Play: Washington Nationals
Rating: 8/10*

The Washington Nationals put a 14-6 beating on the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, and I think they'll prove well worth the price here in Game 2 of the series the next day.

Washington hands the ball to left-hander Gio Gonzalez (0-0, 0.00) who struck out seven over six scoreless innings against Miami in his season debut. The Nationals are 6-2 in Gonzalez's last eight home starts, and he's posted a respectable 2.72 ERA in six career starts versus St. Louis who turns to Lance Lynn (0-0, 3.38 ERA). The right-hander held the Cubs to two runs and five hits over 5 1/3 innings in his first start since returning from Tommy John surgery, but here he'll face several red hot bats.

Note that St. Louis has scored more than four runs in a game only once this year, and runs won't come easy here. Let's lay the juice on the Nats.