This one looked like a regression to the games-before-last, with the Nats sleepwalking through the first five innings.  Lannan gave up 4 earned runs with no Nats offense--his control was shaky, the defense behind him plagued by miscues (including a bad break on a pop-up by Milledge, and an ill-advised throw to second with the speedy Soriano on third).  Then everyone woke up in the sixth, with the offense powering forward to put six runs on the board, anchored by a Willie Harris grand slam!  The offense kept charging forward for the rest of the game, putting up runs every inning, with a three-run PH double from Aaron Boone, a Ronnie Belliard HR (plus two 2Bs and a single), and a second Harris HR.  Lannan settled down, pitching a scoreless 5th and 6th, and lasting one out into the 7th. Shell gave up one run in the 7th, Rivera pitched a scoreless 8th, and Colome mopped up the 9th. Final score 13-5 Nats.

Ronnie just missed hitting for the cycle when Cubs RF Mark DeRosa made a good play to cut off his double into the corner, which would have been a sure triple otherwise. The Amazing Willie Harris added some defensive dramatics, including a diving grab on a sinking line drive and an outfield assist off of the ivy in LF.

Nats now 46-83. Inning-by-inning after the jump.

The game was delayed about an hour by rain, which I hope allowed the Nats to get a nap.  Nats down in order in the first. The Cubs score in the first on a Soriano walk, stolen base, a bloop single (courtesy of Milledge's late break), then a strikeout/double-steal which saw Nieves unwisely making a late throw to second with the speedy Soriano on third. 1-0 Cubs.

Langerhans works a two-out walk in the second, but no other offense from the Nats. Lannan starts off the second with back-to-back walks, and the collapse looks imminent!  The threat dissolves without further damage, though.

Another 3 quick outs to start the third.  Lannan gives up a gopher ball to Derek Lee to make it 2-0.

To start the fourth?  Only two quick outs before Lasto gets a bloop single, followed by a sharp single from Belliard. Lasto forgets there are two outs and only goes to second on the play, but it ends up not mattering when Langerhans flies out deep to the warning track.  Lannan gives up a leadoff single, followed by a dinger from Mark DeRosa.  4-0 Cubs.

Um, three quick outs to start the fifth (although, to be fair, Nieves pops out on an 8-pitch AB).  For once, three quick outs also end the fifth, with Thrillie Harris making a "routinely spectacular" diving grab of a sinking liner to get the third out.

BonifaciooOOOO leads off the sixth with an infield single, followed by a walk (!) to Guzman (!!). Zimmy draws another walk to load 'em up for a sac fly from Lasto. 4-1 Cubs.  Belli-YARD! uh, doubles to score Guz and put runners 2-3. 4-2 Cubs, and that's enough for Marquis. Kearns PHs for Langerhans and draws a walk off of the new pitcher Cotts, bringing up THRILLIE Harris.  Does he want to play?  GRAND SLAM! 6-4 Nats. Lannan bats for himself (now up to 70 pitches after a 4-pitch 5th) to end the Nats half of the 6th.  Three quick outs from the Cubs in the sixth, with The Incomparable Willie Harris playing a line drive off the wall perfectly and throwing out Mark DeRosa at second to end the inning on 7 pitches.

BonifacioooOOO slug-bunts one to third for another leadoff single to start the seventh against the new pitcher Howry.  He steals second and Guz grounds one through the right side. 7-4 Nats.  Lannan gives up a leadoff single and gets one out before making way for Steven Shell, who gives up an RBI single on the way to ending the inning. 7-5 Nats.

Chad "No, not that Chad" Gaudan comes out to pitch the 8th for the Cubs. Ronnie B. tags him for a leadoff double, and THRILLIE gets the intentionals. Flores singles to load 'em up, then BOOOONE clears 'em out with a PH double off the wall on the first pitch!  10-5 Nats! Saoool comes out to build a bridge to the 9th inning, giving up a one-out double but escaping the inning quickly.

Two quick outs start the ninth, then Belli-YARD decides to live up to his nickname and make it 11-5 Nats. Kearns draws a walk, then THRILLIE goes yard again!  13-5 Nats. Flores doubles into the corner but gets stranded when Pinch-Hittin' Pete Orr strikes out. Colome is out to finish it off, allowing a single to former Nat and present Nats-killer Daryle Ward, but otherwise getting three outs as quickly as the "Human Rain Delay" can.  Will the Nats be the new Lovable Losers? Maybe--but not today!