Nationals’ Defeat Is ‘Pathetic,’ GM Says

Jim Bowden strode into the Washington Nationals’ clubhouse, the door slamming behind him.

The general manager had just watched his team get shut out for the second game in a row against a surprise starter, and its defense and pitching weren’t exactly stellar either, in Sunday’s 6-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Washington.

Bowden described himself as “angry, frustrated, disappointed” and ripped his team’s performance.

“It was pathetic,” he said. “We gave them this game today. This is embarrassing. We gave them those runs.”

Turning his attention to the hitters, scoreless over 21 innings, Bowden said: “This isn’t a problem of one guy or two guys. We have an embarrassing problem of all eight. Zero offense.”

Washington didn’t face Chris Carpenter. It didn’t even face Mark Mulder, the 15-game winner scratched Saturday and Sunday because of a stiff neck. Instead, it was Cal Eldred who made his first start since 2001 and combined with four relievers to limit the Nationals to four singles.

The Cardinals scored plenty even though Albert Pujols was ejected in the first inning after being caught stealing, and Jim Edmonds left after hurting his knee in a collision at the plate in the sixth.

Cincinnati 7, Pittsburgh 2 -- Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 534th home run to tie Jimmie Foxx for 13th place on the all-time list, and the Reds beat the Pirates at Pittsburgh for their fourth win in a row.

Atlanta 5, Milwaukee 2 -- Andruw Jones hit two home runs, increasing his major league-leading total to 42, and Tim Hudson (11-7) pitched his second complete game in a row for the visiting Braves.

Chicago 14, Florida 3 -- Carlos Zambrano (11-5) scattered six hits over eight innings, and the Cubs scored eight runs in the seventh at Chicago. Derrek Lee had two solo home runs for Chicago and Jerry Hairston had four runs batted in.

San Diego 4, Colorado 3 -- Ryan Klesko drove in three runs, and Pedro Astacio (2-2) pitched seven solid innings to lead the Padres at San Diego.

Arizona 10, Philadelphia 5 -- Shawn Green, gone for two days for the birth of his daughter, hit a grand slam at Phoenix to help the Diamondbacks end a string of seven consecutive series losses by taking two of three from the Phillies.

San Francisco 4, New York 1 -- Pedro Feliz hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the sixth at San Francisco, rallying the Giants to help Noah Lowry (11-11) complete an unbeaten August at 5-0.