A rare spring training matchup of already announced opening-day starters took take place here Wednesday as the Cardinals’ Jack Flaherty, for three innings, opposed multi-Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals and Parkway Central High and Mizzou.
Neither allowed a hit for those three innings and Scherzer struck out five without walking anyone. Flaherty pressed on to the fourth and allowed a lined single off the glove of diving shortstop Paul DeJong and then a two-run homer by Starlin Castro as the Nationals took a 2-0 lead. Washington goes on to beat the Cardinals 3-2.