More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

4 months ago: Washington Nationals second baseman Ronnie Belliard catches a pop up by Baltimore Orioles Melvin Mora just missing a collision with right fielder Austin Kearns in the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 27, 2009, in Baltimore.(AP Photo/ Gail Burton)

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HEADLINE:

Bases Loaded Failure:

How many bases loaded situations can you fail to cash in on and still expect to win a game against a major league opponent? Even a mediocre one like the Baltimore Orioles...Two of the Washington Nationals' three runs tonight were walked in by the O's starter Jeremy Guthrie in the first inning, when he gave up back to back singles and then two straight walks to force in the first run of the evening. One strikeout later, Guthrie walked in run No. 2, but the double play grounder Ronnie Belliard hit into ended any hope of a real rally, and let the Orioles' starter off the hook after 39 pitches. 

Ryan Zimmerman's DP grounder in the second erased a leadoff single. Josh Willingham doubled to start the third and scored the only run the Nationals earned tonight two unproductive outs later when Austin Kearns, of all people, collected his first RBI since May 7th with a two-out single on a 2-2 fastball low and inside that he lined into left. At that point you might have actually thought that the decision to start Austin Kearns and his .196 AVG and .331 OBP was a good one, did you still think so when he ground into an inning-ending DP with the bases loaded in the sixth? Or when he K'd swinging at a 1-2 curve from Orioles' closer George Sherrill in the ninth? 

The Washington Nationals drop their second straight in Camden Yards, 6-3 to Baltimore. DC righty Shairon Martis gives up 6 hits and 4 ER's in 5.0 IP, and DC relievers Joe Beimel and Mike MacDougal give up a run each in the seventh and eighth to put it out of reach at 6-3 O's. Orioles' catcher Gregg Zaun, left fielder Nolan Reimold and first baseman Aubrey Huff hit one home run each, and after Baltimore starter Jeremy Guthrie gives up 3 runs in 5 IP, the Orioles' bullpen gives up just 3 hits in 4.0 scoreless innings as the O's hand the Nationals their 51st loss of '09.

Miss The Game? Unfortunately For The DC Faithful, They Didn't?

Orioles win, 6-3 final.

Headlines: (Continued After The Jump):

• Hanrahan? Who Would Take Him?

• DC Bullpen Update...

• A List Of ?'s That Start With How Long...

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

We Totally Outcommented Them At Least...Check Out The Camden Chat (SBN Orioles Blog's GameThread).

DWDT: 14

Washington Nationals now 21-51.

In trying to explain the fact that failed DC closer Joel Hanrahan remained on the roster, Washington Post writer Chico Harlan noted in an article at the Nationals Journal this afternoon entitled, "Bard Emerging As Nats' Regular Catcher", that, "Washington's front office openly admits that he'd (Hanrahan would) be pitching in the minors, if only he had options remaining", and when asked by Mr. Harlan, what the Nationals will do with the struggling reliever, who insists on throwing his slider, (ed. note - "Sorry, I added that.") "Acting" DC GM Mike Rizzo, responded:

"'I just think we'll have to be patient with him and live with him,' Rizzo said. 'Manny will have to put him in the right positions to succeed -- maybe winning by a lot of runs, losing by a lot of runs.'"

•• DC Bullpen Duck Pond UPDATE:

(ed. note - "The DC Faithful didn't cite any sources when they discussed this during tonight's GameThread, so I imagine they somehow see into the future because, according to Washington Post writer Chico Harlan's post game post entitled, "Stammen Moves To Pen (And Post Game Comments)", DC righty Craig Stammen will be moving to the pen when Scott Olsen returns to the DC rotation this week. Mr. Harlan thinks it'll be one of the members of the Nationals' bullpen Duck Pond who will be heading up to Syracuse instead of Stammen, Ross Detwiler or Shairon Martis as had previously been speculated, and since we just read what we did above from the "Acting" DC GM, the DC Faithful think it'll be Jesus Colome.")

A List Of ?'s That Start With How Long...

• How long with the Nationals "live" with Hanrahan?

• How long with they insist on putting Austin Kearns out there?

• How long will Mike MacDougal last as the Nationals' closer? And who's next?

• How long until someone convinces Ronnie Belliard line drives are more likely than homers?

• How long until Stephen Strasburg signs???

Go Ahead, Add Your Own "How Long's" In The Comments...

GAME REPORT...("Two G's, Zaun? Do you know how long it took me to correct all those, ugh...")

Washington Nationals At Baltimore Orioles. Game 72 or 73 of 162. 

The Amazing Willie Harris starts the game with a single through second. Orioles’ right-hander Jeremy Guthrie gives up another single to Cristian Guzman, who hits a line drive to center field. Ryan Zimmerman walks to load’em up for Adam Dunn. Dunn takes a 3-1 pitch inside and walks to force in the first run of the game, 1-0 DC. Jeremy Guthrie gets Josh Willingham looking at a two-strike fastball inside. Josh Bard battles Guthrie to a full count, and walks in the second run of the first. 2-0 DC. Ronnie Belliard grounds to short, Robert Andino to Dave Roberts to Aubrey Huff, double play...Josh Willingham goes a long way to catch the first out off Brian Roberts’ bat. DC righty Shairon Martis gives up a one-out single on a grounder up the middle by Adam Jones. Nick Markakis takes a 2-1 pitch to center, where Willie Harris makes the grab!! Aubrey Huff walks on four straight pitches. Nolan Reimold walks to load the bases. Luke Scott chases a 1-2 slider for a swinging K to end the first. 

Austin Kearns hits a liner over the mound to short, Robert Andino throws to first to start the second. Robert Andino fields a chest high hopper and throws to first in time to get Alberto Gonzalez. Willie Harris flies out to short left to end the DC second...Melvin Mora hits a line drive to center that Willie Harris handles. Gregg Zaun takes a 2-2 fastball to right and...gone? It’s GONE! 2-1 DC. Robert Andino grouds out to short, Alberto Gonzalez fires to first in time. Brian Roberts stares a two-strike slider all the way in and gets punched out emphatically by the home plate ump. 

Cristian Guzman singles to left to start the third. Ryan Zimmerman grounds to third, Melvin Mora to Brian Roberts to Aubrey Huff, double play. Adam Dunn pops out to center, Adam Jones makes the catch...Ronnie Belliard’s standing there waiting for Melvin Mora’s groundout to second. Nick Markakis fights off a pitch inside and lines to left for a one-out single. After getting squeezed on a 1-2 fastball, Martis drops a 2-2 change on Aubrey Huff to get a swinging K. Nolan Reimold grounds to third, Zimmerman takes the force at second...

Jeremy Guthrie gives up a leadoff double to Josh Willingham who rips a pond-skipper past Mora at third. Josh Bard’s fly ball to center is not enough to advance the Hammer to third. Ronnie Belliard grounds sharply to third, Mora looks Willingham back and throws to first to get Belliard. Austin Kearns fully extends and drives the ball to center for an RBI single, 3-1 DC. Alberto Gonzalez fouls out on a foul tip...Shairon Martis walks the leadoff batter, Luke Scott. Melvin Mora flies to short right, and Ronnie Belliard and Austin Kearns almost collide as Belliard catches it. Robert Andino lines out to left to end the fourth.

Jeremy Guthrie pops Willie Harris up to the infield. Melvin Mora swipes his glove through the air to make the catch as he tracks Cristian Guzman’s pop fly foul of third. Ryan Zimmerman flies to center on a full-count fastball from Guthrie...Brian Roberts lines to -- Alberto Gonzalez’s glove!!! Diving catch by Gonzalez. Adam Jones grounds to short and reaches safely when Gonzalez can’t come up with it. Nick Markakis flies out to left. Aubrey Huff beats the shift with a hard-hit grounder under a diving Belliard at second. Martis hangs a change to Nolan Reimold and it ends up in the first row in left for a 3-run HR and a 4-3 Orioles’ lead. Martis drops a two-strike slider onto the outside edge for a backwards K to end the inning.

Brian Bass takes over on the hill for the O’s. Adam Dunn takes a 3-2 pitch low and outside for a leadoff walk. Bass throws a high fastball to Josh Willingham and the Hammer drills a line drive to left, Dunn to third. Josh Bard up with two on. Bard walks, Bass is done. The O’s bring on Matt Albers, and he gets a force at home on Ronnie Belliard’s grounder and a tailor-made DP on Kearns’ weak roller to short. 4-3 O’s...Julian Tavarez gets Melvin Mora swinging to start the O’s sixth. Zaun singles with one down and moves to second as Ryan Zimmerman stumbles and falls as he throws out Robert Andino. Brian Roberts grounds out to first, Tavarez holds it close. 

Jim Johnson is the next O’s pitcher. Alberto Gonzalez punches a single into center. Willie Harris grounds to second, Roberts to Andino to Huff, double play. Cristian Guzman grounds out to second...Willie Harris flies over to catch a fly ball off of Adam Jones’ bat. DC Manager Manny Acta calls on Joe Beimel against the left-handed hitting Nick Markakis. Markakis lifts a slow slider to Josh Willingham in left. Beimel sends one right down the pipe and Huff hammers it to left and GONE. 5-3 O’s. Nolan Reimold goes down swinging. 5-3 O’s after the seventh.

Ryan Zimmerman hits a blooper to right for a leadoff single in the seventh. Jim Johnson gets a weak ground ball to short from Adam Dunn. Josh Willingham beats out the back end of his own DP grounder. Josh Bard flies out to center to end DC’s eighth...Mike MacDougal walks the leadoff O in the eighth. Felix Pie takes over running for Luke Scott. Pie gets forced out at second on a sweet diving play by Belliard. Gregg Zaun singles through short. Robert Andino singles to load the bases. Brian Roberts flies out to left, Mora tags and scores on a weak throw from Willingham in left. 6-3 Orioles. Adam Jones grounds out to end the eighth.

George Sherrill’s on to save it. Ronnie Belliard pops out. Austin Kearns K’s on a 1-2 bender on the outside edge. Alberto Gonzalez grounds out to Mora, O’s win. 6-3 final.  

 Nationals now 21-51.