The Washington Nationals are wearing their alternate Sunday reds, interlocking DC logo on their caps and jerseys, and Shawn Hill's on the mound in the first inning of the Sunday matinee with the Florida Marlins. Hill gets down to business...inducing a grounder from Alfredo "The Amazing" Amezaga, striking out Jeremy Hermida on a two-seam fastball and popping up Hanley Ramirez to end top of the first...Marlins' lefty Scott Olsen works through the first three Nationals for an eleven minute scoreless frame.

Shawn Hill hits Dan Uggla in the ribs to give the Marlins their first baserunnner. Luis Gonzalez drops a fly ball onto the grass curly "W" in center, moving Uggla to third. Wes Helms takes a swing at a 3-0 pitch and misses, but a sac fly to center on the next pitch scores Uggla, 1-0 Marlins. Scott Olsen works quickly, catching the return throw from the catcher, facing the plate and delivering a fastball to Aaron Boone that ends up three rows deep in left center. BOOOONNNE!!! Aaron "Clean-Up" Boone ties it at 1-1 after two.

...and the rain starts to fall...and then the rain stops...

Hill gives up a two-out single to Jeremy Hermida, but gets Hanley Ramirez to roll over a fastball and ground out to end the Marlins' third. Jesus Flores grounds straight up the middle and a wet ball slips in Dan Uggla's hands. Shawn Hill sac bunts Flores to second. Felipe Lopez is out on a low liner to Uggla. Ronnie Belliard goes YARD on a 1-0 fastball high in the zone. 3-1 DC on Belliard's 2nd. Zimmerman tops off a fastball and Ramirez can't play it...BOOOOONNNNNEEE!!! Over Amezaga's head in center and all the way into the Boone's Corner. Zimmerman scores. 4-1 Nationals. 

1-2-3 fourth for Hill on the mound. Wily Mo works a leadoff walk in the Nationals' fourth, but Scott Olsen gets Dukes, Flores and Hill to end the inning. Florida backstop Mike Rabelo rips one under Belliard's glove to start the fifth with a single. Olsen grounds back to Hill, who takes the out at second, but Belliard's throw to first can't get the sprinting pitcher. Amezaga grounds to short, but he too beats out the back end of the DP. Amezaga steals second. Hill gets a groundout from Hermida. 4-1 middle of the fifth. Olsen walks Lopez to start the bottom of the fifth. Belliard's ground out advances Lopez to second, Lopez gets nailed trying to steal third, Zimmerman flies out to center. 4-1 after five.

Hill gets the first two outs of the sixth before Dan Uggla unloads on a Hill hanger inside that doesn't come down until it bounces off the top of the wall for a long ball. 4-2 Nationals after six. Boone's third hit of the day starts the Nationals' half. Milledge grounds to short, Ramirez, to Uggla, to Helms, double play. Wily Mo grounds out. Six innings in the books. 4-2 Nationals. 

Hill gets Helms to chase a breaker. Rabelo grounds back to the mound. Pinch hitter Brett Carroll replaces Olsen (6.0 IP, 6 hits, 4 ER, 2 walks, 1 K.). Zimmerman fields Carroll's grounder on the backhand, steadies and fires to first, "In Time" to end the top of the seventh. Stand up and stretch...Logan Kensing takes the mound for the Marlins. Dukes rips a one-hop groundout to short. Jesus Flores doubles over Luis Gonzalez in left. Pinch-hittin' Nick Johnson takes Hill out of the game (7.0 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, 0 WALKS, 3 K's.) Kensing gets Johnson looking at a two-strike curve. Felipe Lopez flies out to deep center, where "The Amazing" Amezaga grabs it. 4-2 after seven.

Luis "Set-Up" Ayala takes over in the eighth. "The Amazing" Amezaga outruns a sharp liner to first when Ayala gets beat to the bag. First pitch to Hermida...GONE!! 4-4 ballgame. (ed. note - "Sorry, Mr. Shawn Hill.") 2-2 fastball up to Uggla...and out to center. HR Marlins. 5-4 Marlins after seven and a half. Ronnie Belliard works a leadoff walk. Zimmerman grounds to short, Ramirez, to Uggla, to Helms. Double play. Aaron Boone flies out to right. 5-4 Florida after eight. 

The Tallest Pitcher in MLB HIstory, Jon Rauch is on in the ninth. Helms swings over a curve. Mike Rabelo lines out to Boone. Robert Andino chases a two-strike curve. Rauch Rules!!! Milledge, Willie Harris and Dukes due up...against Marlins' closer Kevin Gregg. Lastings Milledge takes a low full-count fastball for ball four. Willie Harris flies out to right off a broken bat. Elijah Dukes?...pops out to Uggla foul of first. What Will Jesus Do? Jesus Flores grounds weakly back to the mound. Marlins win 5-4. Crowd deflated, Nationals swept. 

Nationals now 15-23.