Arizona righty Micah Owings retires the first three Washington batters in order in the top of the first of the first of three at Phoenix’s Chase Field between the D-Backs and visiting Nationals. DC starter Tim Redding gives up long fly balls to right and center from Chris Young and Stephen Drew which Ryan Langerhans and Lastings Milledge, respectively, expertly track, and Redding gets Orlando Hudson to ground out to DY at first, for a scoreless frame bringing the Nationals back up...

DY drops a fly between second and center for a leadoff hit. Lasto takes a fastball in the back from Micah Owings. Ryan Langerhans lays down a sweet sac bunt and only a glove-shovel to first from Orlando Hudson keeps it a sac, not a single. What Will Jesus Do? RBI double on an inside fastball that Flores turns out to right-center to score DY and Lasto for a 2-0 lead. Tim Redding puts the D-Backs down in order for his second scoreless. 

After Willie Harris and Cristian Guzman ground out, Aaron Boone doubles to the gap in left center, to bring up DY, who grounds the first pitch to first base ending a quick top of the third. Tim Redding blows a fastball by Jeff Salazar for a third strike. D-Backs' catcher Chris Snyder flies out to just right of center. Redding’s a little too careful with the hard-hitting Micah Owings, and ends up walking the opposing pitcher. Chris Young grounds to third, Boone takes the force at second. 2-0 after three. 

Milledge pops up an inside fastball, Langerhans slices a liner out to short, and Jesus Flores flies out to right as Owings pitches a scoreless fourth. The Diamondbacks first hit of the night is a big one, as Orlando Hudson almost sinks one into the Riviera Pools in center on a laser-line-drive to center to cut the DC lead in half at 2-1 Washington. Redding walks Chad Tracy with two down, but a high fastball jams Justin Upton who pops out to the infield to end the fourth. 2-1 DC. 

Micah Owings pitches a quick 1-2-3 fifth. Redding walks leadoff batter Jeff Salazar to start the bottom of the inning, and then pops catcher Chris Snyder out to left. Micah Owings drops a single into short right moving Salazar to second. Chris Young drills a line-drive single to center, and the D-Backs load the bases with one down in the fifth. Stephen Drew drives the first pitch to right, and Langerhans’ throw in is off the mark allowing Salazar to score to tie it at 2-2. Redding walks Orlando Hudson to load’em up for Conor Jackson. Redding’s full count pitch is a fastball, Jackson flies out to center, and it’s tied at 2-2 after five.

Guzman singles through second on a hard hop to Orlando Hudson that eats up the second baseman. Owings throws a fastball upstairs by Boone. DY sneaks another single under Hudson, and Guzman hustles to third. Lastings Milledge flies out to deep center and The Guzzzz tags and scores. 3-2 DC. Chad Tracy singles off Tim Redding in the Arizona sixth. Justin Upton grounds into a force at second. Upton steals second ahead of Flores’ throw. Redding walks Salazar, and that will end Redding’s outing. “Wild” Joel Hanrahan’s on in relief. Single up the middle by Chris Snyder ties it at 3-3. Owings grounds to third, Boone, to Harris, to DY, double play to end the sixth. 

Micah Owings drills Mackowiak in the hip with one down to bring up Elijah Dukes. Dukes hits a broken bat single to center. Willie Harris lifts an 0-1 fastball to right and out of the park in a hurry for a 3-run blast. 6-3 DC. Cristian Guzman doubles into the right field corner, and Owings’ night is done. Rookie righty Max Scherzer replaces Owings. Boone chases Scherzer’s slider for a swinging strike three. DY walks on four straight. Lastings Milledge pops out to end the DC seventh. Stand up and stretch...Hanrahan comes back on and throws a 1-2-3 seventh. 

Wily Mo Pena shatters a bat grounding out to start the eighth. Wil Nieves flies out to Upton in right. Rob Mackowiak grounds to first, Scherzer covers the bag. 6-3 middle of eight. Luis “Set-Up” Ayala gives up a HR to right to lefty Chad Tracy with one down in the home half of the inning. 6-4 DC. Ayala gets Justin Upton and Jeff Salalar, both staring at third strikes to get out of the eighth. 

Elijah Dukes patiently accepts a leadoff walk in the ninth. Willie Harris grounds into a force at second, but beats out the back end of the DP. Cristian Guzman drops a single in front of AZ centerfielder Chris Young. Boone works the count full, and walks to load the bases for Felipe Lopez. Lopez grounds into a force at second, and beats out the throw to first, allowing one run to score. 7-4. The Tallest Closer in MLB History, Jon Rauch comes on to close it. D-Backs’ catcher Chris Snyder stares a slider all the way in for strike three. Pinch hitter Alex Romero flies out on the first pitch. Chris Young flies out to end it. Washington wins 7-4. 

Nationals now 24-32.