GB&U: Friday Night (High)Lights

RESULT: Nats beat Brewers 5-1.

GOOD: William Moses Pena. He hits! Wily Mo line-drives his first home run of the season to left center, setting the tone for the victory over the Brew Crew.

BAD: Brewers middle infield defense. Shortstop JJ Hardy booted a routine grounder from Cristian Guzman, turning an inning ending double play into a 4-run rally for the Nats. Finally, a good bounce for the home team. The Nats scored 5 runs total on 3 hits: Pena's homer, Ryan Zimmerman's RBI double, and the hit that clinched it, Jesus Flores 2-run double.

UGLY: This game was decidedly absent of ugliness, so the ugly award goes to the Brewers bus drivers. The original team bus left before half the team was on it. After the rest of the team gathered in the player's lot, they got on the first bus that came around: it was a Nats Express bus! Hope Prince Fielder and Mike Cameron, among others, did not end up at RFK!

NEXT GAME: Tonight against Milwaukee's Best. John Lannan (4-4, 3.40) faces Seth McClung (1-1, 3.5).

Langerhans Contract Purchased By Nats

This just in from the Columbus Clippers website:

May 23rd, 2008

TRANSACTIONS

5/23 - OF Ryan Langerhans purchased by Washington
5/23 - RHP Brian Sanches purchased by Washington
5/23 - LHP Charlie Manning purchased by Washington
5/23 - RHP Chris Schroder optioned from Washington
5/23 - LHP Matt Chico optioned from Washington

Thanks to NFA for the heads up.

The 28-year old Langerhans is currently hitting 306/417/438 with the Clippers with three home runs and a team-leading 24 RBI. He is a fifth OF, another LH bat for the bench who can be a late inning defensive replacement.

The 29-year old Manning is 0-0 with six saves for Columbus over 19 appearances. In 27 2/3 innings of work, he has a 1.95 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 34 strikeouts and 13 walks. He likely assumes the LOOGY role out of the Nationals bullpen.

The 29-year old Sanches is 0-0 with seven saves for Columbus over 14 appearances. Over 18 1/3 innings pitched, he has a 0.98 ERA and 0.64 WHIP with 26 strikeouts and only three walks. His role is likely to replace Schroder as a RH option out of the bullpen.

Nationals Farm Authority always does stellar work with everything related to the minor leagues. If you don't read him regularly or have him bookmarked, you sure should.

Kearns To Have Surgery; Will Miss 3-4 Weeks

Straight from the Nats Press Release:

NATIONALS PLACE RIGHT FIELDER AUSTIN KEARNS ON 15-DAY DL

The Washington Nationals today placed right fielder Austin Kearns on the 15-Day Disabled List (right elbow). The Nationals will make a corresponding roster move prior to tomorrow’s series opener vs. Milwaukee. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made the announcement.

Tomorrow, Kearns will have arthroscopic surgery performed by Dr. Tim Kremchek in Cincinnati, OH, to remove loose bodies in his right elbow. He is expected to miss 3-4 weeks.

Kearns, 28, is currently batting .187 (28-for-150) with three home runs and 16 RBI in 42 games.

BOTTOM(FEEDER) LINE: Hard to imagine Kearns only missing 3-4 weeks with elbow surgery, but this certainly explains a lot of things with him this season. He says that he injured the elbow in BP up in Baltimore, but an acute injury that produces "loose bodies" sounds pretty fishy--pardon the pun. We imagine Kearns has been having trouble with the elbow for a while, but did not want to use it as an excuse for the poor play. Reason does not equal excuse, and pain sometimes is just pain and sometimes it's injury. Looks like this time it was injury.

The team has not issued a corresponding move as of yet. It will be really interesting to see which way they go with this. One guess: we'll see Ryan Langerhans back in the bigs. He's been hitting well in Triple-A, and has big league experience. Bowden said yesterday he wouldn't "rush" Maxwell or Daniel, so the guess here is ol' Langerhans, especially considering how right-handed the OF is.

Photo (c) C. Nichols 2008

GB&U: Howard Double Dips

RESULT: Nats lose to Phillies 12-2.

GOOD: Um, wait a minute, let me think...ah yes: Jesus Flores went 3-for-4 with another double, his 5th on the season. Even better news, there are signs that even GM JimBow might be starting to get it. In the WaPo notebook yesterday, Bowden said that even once Lo Duca returns, "it's going to be extremely hard to take [Flores] out of the lineup if he plays like this." Unfortunately, JimBow also backed Lennie Harris in the same interview. And something about farting. Go read it to believe it.

BAD: Matt Chico and Chris Schroder. They were each merely bad last night. Chico gave up 4 earned on 7 hits and a walk, allowing 4 homers. Schroder, his rear end sore from riding the Columbus Shuttle, gave up 3 hits and 4 walks in one single inning, but only two managed to score.

UGLY: Ugly is spelled C-O-L-O-M-E. He struck out the first guy he saw, and then allowed the next seven to reach. He gave up six earned in one-third of an inning, turning a 4 run lead into an insurmountable 10 run lead. The Nats may not score ten runs this week!

Honorable mention (UGLY variety): Meathook tried to lazily scoop Dukes' relay throw in the sixth, allowing it to go into the third base camera well and two runs scored. Ugh.

NEXT GAME: Off tonight. Mike Cameron and the Brewers come to town this weekend. Odalis Perez (1-4, 4.34) against Jeff Suppan (2-3, 4.78) on Friday.

Long Balls Crush Nats

Washington, DC--The Philadelphia Phillies used Matt Chico, Jesus Colome and Chris Schroder for batting practice Wednesday night, as they erupted for four home runs and twelve runs total on fifteen hits to handily defeat the Washington Nationals 12-2. The crowd of 28,055 were witness to an ugly 8-run sixth inning, including seven straight Phillies reaching base.

Chico (L, 0-6, 6.19), filling in for Shawn Hill (cortisone shot in pitching elbow), was bad enough. He allowed four earned runs on seven hits and a walk in five innings--allowing three of the four Phillies homers. But Colome was simply atrocious. Unfortunately, there is just no other way to say it. He faced seven batters and managed to record just one out. He allowed six earned runs on five hits and a walk, including Ryan Howard's second home run of the game. Chris Schroder wasn't much better, but certainly was luckier, as he gave up just two earned runs in one inning of work on three hits and four walks.

The only Nats pitcher approaching competence Wednesday was Joel Hanrahan, who threw two innings of shut out ball--allowing just a single walk--to finish the game. The Phillies' arms must have been tired from swinging so much earlier in the game.

The hit parade for the Phillies started in the first inning. The second batter of the game, center fielder Shane Victorino, drilled a one-out double to left. Chico managed to retire Chase Utley, but the big man for the Phils--figuratively and literally--Ryan Howard followed with a double to deep left that easily scored Victorino to take the early lead. Pedro Feliz led off the second against Chico with his seventh home run of the year, and the rout was on. The fifth inning saw Victorino go deep with his second of the season and Howard become the first player to hit the upper deck in Nationals Park with a drive that still might be going.

It went from bad to ugly in the sixth inning. Colome entered to relieve Chico and was just tattooed. He actually got the first batter, Jayson Werth, to strike out, but that is the only out he would record. Feliz singled to center, and catcher Chris Coste reached on an infield single. Colome then issued a walk to Phils starter Jamie Moyer (W, 4-3, 4.37). Manager Manny Acta had every right to go pull Colome right there, but the slaughter would continue. Jimmy Rollins followed with a single that scored Feliz and loaded the bases. Victorino did more damage, singling to right field, scoring Coste. First baseman Dmitri Young couldn't handle Elijah Dukes' relay throw and the ball scooted into the camera well next to the Phillies dug out, allowing Moyer and Rollins to score, putting Victorino at third. Utley doubled, scoring Victorino, and Acta then mercifully yanked Colome.

The Phils fun did not end, however, as Howard ripped Schroder's first pitch on a line drive into the stands to the left of the Nats bullpen for his twelfth home run of the season. Chris Coste later singled in another run to close the inning with eight runs on eight hits and two walks.

The Nats scraped two runs together in the bottom of the seventh on a Ryan Zimmerman infield single and RBI single from Dmitri Young, but that is all the could muster against the ageless Moyer and reliever Clay Condrey, who was awarded a three-inning save. The Nats actually had twelve hits on the night, but only three extra base hits, two doubles by Felipe Lopez (2-for-5, .259) and one by Jesus Flores (3-for-4, .357). Zimmerman and Lastings Milledge each added two hits as well.

The Nationals have an off-day Thursday. Friday they face the Milwaukee Brewers, with Odalis Perez (1-4, 4.34) taking on Jeff Suppan (2-3, 4.78) at 7:35 pm at Nationals Park.

NATS NOTES: Washington's record stands at 20-28 after the loss, seven and one-half games behind Florida in the NL East. Philadelphia is 26-22, one and one-half games back.

Moyer made his Nationals Park debut, the 46th major league ballpark for the 45-year-old pitcher. Moyer moved into 57th place on the all-time list with his 234th career win.

Washington has lost five of six at home and six straight against left-handed starters. Including 8 runs tonight, Washington has been outscored 45-21 in the 6th inning this season.

Jesus Flores matched a career high with three hits, and has hit safely in seven of his last nine games, going 11-for-29 (.379) with 5 doubles.

Long Balls Crush Nats also posted at DC Sports Box

Photo (c) C. Nichols 2007

GB&U: Lopez Dogs It To First

RESULT: Nats lose to Phillies 1-0.

GOOD: Jason Bergmann. Where did this come from. All he's done since returning to the rotation is throw 14 innings of shout out ball against two of the better hitting teams in the National League. Totals: 14 IP, 0 runs, 8 hits, 5 walks, 14 Ks.

BAD: Jon Rauch. Charged with pitching the ninth and holding the Phils to a tie to give the home teama chance to win, Rauch came in and got smoked for three hits and a run--and it could have been more if not for a tremendous relay from Guzman and outstanding effort from Flores to block Dobbs off the plate and keep him from scoring.

UGLY: Down 1-0 with runners on first and third with two outs, and having just watched the previous two batters reach via walk--including several balls in the dirt--Felipe Lopez swung at a slider on the first pitched and rolled it over to second base. That's bad enough--TAKE A PITCH FELIPE!!! But as he jogged out of the box, Utley bobbled the slow bouncer. Had Lopez run hard from the start, it would have given Utley something to think about instead of calmly noticing that he had time, settle, and throw out the barely jogging Lopez. Bad baseball.

NEXT GAME: Tonight, the rubber match against the Phillies. Matt Chico (0-5, 6.07) takes Shawn Hill's scheduled turn and faces ageless Jamie Moyer (3-3, 4.89).

Photo courtesy of A. Amobi, DC Sports Box

Hamels Shuts Down Nats 1-0

Washington, DC--Despite seven innings of shut out baseball by starter Jason Bergmann, the Washington Nationals fell to the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0 Tuesday evening before 28,108 decidedly split fans at Nationals Park.

Bergmann made his second consecutive excellent start since returning from Triple-A Columbus. He went seven innings and allowed no runs, five hits and three walks and struck out five Phillies. His opponent, Cole Hamels, was just as effective pitching seven innings himself. He gave up four hits and two walks and struck out a season-high eleven. Neither pitcher figured in the decision, but both provided efforts worthy of a win.

But for all the starting pitching, the story of this game ended up to be a soft, sinking line drive off the bat of Phillies pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs in the top of the ninth inning which drove in pinch-runner Eric Bruntlett with the only run that would cross home plate on this cool but comfortable May evening. Nats closer Jon Rauch (L, 2-1, 2.78) was summoned to pitch the ninth, despite the game being tied. Usually, the tall righty enters only to protect a ninth inning lead, something he's accomplished safely ten times this season. Tonight he would not be as successful.

Phillies third baseman Pedro Feliz led off the ninth with a hard hit double to left field. Bruntlett ran for Feliz, and advance to third on catcher Carlos Ruiz' sacrifice to Rauch. Dobbs then stepped in, and with a 2-0 count he lifted a soft liner that fell just in front of center fielder Lastings Milledge, who tried to deke Bruntlett into thinking he was going to make the play. Milledge could not, and Bruntlett strolled across the plate safely to take the first, and only, lead of the night.

Things might have been worse. With two outs, Shane Victorino sent a liner into left center that Milledge ran a long way and slid to cut off from going to the wall. He bobbled the pick-up slightly, and bounced his relay into shortstop Cristian Guzman, who filed a laser to catcher Jesus Flores. Flores blocked the plate masterfully since Dobbs beat the throw to home, and Dobbs was called out for the third out.

Unfortunately for the Nats, there would be drama but no pay off in the bottom of the frame.

Flores and Wily Mo Pena both struck out against Phils' closer Brad Lidge to start things off. Elijah Dukes then coaxed a walk on a 3-2 pitch. Rob Mackowiak pinch hit for Rauch and with the count 2-2, Dukes stole second without a throw. After two foul ball and another ball, Dukes stole third -- again without a throw. With Dukes at third, Mackowiak also drew a 3-2 walk.

Manager Manny Acta sent Willie Harris in to pinch run for Mackowiak, and the faithful believed that the Nats could make some late inning magic. But on the very first pitch he saw from Lidge, Felipe Lopez grounded to second baseman Chase Utley, who momentarily bobbled the lazy grounder. Lopez, however, inexplicably did not run hard on the play and Utley recovered and easily threw to first to put out the jogging Lopez. Lidge earned his eleventh save, and has allowed only one earned run in 20 innings pitched this season.

Veteran reliever Tom Gordon (4-2, 4.26) pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Phillies to earn the win.

Nats SS Cristian Guzman slides safely on a steal of second base against the Phillies.

Wednesday's match-up features Nats' lefty Matt Chico (0-5, 6.07) against the Phillies crafty veteran left-hander Jamie Moyer (3-3, 4.89). Game time is 7:10 pm from Nationals Park.

NATS NOTES: The loss sends the Nats overall record to (20-27), six and one-half games behind division-leading Florida. The Phillies (25-22) are one and one-half out.

Austin Kearns missed his third straight game with soreness in his right elbow. An MRI on Tuesday showed no significant damage though, and the team expects him to miss a couple more games to allow inflammation to settle before he plays again.

It was Kearns' 28th birthday, and a group of fans in the right field corner--which Kearns usually patrols--wore straw cowboy hats and made signs in his honor. He was even seen wearing one of the cowboys hats in the dugout pre-game.

Catcher Johnny Estrada, on the 15-day DL with soreness in his elbow, was examined by Dr. James Andrews who performed surgery on his elbow during the off-season. Dr. Andrews said that the soreness is not coming from the surgically repaired area and the discomfort is being triggered by irritation of the ulnar nerve, something he expects will recede with time and rehab.

Hamels Shuts Down Nats 1-0 also posted at DC Sports Box

Photos of Bergmann, Guzman courtesy of A. Amobi, DC Sports Box.
Photo of fans in cowboy hats (c) C. Nichols 2008.

Lastings Milledge Takes Questions at ESPN Zone; Doesn't Know Riggo!

Washington, DC--In front of dozens of fans nattily attired in their Washington Nationals gear, Lastings Milledge spoke and took questions for about 40 minutes Tuesday afternoon before heading off to the stadium to prepare for that evening's game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

In an event sponsored by ESPN Zone and the team's public relations department, Milledge was affable and personable, joking with the fans and the event's moderator, team play-by-play man Charlie Slowes. Milledge took questions on a wide variety of subjects from fans and from Slowes, fans answered trivia questions about Milledge for game tickets and after the Q & A, fans were invited to meet Milledge and have him autograph whatever memorabilia that fans brought. Milledge even autographed the red-and-blue leather Nationals recliner that the ESPN Zone provided for him to sit in during the session.


The Nationals' center fielder was quite candid with some of his answers to the questions presented. Slowes asked, "With all the juggling Manager Manny Acta has done to the line-up, does it matter to you where you hit in the order?" Milledge replied, "It doesn't matter," but then offered, "Where you hit [in the order] does affect your game." As an example, he said hitting in the fifth spot in the order is a run-producing spot, so he wouldn't necessarily bunt or steal from there.

About the outfield defense, in particular getting used to play with the corner outfielders: "That's what spring training is for. We should be able to play together now."

A particularly telling segment took place when Slowes asked how much different playing in the big leagues is than the minors. Milledge responded that he has had a hard time picking up the ball off the bat, and pointed out that high school and minor league stadiums are usually single decked, and with the upper decks behind home plate -- especially in center field -- he's had a difficult time picking up the ball until it rises above the upper deck and gets into the sky. He said, "with wood bats, it's real easy to get fooled," and from center field one "has to read the ball, and you have to see it to read it." He also went on to say he's not a fan of the "funky" outfields in the major leagues, such as Houston's Minute Maid Park or Philadelphia's Citizen's Bank Park, where the dimensions are not uniform.

A fan asked Milledge about the controversy surrounding Maple bats, and whether he preferred Maple or the traditional Ash bats. He indicated that he preferred Maple, because it's a hard wood and there's less preparation needed for a Maple bat. Players with Ash bats need to "hone" the wood, usually using a piece of bone or rock to rub the handle smooth and hard, and with Maple bats, players can just take it out of the box and go to batting practice with it. Slowes offered that maybe, "it's a sign of the times," that players prefer the convenience over the preparation. Milledge also noted that Maple "cracks from the inside," whereas Ash "crumbles and splinters," so a player can't tell when the bat is ready to break. He theorized that may be the reason, along with the thinner handles, why so may Maple bats seem to travel further and faster when they break.

Milledge got surprisingly introspective when a fan asked about the early season struggles for the hitters.

It's a tough game out there," he said. "It's a game of failure. It's mentally draining, I can tell you that. I think this is one of the only games that really, really affects your family. It goes beyond just 'Ok, game. You didn't do good, go home. If you don't come through, if you don't get a hit, it's not that your family don't think you can do it, it's just that they want you to do so well. They're used to you being an all-star, an MVP, high school player of the Year, and then you get to the major leagues where everybody has been there at that stage of their careers. It's a toll, man, it's a toll on your family. But this is what we want to do. It's a dream, and we've just got to roll with it."

There were humorous moments as well. When a fan asked if the team's success at home since the Pope said Mass was just coincidence, Milledge said, "He [the Pope] should come and throw out the first pitch." Another fan wanted to know if Milledge knew the last player to wear jersey number 44 to bring a title to DC, even prompting him with "he has a radio show in town, nickname was 'Riggo'"; but Milledge had to confess he knew nothing about John Riggins. To be fair, Milledge wasn't even born when John Riggins led the Washington Redskins to the Super Bowl.

GB&U: Redding Owns Phils

RESULT: Nats beat Phils 4-0.

GOOD: Tim Redding hasn't allowed an run--earned or otherwise--to the Phillies this year. The only two times the Phils have been shut out this season have been at the hands of Redding and the Nats.

BAD: Belliard goes on the DL, Kearns' elbow needed x-rays. What next? I'll tell ya. Shawn Hill had a cortisone shot in his right elbow and will miss his next start. Not good. Matt Chico will take his turn on Wednesday.

UGLY: Last night's starting corner outfielders: Wee Willie Harris in left and Rob "Mendoza" Mackowiak in right. Talk about underwhelming. At least they can go catch the ball.

NEXT GAME: Tonight against our neighbors up the road a bit on I-95. Jason Bergmann (1-1, 7.45) tries to follow up his outstanding starting debut against Phils' ace Cole Hamels (5-3, 2.89).

Photo (c) C. Nichols 2008

Redding Strong Again; Nats Shut Out Phils 4-0

Washington, DC--Tim Redding, surely becoming the ace of the Washington Nationals' staff, threw six and one-third shutout innings as the Nats defeated division-rival Philadelphia Monday night 4-0. Redding had assistance by three relievers -- Saul Rivera, Luis Ayala and Joel Hanrahan -- in completing the whitewash of the Phillies.

Redding (W, 6-3, 3.16) allowed his share of base runners last night. He gave up seven hits and two walks, but pitched out of trouble all evening and did not allow a Phillie to cross home plate, as the visitors left nine men on base. Redding extended a scoreless inning streak to thirteen and one-third innings over the Phils this season. Both times Philadelphia has been shut out this season has been at the hands of Redding and the Nats. Phillies starter Brett Myers took the loss (2-5, 5.76), allowing three earned runs on eight hits and three walks, with a surprisingly low total of two strikeouts.

The Nats started their scoring in the bottom of the first against Myers. Cristian Guzman (3-for-4, 3 runs scored) reached on an infield single with one out, and Ryan Zimmerman doubled him to third base. Dmitri Young, in his first game at first base this season, lofted a sacrifice fly to center field that easily scored Guzman, giving the Nats the lead they would hold all night long. In the third, second baseman Felipe Lopez doubled to start the inning and went to third on Guzman's shallow single to center. Zimmerman (2-for-3) walked to load the bases, and after a Young strikeout, Lastings Milledge blooped a double down the right field line that scored both Lopez and Guzman. Milledge went 2-for-4, with two doubles, and two RBIs on the night.

The Nats last run of the contest came in the seventh inning against Phillies reliever Ryan Madson. Guzman -- DC's MVP so far this season -- doubled to lead off the inning, and Zimmerman followed up with his second hit of the contest. Guzman then came home on Young's double play to put the icing on cake.

The game ended with Joel Hanrahan striking out one of the NL's hottest hitters, Jason Werth, who had three home runs in a single game Friday night.

The series continues Tuesday at 7:10 pm with Jason Bergmann (1-1, 7.45) facing Cole Hamels (5-3, 2.89) for the Phillies.

NATS NOTES: The win moves the Nationals season record to 20-26, five and one-half games behind Florida. The Phillies fall to 24-22, and are one and one-half behind the Marlins.

The team announced that LHP Matt Chico will start Wednesday in place of Shawn Hill, who experienced significant discomfort in his pitching elbow after Friday's start against Baltimore. He received a cortisone shot in his right elbow Saturday and will need to skip a turn in the rotation. The team hopes that's all that he will need to miss.

Second Baseman Ronnie Belliard was placed on the 15-day disabled list after then game with a strained calf muscle. It's only the third time in his career that he has had to go disabled. The team will probably recall Chris Schroder on Tuesday before the game to take Chico's place in the pen.

Austin Kearns did not start for the second game in a row due to a sore elbow. He was x-rayed, but the team has released no further information by the time this story went to press.

Redding Strong Again; Nats Shut Out Phils 4-0 also posted at DC Sports Box

Photo courtesy of K. Queen, DC Sports Box

Line-Ups, Get Your Line-Ups Here!

I usually don't post line-ups, as they aren't tremendously interesting usually. But today's has a couple of things that stand out:

Phillies:

ss--Rollins

cf--Victorino

2b--Utley
1b--Howard
lf--Burrell
rf--Jenkins
3b--Feliz
c--Ruiz

p--Myers

Nationals:

2b--Lopez

ss--Guzman
3b--Zimmerman
1b--Young
cf--Milledge

rf--Mackowiak
c--Flores

lf--Harris
p--Redding

First off--Is it me or do the Phillies have a lot more talent than the Nats on paper? Would you take ANY of the Nats starters over his counterpart for the Phillies except for Zimmerman?

Second--No Pena. No Dukes. No Kearns. Wee Willie Harris is in left with Rob "Mendoza" Mackowiak in right. And we get to see the return of D'Meat at first base. THis should be fun, boys and girls.

Just Throwing It Out There

What if I told you the Nationals could sign a true center fielder that hit .302/.379/.438 last season, with seven homers and stole 21 bases in 317 at bats? Do you think that player might be interesting to add to the mix that currently includes Lastings Milledge (.234/.305/.316, 1 HR, 14 RBIs), Austin Kearns (.187/.295/.267, 3 HRs, 16 RBIs), Wily Mo Pena (.214/.272/.238, 0 HR, 5 RBIs) and Elijah Dukes (.042/.143/.083, 0 HR, 1 RBI)?

Granted, this player is no spring chicken. He'll be 41 the last day of May. He's not the gold glove caliber defensive player he once was, and certainly not a piece of the long-term puzzle. But at this point, with the outfield defense as pathetic as it has been, especially over the weekend, wouldn't it be nice to have at least once PROVEN major league veteran in the outfield that could take charge defensively and provide some on-base percentage assistance to a team that is seriously deficient in that area?

The Nationals' team OBP is .315 WITH Nick Johnson's stellar .415 factored in. One shudders to think what it will be over the next 4-to-6 (6-to-8?) weeks without him.

Does anyone have Kenny Lofton's phone number?

GB&U: Drying Out

RESULTS: Nats beat Orioles 2-1.

GOOD: John Lannan. The "Good" award seems like it's the starting pitcher's award. Lannan (4-4. 3.40) went 7.1 with one earned, four hits, one walk and five strikeouts. He threw 71 of his 105 pitches for strikes, and his lone run scored AFTER he left the game.

BAD: Elijah Dukes. He went 0-for-3, lowering his average to .042. He has one hit and three walks so far this season in 27 plate appearances for a stellar .143 on base percentage.

UGLY: Mother Nature. The game was delayed two hours and one minute at the start, and endured another 27 minute delay in the eighth inning. Not the way you want to end a "road trip".

NEXT GAME: Monday night versus the dreaded Philadelphia Philles. Staff ace Tim Redding (5-3. 3.55) takes on disappointing Brett Myers (2-4, 5.91). As an aside, I spent Sunday afternoon and evening in south Jersey with my cousins at my aunt's 75th birthday party. They all wanted to know why I didn't write about the Phillies. Needless to say, I'll have plenty to say about the cheesesteak-lovers the next couple of days.

Nats Can't Quite Catch O's; Lose 6-5

Baltimore, MD--The Washington Nationals, finding themselves in a 6-2 hole entering the eighth inning, clawed their way back to within one run but could not get the final hit to push them over the hump as the Baltimore Orioles held on to defeat the Nats 6-5, in front of 32,622 at Baltimore's Camden Yards. With the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth, O's reliever Jim Johnson struck out the season-long slumping Austin Kearns, who finished the at-bat by slamming his bat into the dirt around home plate in disgust. There would be no further comeback in the ninth inning.

As has been the story much of the first quarter of the season, the Nats offense couldn't get much going early, as Orioles starter Brian Burres threw six and two-third innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks. The Orioles struck early in the bottom of the first against Nats starter Odalis Perez. With one out, Melvin Mora doubled to left center and Nick Markakis singled through the box to drive Mora in. The Nats would tie it up in the second, as Dmitri Young singled, went to third on Aaron Boone's double, and scored on a ground out by Jesus Flores.

In the third, the Orioles would rally for three runs on five consecutive hits before an out could be recorded. Second baseman Brian Roberts started the hit parade, as he doubled to left just past Wily Mo Pena--a ball many outfielders would have caught. Roberts promptly stole third and scored on a Melvin Mora single. The next batter, Nick Markakis, delivered a no-doubt-about-it shot to deep center field that gave the Orioles a 4-1 lead. The Nats would halve the lead in the next inning, as Ryan Zimmerman hit his eighth home run of the season to left field.

The Orioles would close their scoring in the fifth, as Jay Payton hit a two-out, two-run home run to make the score 6-2. With the Nats struggling against Burres, it looked like that's all the scoring the Orioles would need. As it turned out, it was just enough.

The middle innings were pretty quiet for both teams, but the Nats would get into the Baltimore bullpen a little bit in the eighth. Chad Bradford relieved Burres, and he did not have his finest outing of the season. Wily Mo Pena singled to start the inning, but Felipe Lopez grounded to second, forcing Pena. Cristian Guzman followed with a single and Zimmerman grounded out, putting runners at second and third. At that point, Orioles Manager Dave Trembley summoned Dennis Sarfate, who immediately walked Dmitri Young to load the bases.

Aaron Boone delivered the first pitch he saw from Sarfate into left center, scoring Guzman and Zimmerman, cutting the lead to 6-4. Jim Johnson was called on to face catcher Wil Nieves, and Nieves fought two fouls balls off and finally coaxed a walk, loading the bases once again. Lastings Milledge was the next batter, and on a 1-1 pitch Johnson lost control and drilled Milledge in the left shoulder area, which forced in a run to make it 6-5. That is as close as the Nats would get though, as Kearns worked the count to 3-2 before striking out swinging and taking frustration out on his bat. Kearns went 0-for-4 on the night, lowering his batting average to .187 for the season.

In the ninth, Orioles closer George Sherrill easily sat down the Nats in order to register his league leading 17th save of the season.

Odalis Perez threw five innings, allowing six earned runs on ten hits and two walks, striking out two along the way. Joel Hanrahan pitched two scoreless innings, and Saul Rivera one inning, surrendering two hits but no runs.

Sunday is the finale of the three-game set. The Nats will send John Lannan (3-4, 3.74) to the hill against the O's Jeremy Guthrie (2-3, 4.18).

NATS NOTES: The loss sends the Nats' record to 18-26, seven games behind division-leading Florida. The Orioles are 23-19, just one and one-half games behind Tampa and Boston in the AL East.

Jesus Flores, the Nationals' starting catcher this evening, was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the top of the sixth by home plate umpire Tim McClelland.

Nationals RHP Shawn Hill, Friday night's loser, had a cortisone shot in his right elbow on Saturday and hopes to make his next scheduled start against Philadelphia on Wednesday.

Nats Can't Quite Catch O's; Lose 6-5 also posted at DC Sports Box

Photo (c) D. Nichols 2008

GB&U: Lots Of Hits, Not Enough Runs

RESULT: Nats lose 5-3.

GOOD: Ryan Zimmerman: Zimmy went 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Hit the ball solid each time up.

BAD: Wily Mo Pena. 0-for-4, six left on base. BRUTAL defense. Three balls fell around him that any AVERAGE outfileder could have gotten to, including a ball that led to a run in the fifth. He's killing this team.

UGLY: Lastings Milledge's defense. As bad a butcher as Pena is, this team needs a take-charge excellent defender in center. Milledge ain't it. Every ball is an adventure out there. He makes some spectacular catches out there because he gets a lousy jump.

Honorable Mention: At some point, Jim Bowden HAS TO be held accountable for the roster he put together. If you're trying to build young pitching (Hill and Lannan qualify) you gotta have guys that can go get it and pick it up. Shoddy outfield D and a throwing error by Lopez led to three Orioles runs tonight.

NEXT GAME: Saturday evening Odalis Perez (1-3) faces Brian Burres (3-4).

Photo (c) C. Nichols 2008