More photos » Lynne Sladky - AP

7 months ago: Washington Nationals' relief pitcher Ron Villone, right, hands the ball to manager Manny Acta, left, as he is relieved in the eighth inning against the Florida Marlins during a baseball game at Land Shark Stadium in Miami Monday, June 29, 2009. The Marlins won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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-- Bottom of the 8th, 2-2 tie...Washington's left-handed reliever Ron Villone takes the mound...

- "Oh Geez. It's Villone." - ROSCOEtheNATSfan.

- "...goodcallwemaygoextrasfishnothittinglefties........WRONG" - cat daddy 3000.

- "VILL2.45NE!!" - e chigliak

- "I never thought I'd say this...but...This is not a good idea…" - Mezza

There was a time when DC's lefty reliever Ron Villone was known around here as Ron VILL0.00NE. The Nationals' 39-year-old left-hander joined the roster on May 7th as part of "Acting" DC GM Mike Rizzo's desperate attempt to rebuild Washington's bullpen after some ugly early struggles. Villone reeled off 17.0 scoreless innings before he allowed the first run to cross while he stood on the mound. Since giving up the first, however, Villone's allowed 7 runs, 5 earned, in 5.0 IP, in which he's given up 11 hits, and the tailspin continued tonight as he allowed a leadoff double, sac bunt and sac fly by Florida to put the Marlins ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning of a game Washington's returning starter Scott Olsen had held tied from the fourth inning on...

Marlins win, 4-2 final. 

Miss The Game, The DC Faithful Were Watching...(And They Saw It Coming)...

BACKPAGE:

• Olsen's Return Makes Smarty's Snub Hurt Less...

• Ryan Zimmerma--THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!!

• Can We Go Back To The AL And Away From The Marlins...And Bonifacio...

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

DWDT: 15.

Nationals now 22-52.

BACKPAGE:

Olsen's Return Makes Smarty's Snub Hurt Less...

Shairon Martis, according to Washington Post writer Chico Harlan's Nationals Journal post entitled, "Wait! Martis Demoted To Class AAA, Stammen Back In Rotation", "declined comment...after learning the news of his demotion," yesterday afternoon. Martis was sent down(up really?) to the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse, NY to make room for the returning DC lefty Scott Olsen. After working his way back from what was officially called "shoulder tendenitis", Olsen took the mound tonight for the first time since May 16, and threw 94 pitches, 66 for strikes, over 7.0 IP in which he allowed 6 hits and 2 ER while collecting 7 K's. 

After Ryan Zimmerman's leadoff HR and Wil Nieves' two-out RBI single in the second inning off Marlins' right-hander Ricky Nolasco, Olsen allowed Florida to tie it at 2-2 in the third. Brett Carroll doubled, moved to third on a sac bunt by Nolasco and scored on a one-out RBI single by Chris Coghlan to make 2-1, and Emilio Bonifacio tripled before Hanley Ramirez singled to tie it at 2-2. Olsen retired the Marlins in order in the 4th, 5th and 6th and then gave up a two-out single in the seventh before popping Carroll up to center to strand the only baserunner he allowed after the third. Nolasco (W, 5-6) was nasty as well, striking out 8 in 8.0 IP in which he surrenders just 4 hits and 2 ER. Ron Villone takes the loss, (L, 3-5), and Julian Tavarez gets a talking-to and a finger in his chest from DC Manager Manny Acta after Tavarez walks 3 and gives up a 1 hit and 1 ER in just 0.1 IP. Marlins' relievers Dan Meyer and Leo Nunez get it right, holding and saving Nolasco's hard-earned W. 

Ryan Zimmerma--THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!!

Ryan Zimmerman had hit just 2 HR's in his last 33 games, with one on May 22nd at home against the Orioles and his last HR before tonight on June 13th in Tampa Bay, Florida. Ricky Nolasco started Ryan Zimmerman with a fastball in the second, and Zimmerma--THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! launched it to left and into the second deck above the outdated out-of-town scoreboard for what was, at the time, a 1-0 Nationals' lead. Zimmerman finishes tonight's game 1 for 4 with a .298 AVG, 13 HR's and 44 RBI's in '09. 

Can We Go Back To The AL And Away From The Marlins...And Bonifacio...

Emilio Bonifacio was 8 for 23 for a .348 AVG before tonight's game, with a .400 OBP, .565 SLG, .965 OPS, 7 runs scored, 1 triple, 1 HR, 4 RBI's and 4 steals in 6 games against the same Washington Nationals who traded him (along with 2 prospects) to Florida in exchange for tonight's starting pitcher, Scott Olsen, and right fielder, Josh Willingham. Bonifacio went 3 for 4 tonight, with a triple, a run scored, and the game-winning sac-fly RBI in the eighth. The Marlins are now 7-0 against the Washington Nationals in 2009.

GAME REPORT...

Washington Nationals At Florida Marlins. Game 74 or 75 of 162. 

Willie Harris swings over a slider inside that drops out of thin air for Ricky Nolasco’s first K of the game. Cristian Guzman pops out to Hanley Ramirez for out No. 2. Nick Johnson skies one to Cody Ross in center and the Nationals go down in order...Groundball to Nick Johnson from Marlins’ leadoff hitter Chris Coghlan. Emilio Bonifacio grounds out to his replacement at second, Anderson Hernandez. Scott Olsen challenges Hanley Ramirez with a fastball inside and has a laser hit by his feet for a two-out single. Willie Harris gets under Jorge Cantu’s pop fly to center and makes the catch to end the first. 

First pitch fastball to Ryan Zimmerma---THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! HR to left and into the second deck!! 1-0 Nationals. Adam Dunn flies out to Brett Carroll in right. Josh Willingham hammers a ground rule double to center, one bounce and over the wall. Ricky Nolasco shatters Anderson Hernandez’s bat, inducing a weak grounder back to the mound, Hammer takes third. Wil Nieves sends a dribbler past Nolasco, Dan Uggla tries to shuffle it to first with his glove, no dice, Hammer scores, Nieves safe, 2-0 DC. Olsen K’s looking and heads back to the mound...Scott Olsen’s 2-2 change is unhittable, Dan Uggla K’s trying. Cody Ross flies to right center, where Josh Willingham makes the grab. Ronny Paulino pushes Willingham back to the track, the Hammer has it, 2-0 DC after two. 

Willie Harris hasn’t figured out Nolasco’s bender yet, swinging K no. 2 for the first out of the third. Cristian Guzman watches a two-strike bender drop onto the outside corner for a called strike three. Nick Johnson lines out to Carroll in right to end the Nationals’ third...Brett Carroll blasts a double to the gap in left center, and takes third on Ricky Nolasco’s sac bunt. Chris Coghlan singles in a run with a line drive to right, 2-1 DC. Wil Nieves nails Coghlan trying to steal second with a perfect throw. Emilio Bonifacio triples off the left field wall and scores on a single up the middle from Hanley Ramirez, 2-2 ballgame. Jorge Cantu flies out to Dunn to end the third.

Ryan Zimmerman pops the first pitch of the fourth up over home, Ronny Paulino makes the catch. Adam Dunn stares a two-strike curve onto the outside edge. Josh Willingham gets a single through Bonifacio’s glove at third and into left. Anderson Hernandez drills one to the mound, Nolasco stabs it and throws to first...Dan Uggla K’s looking at a curve that he thinks is inside. Cody Ross lines to right, Willingham makes a shoestring grab to rob Ross. Ronny Paulino grounds to short, Guzman backhands, jumps up and makes the throw, 2-2 after four. 

Wil Nieves grounds the first pitch to Bonifacio at third. Scott Olsen pops out to Brett Carroll in fair territory down the line in right. Willie Harris grounds out to Jorge Cantu at first to end DC’s fifth...Brett Carroll swings a foot over a 1-2 change from Scott Olsen. RIcky Nolasco K’s swinging, and Chris Coghlan flies out to Willie Harris in center to end the fifth. 

Cristian Guzman grounds out to Jorge Cantu at first to start the sixth. Nick Johnson flies out to Chris Coghlan in the left field corner. Ryan Zimmerman grounds out to short, Hanley handles it...Emilio Bonifacio pops out behind second. Hanley Ramirez is looking fastball when he gets a 2-2 change and K’s. Jorge Cantu K’s swinging through a fastballl upstairs!!! 

Adam Dunn works the count full against Nolasco, and K’s swinging over a slider down the pipe. Josh Willingham lines out to right. Two-strike change in the dirt and Anderson Hernandez K’s swinging...Dan Uggla grounds to Zimmerman at third. Cody Ross K’s swinging. Ronny Paulino hits a two-out single to second. Brett Carroll lifts a 2-0 pitch to center, Willie Harris makes the grab. 

Wil Nieves rips one all the way to the track in left center, but Cody Ross gets there. Elijah Dukes rips a line drive to Ross. Willie Harris hasn’t been able to figure out Nolasco’s slider all night, and he K’s again...Reliever Ron Villone faces pinch hitter Wes Helms, who doubles to right just inside the first base line. Chris Coghlan gets the sac bunt down to move pinch runner Alejandro De Aza to third. Emilio Bonifacio flies out to center, De Aza tags and scores. 3-2 Marlins. Julian Tavarez comes on to face Hanley Ramirez, and he gives up a double on the first pitch. Tavarez walks Jorge Cantu to get to Dan Uggla. Tavarez walks Dan Uggla. Julian Tavarez walks Cody Ross to force in a run. 4-2 Florida. Paulino hits a hotshot to third, Zimmerman takes the force at second to end the threat. 

Dan Meyer vs Cristian Guzman. Guzman grounds out to Cantu at first. Nick Johnson singles over short in his trademark style. NJ™. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to right center. Adam Dunn rips a line drive through the dramatic shift, Johnson takes third. Dan Meyer’s done. Leo Nunez up next. Nunez vs Willingham. Hammer flies to center and Cody Ross makes the catch. Ballgame. Marlins win, 4-2 final. 

Nationals now 22-52.