VIERA, Fla. (AP) -Jordan Zimmermann wasn't going to dominate forever. Now the Washington Nationals will get to see how he rebounds from a bad start.

The team's top pitching prospect gave up five runs and seven hits in two innings Saturday, and the St. Louis Cardinals held on for a 12-11 victory over the Nationals.

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It was the first time this spring Zimmermann has given up a run. The 22-year-old right-hander, considered a front-runner for one of the team's final rotation spots, had allowed only six hits and two walks with 22 strikeouts in 12 1-3 innings before Saturday.

``My breaking pitches were a little flat today, and when I did make a good pitch, the hitters got good wood on it,' Zimmermann said. ``I got hit around a little bit today.'

Things had come so easily for the rookie in his first big league camp that manager Manny Acta was asked on Saturday if he'd like to see Zimmermann have a rough outing, just to gauge how the Wisconsin-Stevens Point product would respond.

Whether the Nationals wanted that chance or not, they'll have it now.

Zimmermann was fighting the flu, and Acta said the team had planned to cut his start short anyway.

``He had a built-in excuse, and he didn't use it,' Acta said. ``I like that about him.'

Cardinals right-hander Kyle Lohse was effective in 5 2-3 innings, except for the two solo homers he allowed on a windy day at Space Coast Stadium.

He relied primarily on his sinker, repeatedly getting the Nationals to ground out on the pitch.

``When you're getting guys to roll over sinkers, you're going to stay with that,' Lohse said. ``In that sense, it was pretty much a game situation - just keep throwing what's getting outs and adjust when you have to.'

The Nationals were down 12-1 in the sixth and rallied for 10 runs against Cardinals relievers, including Austin Kearns' grand slam in the seventh.

``It was a good day to hit,' Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. ``You didn't have to be perfect. That makes what Lohse did even more impressive.'

Notes: The Nationals signed catcher Josh Bard to a minor league contract, bringing another veteran into camp to compete for the backup job behind Jesus Flores. ... 3B David Freese was a late addition to the Cardinals' lineup, going 2-for-4 after being added to the road trip at the last minute. Freese is competing with Joe Mather for the third base job until Troy Glaus returns from offseason surgery.