Cardinals get split results in games with Braves, Nationals

~ St. Louis posted a 5-4 win against Atlanta but was dealt an 8-4 loss by Washington

JUPITER, Fla. -- Carlos Beltran has recovered from the flu and is ready to get back to playing ball.

Beltran went 2 for 4 in his return, with singles in the third and seventh innings on the first pitch of each at-bat. The 34-year-old outfielder saw only five pitches in four at-bats during the Cardinals' 5-4 split-squad win over the Atlanta Braves on Monday.

"Physically, I feel fine," Beltran said. "I'm just happy to be able to get out there and face live pitching and get a feel for the game."

However, Beltran still is experiencing shoulder soreness. He is expected to be the Cardinals' designated hitter again today when St. Louis goes to Port St. Lucie to face his former team, the New York Mets.

"Right now everything looks fast to me. The game looks real fast," Beltran said. "The only way that will go away is just by playing."

Kolten Wong singled in the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning for the Cardinals.

The teams combined to walk 19 batters. Starter Brandon Beachy issued five of the 12 walks for the Braves, who are 1-10 this spring.

"It was pretty terrible," Beachy said. "I was struggling to throw strikes at times. I was trying to make adjustments, and they are just not coming as quickly as I need them to."

Beachy's command faltered in the second inning. He allowed one hit and three walks, including Erik Komatsu to bring in the Cardinals' first run. Beachy walked two more in the third.

Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia allowed one run, three hits and two walks. Only 21 of his 40 pitches were strikes.

"I think it was just one of those days where I was just not very good," Garcia said.

Jason Motte was credited with the win. Cory Gearrin took the loss.

Garcia pitched on three days' rest, moving up to throw in the spot originally believed to be designated for the ailing Chris Carpenter.

The Cardinals said Monday that Lance Lynn will be stretched out as a potential starter in case Carpenter isn't ready in time for the opening week of the regular season. Carpenter, the 2005 NL Cy Young award winner, has a bulging disc in his neck.

Lynn is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against Houston.

The Cardinals' Daniel Descalso reached base four times in five plate appearances.

Nationals win

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman added to his hot streak this spring with extra-base hits in his first two at-bats during Washington's 8-4 victory over the Cardinals' split-squad team.

Zimmerman is 6 for 9 with three doubles, two home runs and five RBIs in his past three games.

Neither starting pitcher fared well. Washington's Jordan Zimmermann gave up four runs on seven hits while walking one over 3 2/3 innings. St. Louis starter Shelby Miller allowed three runs on four hits over 2 1/3 innings.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said Miller left the ball up in the strike zone. He was impressed, however, with reliever Eduardo Sanchez, who struck out five batters over 1 2/3 innings.

Reliever Adam Ottavino had a solid performance despite three unearned runs. Ottavino left the game after only an inning when he was hit on the calf by a line drive from Washington's Corey Brown.

St. Louis got a three-run home run from David Freese in the first inning.