(Sports Network) - The St. Louis Cardinals aim to continue their excellent start to the 2008 season, while the Washington Nationals hope to avert a series sweep when these two teams play the finale of their three-game weekend set this afternoon at Busch Stadium.

St. Louis has won four consecutive games since a season-opening loss to defending National League champion Colorado on Tuesday, and extended its current win streak with Saturdays 5-4 triumph over the Nationals. Adam Wainwright threw eight outstanding innings in his first official start of 2008 and the Cardinals survived a late Washington rally to hold on to the victory.

Wainwright, who had a start against Colorado on Monday nullified after rain postponed the contest in the third inning, scattered eight hits and walked just one while yielding a pair of runs. The right-hander also helped his own cause with an RBI single in the second inning which knocked in the games first run.

Yadier Molina delivered a two-run single in the third to put the Cardinals up 4-0 and finished 2-for-4 on the afternoon.

Nick Johnson went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBI for Washington, which has now lost three straight following the franchise's first 3-0 start since 2003. The oft-injured first basemans round-tripper was his first since September 28, 2005.

Jesus Flores pulled the Nationals within 5-4 with a two-run homer off Anthony Reyes in the top of the ninth, but Randy Flores came on to retire Cristian Guzman for the final out and record the save. Cards manager Tony LaRussa used both pitchers in the final inning after giving regular closer Jason Isringhausen, who had worked three of the clubs first four games, a day of rest.

Matt Chico (0-1) took the loss for Washington after surrendering four runs over the first six innings.

St. Louis will attempt to maintain its winning ways today behind Kyle Lohse, who pitched extremely well in his first start of the year but wound up with nothing to show for his efforts.

The spring-training signee twirled five shutout innings against Colorado this past Tuesday and left the game with a 1-0 lead, but the Rockies rallied for two runs in the eighth to deny Lohse a victory. The right-hander gave up just three hits and walked three.

Lohse, who went 9-12 with a 4.62 earned run average with Cincinnati and Philadelphia last season, is 0-1 with a 7.54 ERA in six career outings (4 starts) against Washington/Montreal. He did not fare well in five 2007 appearances versus the Nationals, permitting a total of 17 runs (15 earned) over 16 2/3 combined innings.

Washington will pin its hopes on young left-hander John Lannan in the finale. The 23-year-old was recalled from Triple A Columbus on Saturday to take the place of injured closer Chad Cordero on the 25-man roster.

Lannan was named the Nationals' Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2007 after he amassed a 12-3 record and a sparkling 2.31 earned run average at three different levels of the system. The Siena product also made six starts for the big league club in the second half and posted a 2-2 mark with a 4.15 ERA, although he issued 17 walks in 34 2/3 innings.

An 11th-round draft pick of Washington in 2005, Lannan secured a rotation spot by going 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA in five games this spring. He will be facing St. Louis for the first time in his brief career.

The Cardinals have already defeated Washington more times than they did last year, when St. Louis dropped five of the six meetings between the teams.