pitching.Brandon Finnegan was the latest culprit, allowing eight runs in an abbreviated performance that sent Cincinnati on its way to a 13-4 loss to the Washington Nationals on Thursday night.Finnegan (3-7) gave up five hits, five walks and two home runs in 2 1/3 innings. He had never yielded more runs, or gotten fewer outs, in any of his previous major league starts.You all saw the game. Not much to say about it, Finnegan said. It was definitely my worst outing of the year -- of my life, honestly. Just have to get ready for my next start.Thats the mantra of a starting rotation that has put tremendous pressure on an overworked bullpen. Although Michael Lorenzen provided three innings of shutout relief, manager Bryan Price was anything but elated.A large part of our ability to win is going to come down to what were able to do with our starting pitching and the ability to shrink the length of game thats being pitched by our bullpen, Price said. We saw Lorenzen tonight, very good, three huge innings for us in what was getting out of hand, but unfortunately that means we dont have Lorenzen (next game).Joey Votto homered for Cincinnati, which has yielded 40 runs in its last four games -- all of them defeats.Danny Espinosas second career slam put Washington up 8-1 in the third inning, and he added a three-run homer in the fourth to make it 13-1. Espinosa ranks second on the team with 15 homers despite usually batting eighth.The switch-hitter connected off Finnegan batting right-handed, then went deep from the left side against Josh Smith. He is the first Nationals player ever to homer from both sides of the plate, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Gio Gonzalez (4-7) gave up four runs and struck out nine over six innings for the NL East-leading Nationals, whose current five-game winning streak comes on the heels of a seven-game skid. Gonzalez was 0-6 with an 8.44 ERA in his previous seven starts.Ryan Zimmerman got the rout started with a three-run homer in the first inning against the lowly Reds.Washington tied a season high for runs in a game without receiving a contribution from reigning NL MVP Bryce Harper, who was given the night off by manager Dusty Baker.His legs are a little tired, Baker said, noting that Harper twisted his ankle earlier in the week. Hes been playing through things the last couple days.HIT PARADEReds: It was the second time in seven games that Cincinnati lost by nine runs. The Reds have allowed at least 13 runs eight times this season.Nationals: During its five-game winning streak, Washington has outscored the opposition 36-12.TRAINERS ROOMReds: RHP Caleb Cotham (right shoulder inflammation) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Thursday night at Class-AA Pensacola against Chattanooga. Manager Bryan Price said the plan is to have Cotham pitch around five times in the minors, and then well reassess. Cotham has been on the DL since May 31. ... OF Billy Hamilton passed concussion protocol and was in the starting lineup after being struck in the face by a deflected line drive Wednesday.Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (back, ribs) is eligible to return from the DL on Friday, but that almost certainly will not happen. Im more inclined not to rush him, Baker said.UP NEXTReds: RHP Anthony DeSclafani (2-0, 1.52 ERA) makes his fifth start of the season, bringing a 13-inning scoreless streak into Friday nights game against Washington.Nationals: RHP Tanner Roark (7-5, 2.96) is 3-1 with a 2.30 ERA over his last four starts. Juan Marichal Jersey . Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Dick Bartell Jersey . Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a 92-79 victory Saturday night. https://www.cheapjerseysgiants.us/1476u-j-t-snow-jersey-giants.html . LUCIE, Fla. Amos Rusie Jersey . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. Bruce Bochy Jersey . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. ST. LOUIS -- Jedd Gyorko has gotten plenty of big hits during his second-half. He got the biggest hit of his career Saturday.Gyorko connected for a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning, Matt Holliday provided another boost off the bench and the St. Louis Cardinals pushed the playoff race to the final day of the regular season, beating Pittsburgh 4-3.The Cardinals began the day one game behind San Francisco for the second NL wild-card spot. The Giants later hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers.Adam Wainwright is set to start Game No. 162 for St. Louis on Sunday against the Pirates. Either the Cardinals or Giants will play at the New York Mets on Wednesday night in the wild-card game.Gyorkos solo shot came on a 100-mph fastball from Felipe Rivero (1-6). Gyorko became the first Cardinals player to hit 30 homers in a season since Carlos Beltran in 2012.These are exciting games, no doubt about that. To be in a must-win situation, its fun to be out there, Gyorko said.Gyorko has a career high in home runs, with 23 of those coming after the All-Star break.Jedds been so impressive, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. I mean 30, thats without even being in there every single day.The home run came on the ninth pitch of the at-bat. Three pitches earlier, home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez called ball three on a pitch that the Pirates thought was strike three. Rivero had actually started to walk back to the dugout thinking the inning was over.I think he had strike three and sometimes they dont get called, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. I think that was the situation that happened.The Cardinals tied it with a three-run sixth, highlighted by Hollidays RBI pinch-hit single. Holliday had a pinch-homer on Friday night after the Cardinals said they wouldnt pick up his $17 million option.Holliday taking that at-bat right there. Im sure he could have hung his hat on that at-bat last night and I think it shows a lot of selflessness thatt he goes right back out there today, Cardinals reliever Trevor Rosenthal said.ddddddddddddevin Siegrist (6-3) pitched a scoreless eighth. Seung Hwan Oh stranded runners at second and third for his 19th save in 22 opportunities.Rosenthal anchored what became a bullpen game for the Cardinals when starter Michael Wacha was pulled after one inning. Rosenthal, who started the season as the closer, pitched three scoreless innings in relief, striking out four while throwing a career-high 52 pitches.Jung Ho Kangs three-run homer in the first off Wacha was his sixth home run against the Cardinals this season. Kangs eight career homers and 21 RBI against St. Louis are his most against any team in the majors.Pirates starter Chad Kuhl struck out five and gave up two runs in five-plus innings.We had to have extra ordinary effort from our bullpen today and that was just impressive from beginning to end and all the way through, Matheny said. Just overall a great effort from the entire team.JUST MAKING SURECardinals SS Aledmys Diaz hit a ball in the bottom of the first to the same part of the left field wall where Yadier Molinas game-winning double went on Thursday. Originally called a ground-rule double, umpire crew chief Larry Vanover called for a review, which confirmed the call.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: Starling Marte (back) was out of the lineup and isnt expected to play in the season finale on Sunday.UP NEXTPirates: RHP Ryan Vogelsong (3-7, 5.00 ERA) is one strikeout away from No. 900 in his career. He is 3-7 with a 6.02 ERA in 23 career appearances (12 starts) against St. Louis.Cardinals: Wainwright (13-9, 4.67 ERA) has failed to make it through six innings in four of his last five starts, but he earned the win on four of them. He is 13-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 32 career appearances against Pittsburgh. ' ' '