Brian Roberts hits a hard grounder by DY’s backhand and Felipe Lopez, backing up, shovels the ball toward pitcher John Lannan covering first, but the speedy Roberts beats it out for a leadoff infield single. Nick Markakis lines out to Paul Lo Duca in left. “Cool Hand” Lannan catches Roberts leaning off first, and pops up Melvin Mora to end the top of the first...Cristian Guzman beats Adam Jones to the right center gap for a double to leadoff the Nationals’ first. Elijah Dukes takes a full count curve from Garrett Olson, and is called out on strikes. Lastings Milledge tries to rip the cover off of the first pitch, and then simply drives the second pitch to right center for an RBI single. 1-0 Nationals after one.

Aubrey Huff pushes Paul Lo Duca back to the track in left where he catches the first out of the second. O’s catcher Ramon Hernandez flies out to Milledge. Luke Scott grounds to first, “Cool Hand” Lannan’s through two...Luke Scott has to hustle to catch Ronnie Belliard’s line drive to left. Paul Lo Duca knocks a high fastball to center for a single. Felipe Lopez flies out to Nick Markakis in right. John Lannan works a two-out walk off of Olson, but Guzman grounds back to the mound to end the second. 

O’s outfielder Adam Jones powers a pitch in on his fists out to center. Alex Cintron drills a low liner over Guzman’s at short and all the way to the wall, where Milledge injures his ankle trying to play the ball at the base of the wall...(ed. note - ”Say it ain’t so, Lasto?”) Jones scores easily, 1-1. Cintron takes third. Lannan keeps Cintron at third, when the opposing pitcher grounds out to short. Brian Roberts grounds to short. Cintron’s stuck. Nick Markakis grounds back to the mound, Lannan...misses it, off the glove for an infield hit. 2-1 Orioles. Melvin Mora pops up behind the mound, and Lannan drops the pop. Aubrey Huff smacks a two-out single to right. 3-1 Orioles....Alex Cintron backhands a grounder and throws to beat Elijah Dukes to first to start the third. Willie Harris singles to center. Garret Olson walks Jesus Flores. DY goes down swinging through a change. Ronnie Belliard stares strike three all the way in...3-1 O’s after three. 

Lannan hangs a slider to Luke Scott that ends up in the second deck in right. 4-1 Orioles. Adam Jones singles for the second time tonight, and then steals second with Alex Cintron at bat. Jones takes third when a swinging strike gets by Jesus Flores. Cintron strikes out swinging. Garrett Olson hits a sac fly to cushion his own lead, 5-1 O’s as Jones tags and scores...Garrett Olson walks the opposing pitcher with two down in the Nationals’ fourth, and Cristian Guzman lines a single to center to bring up Dukes with two on, two out. Both runners move up an a 2-2 pitch in the dirt. Full count to Dukes...popped to short right. 5-1 O’s after four.

John Lannan walks Nick Markakis to start the O’s fifth. Melvin Mora lifts one to center, Willie Harris gets under it and makes the grab. Aubrey Huff flies out to Lo Duca. Markakis takes second on a wild pitch from Lannan, and Ramon Hernandez clears the out-of-town scoreboard in right for a two-run blast. 7-1 Orioles...Willie Harris singles to start the DC fifth. Jesus Flores strikes out swinging over a curve. DY pops out. Ronnie Belliard skies one to left that Luke Scott handles. 7-1 after five. 

Jesus “Everyday” Colome replaces Lannan to start the sixth. Adam Jones’ third single of the game goes to right. Alex Cintron flies out. Garrett Olson bunts by DY at first, to reach safely on the sac attempt. Paul Lo Duca catches the second out off Brian Roberts’ bat. Nick Markakis singles in the new A.Jones. 8-1 O's. Melvin Mora goes the other way with an inside pitch for an RBI single. 9-1 Orioles. (RAIN DELAY)...

(ed. note - "It doesn't get any better, but if you've got nothing better to do, by all means, click away and follow further...Final score, 9-1 Orioles. Rubber match tomorrow afternoon. The O's Don't Win On Sundays...)

PRESIDENTS RACE COVERAGE...LET TEDDY WIN.(blog.letteddywin.com)!!

Nationals now 32-50.

(cont.)...Lo Duca, Lopez and Orr ground out, as the game gets back underway...9-1 Baltimore after six. 

DC reliever Steven Shell pops Ramon Hernandez up to the infield to start the seventh. Luke Scott lines into the wet outfield grass in right for a single. Adam Jones flies out to center for his first out of the night (and the series). Alex Cintron singles up the middle, moving Scott to third. Shell strikes out the opposing reliever Lance Cormier to end the Orioles’ seventh...Guzman swings wildly over a curve from Cormier to start the seventh...Elijah Dukes watches a slow curve drop into the zone for strike three. Willie Harris works a two-out walk, but Cormier gets Flores to ground to short to end the seventh. 

Charlie Manning’s gonna throw in the eighth. Manning gives Brian Roberts a free pass. DY gets out there and makes the play on Markakis' grounder, throwing to second to get the force on Roberts, but Orr’s throw back to Manning at first is late. Melvin Mora goes down swinging. Manning issues a two-out walk to Aubrey Huff. Ramon Hernandez grounds into a force...DY lines to short where Cintron catches it, Kory Casto slices a two-hopper to short where Cintron fields and throws, Lo Duca grounds to short, Cintron, Cintron, Cintron. 9-1 O’s after eight. 

“Wild” Joel Hanrahan to pitch the top o’ nine. Hanrahan drops a two-strike bender on Luke Scott for the swinging K. Adam Jones hits his fourth single of the night. Alex CIntron flies out to defensive replacement Wily Mo Pena in left. Lance Cormier grounds out to second, Hanrahan makes it look simple. Three outs to get eight runs...Pete Orr hits a one-out single to center. Wil Nieves grounds to Cintron, to Brandon Fahey to Huff, double play to end it. 9-1 Orioles win. Rubber match tomorrow...

Nationals now 32-50.