More photos » by Evan Vucci - AP

6 months ago: Washington Nationals' Ross Detwiler delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning of his debut in the majors, in a baseball game Monday, May 18, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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DC Bullpen Can't Hold Detwiler's Lead...

In spite of having surrendered a 3-run HR to the Pirates' left fielder Craig Monroe in the third, at the end of the fifth inning, DC left-hander Ross Detwiler, in the first start of his major league career, had a W lined up after the Nationals rallied for 5 in the home half of the inning to take a two-run lead at 5-3...a lead which didn't last through the top of the sixth...

Detwiler's Line:

Detwiler, Ross - 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 K's, 0 BB, 1 HR, 0 WP, 84 pitches, 61 strikes.

The first thing that you notice with Ross Detwiler is that he's actually throwing strikes, the fastball is in the low-90's, but he hides the ball behind his body up until he releases it, and he has a nice change early which he drops off the outside to right-handers, a sinking fastball, and later a few benders, and over 5.0 IP, Detwiler's in trouble just twice. The first time it's Cristian Guzman's fault, as the DC shortstop's two errors put two on with two outs in the first inning, a jam which Detwiler works through, and the second when a single and HBP start the third, and Detwiler's not as lucky...

...Detwiler throws two fastballs around 90 mph on the outside edge to Craig Monroe, and the next pitch comes in at 82, a change that sinks in over the outside of the plate onto Monroe's bat and out to deeeeep center and just over the glove of the leaping Willie Harris, and over the wall for a 3-0 Pirates' lead. 

Nothing comes of Jack Wilson's double off Detwiler in the fourth, and Detwiler strikes out his 5th and 6th batters in the 5th before getting a liner from Monroe to fellow DC first rounder Ryan Zimmerman, who closes his glove on the Pirates' fifth and then hits the second of two HR's in the Nationals' half, as Nick Nick Johnson Johnson, and Ryan Zimmer--THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!!... both go deep off Pittsburgh starter Ross Ohlendorf and give Washington a two-run lead at 5-3 after five.

The Nationals turn the lead over to...

The DC Bullpen:

Garrett Mock (L, 0-2) - 0.1 IP, 1 H, 3 runs, 3 ER, 1 BB, 15 pitches, 7 strikes.

Jesus "Everyday" Colome - 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 20 pitches, 12 strikes. 

Kip Wells - 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K's, 31 pitches, 16 strikes.

Joe Beimel - 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 3 pitches, 3 strikes.

Joel Hanrahan - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's, 32 pitches? 17 strikes.

11 Hits and 7 Runs Should...Be...ENOUGH!!!!

Cristian Guzman is hitting .385 after going 2 for 4 with a run scored and a walk. Nick "Two-Spot" Johnson goes 1 for 2 with a HR, 3 RBI's and 3 walks. Ryan Zimmerman 2 for 5 with a run scored, 1 RBI and a .358 AVG...Don't know what's wrong with Dunn recently, 2 for his last 15 heading into tonight, Dunn went 0 for 3 with a sac fly RBI, but he hasn't hit a HR since May 10th when he hit 2 in Arizona...Do you think Dunn just realized he signed with a non-playoff team?

The Nationals have 11 hits, 7 runs, but commit 4 ER's and surrender 12 hits and 12 runs in another loss, the 26th of 35 in fact...

Miss Detwiler's First Start? The DC Faithful Were Watching...

For The Completists, Full Game Report After The Jump...

Pirates win, 12-7 final. 

Nationals now 11-26.

Pittsburgh Pirates At Washington Nationals. Game 37 of 162. 

The first pitch of Ross Detwiler’s first start is a strike on the inside corner to Delwyn Young. Detwiler’s first K of the day comes on an 81mph change outside. Freddy Sanchez rolls one out to Cristian Guzman at short, and it’s bounces out of Guzman’s glove for an early E. Nate McLouth grounds to second, Anderson “Elvis” Hernandez takes the force at second. Another grounder to Guzman from Craig Monroe, another error for Guzman. Detwiler pops up Adam LaRoche, and he’s got a scoreless frame...The first pitch from Ross Ohlendorf to Cristian Guzman bounces over the wall in left for a ground rule double to start the frame. Nick Johnson uses his Discerning Eye to walk on a full count pitch inside. Ryan Zimmerman hits one to short to second to first, the tenth DP of the season for Zimmerman. Adam Dunn sorta holds up on a 3-2 pitch in the dirt and the Hammer gets a two-out chance with two on. Nate McLouth sidles over to the right and catches the final out of the first off of Josh Willingham’s bat.

Detwiler gets a short fly to right from Pirates’ catcher Robinzon Diaz for Adam Dunn to handle for the first out of the second. Andy LaRoche pops up behind short, and Guzman closes his glove on it. Jack Wilson beats out a grounder to second. Detwiler gets a groundball from Ohlendorf to end the top of the frame...Willie Harris grounds to first, LaRoche to the pitcher covering for the first out. Anderson Hernandez grounds to third, LaRoche to LaRoche, awww...Josh Bard flies out to right to end the second. 

Ross Detwiler paints the outside corner with a low 90’s heater to get Delwyn Young swinging. Freddy Sanchez singles up the middle on a hanging change. Detwiler’s got Sanchez picked, but Nick Johnson misses the throw from the pitcher. Sanchez to second. Detwiler comes up and way too far inside on Nate McLouth and hits him in the arm. Willie Harris tracks Craig Monroe’s fly to deep center and jumps at the wall, only to come up empty and have it sneak over for a 3-run blast. 3-0 Pirates. Detwiler gets Adam La Roche staring a sinking fastball onto the outside edge. Robinzon Diaz lines right into Detwiler’s follow through and his glove...Detwiler chops one to the mound but can’t beat it out. Cristian Guzman lifts a single over second. Guzman gets nailed stealing second, for his third error of the game. (Not really.) Nick Johnson pops out to Craig “Floating Homer” Monroe for out  No.3...

Adam Dunn gets under a fly ball from Andy LaRoche and makes it look easy. Jack Wilson’s hustling out of the box on a line drive to left, and he’s standing on second when Willingham’s throw comes in. Ross Ohlendorf swings a foot over strike three for the second out of the frame. Delwyn Young pops out to the infield to end the top of the fourth, Detwiler!!!...Jack Wilson’s almost in left field when he picks up Zimmerman’s grounder and fires all the way to first, IN TIME to beat Zim. Adam Dunn hits one a mile high but only as far as the curly-W in the center field grass. Ohlendorf hits the outside corner for a called strike three on Josh Willingham to end the fourth. 

Ross Detwiler throws a high two-strike fastball that Freddy Sanchez can’t take, called strike three. Nate McLouth swings over a nasty two-strike change inside. Craig Monroe lines to Zim, as Detwiler makes quick work of the Pirates in the fifth...Willie Harris, aka TAWH, rips a fly ball to right that goes in and out of Delwyn Young’s glove for a double. Anderson Hernandez flies to right, Harris takes third. Josh Bard, almost got the first, but it goes fould, and then he gets all of the second, doubling off the wall to score Harris, 3-1 Pirates. Alex Cintron hits for Detwiler, lining out to left for the second out. The Guzzzz? Walks the easy way, on four straight, for the first time this season. Nick Nick Johnson Johnson, all the way to left and no doubt about it, three-run blast, 4-3 DC. Ohlendorf comes inside and soft to Ryan Zimmer-THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! SOLO SHOT over the Red Porch seats!! 5-3 Nationals. Adam Dunn flies out to end it. 

Garrett Mock walks the first batter he sees, Adam LaRoche. Mock hits the second batter he sees, Robinzon Diaz. Sac bunt by Adam’s brother and Jack Wilson lines a 1-2 pitch to left, two runs score, 5-5 ballgame. Jesus Colome on for Mock. Brandon Moss hits for Ohlendorf. Moss doubles to left, Wilson scores, 6-5 Pirates. Delwyn Young sneaks a dribbler under Anderson Hernandez at second, Moss scores, 7-5 Pittsburgh. Freddy Sanchez flies out to Adam Dunn. Nate McLouth doubles with two down, Delwyn Young scores, 8-5 Pirates. Craig Monroe flies out, finally...Pirates’ reliever Jess Sanchez gets a grounder from Willingham for the first out of the DC sixth, and a grounder from Willie Harris for the second. Anderson Hernandez singles through second. Josh Bard pops out to McLouth to end the sixth. 

Josh Willingham catches a fly ball from Adam LaRoche close to the line in left. Kip Wells on the hill for DC. One-out walk from Wells for Robinzon Diaz. Wells blows Andy LaRoche away with a sinking fastball over his bat inside. Jack Wilson gets knocked down by a fastball inside, and Bard throws out Robinzon Diaz trying to steal second...Ronnie Belliard K’s swinging. Cristian Guzman grounds weakly to second. “Two-Spot” Johnson uses his Discerning Eye to draw a walk. Ryan Zimmerman lines a double to left center, Johnson to third. Jesse Sanchez gets chased. Tom Gorzelanny vs Dunn. Lefty vs Lefty. Dunn K’s swinging to end the seventh. 

Jack Wilson gets a hanger from Kip Wells and laces it to left, off the wall and by Willingham for a triple. Eric Hinske grounds to first, Nick Johnson handles it. Chopper up the middle by Delwyn Young, Wilson scores, 9-5 Pirates. Wells out. Joe Beimel vs Nate McLouth. Lefty vs Lefty. McLouth grounds out to second....Old Man John Grabow vs Willingham to start the Nationals’ eighth. Hammer singles through short. Willie Harris grounds to first, LaRoche gets the force at second. Pinch hitter Austin Kearns K’s. Josh Bard drives Willie Harris in with a double into the left field corner, 9-6 Pittsburgh. Ronnie Belliard works a walk. Cristian Guzman grounds into a force at second to end the frame. 

Joel Hanrahan starts the ninth. Craig Monroe swings through a serious two-strike heater. Adam LaRoche walks with one down in the ninth. Wild pitch moves LaRoche to second. Robinzon Diaz grounds back to the mound, Hanrahan knocks it down and throws to first. Andy LaRoche grounds to third, and it hops over Zim’s glove, RBI single, 10-6. Jack Wilson walks. Ramon Vazquez doubles to right, two runs score, 12-6 Pirates. Hanrahan strikes someone out now...blah, blah, blah...Matt Capps up to end it. Nick Johnson + Discerning Eye = Leadoff walk. Johnson moves up on a passed ball. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to right. Passed ball with Dunn up, Johnson moves to third. Adam Dunn flies out to Delwyn Young in right, who falls as he catches it. Johnson scores. 12-7. Josh Willingham doubles. Willie Harris pops out to the infield. 12-7 final. 

Nationals now 11-26.