More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

4 months ago: Washington Nationals reliever Ron Villone (41) is pulled by manager Manny Acta (14) against the Atlanta Braves during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 3, 2009, in Washington. Nationals catcher Josh Bard, back left, and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman (11) look on. The Braves won 9-8.(AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Quick Take:

DC lefty Ross Detwiler allowed 10 hits and 5 ER in 3.1 IP against Atlanta tonight, walking 2 and striking out just 1, while throwing 86 pitches to 22 batters, who combine for 4 doubles and 6 singles to chase the 23-year-old starter in the fourth. In spite of Detwiler's inability to keep anything down, when the Washington Nationals handed the ball to right-handed reliever Jesus Colome in the seventh inning, he took the mound with the game tied at 5-5. Two outs and two walks later, Colome surrendered a three-run HR on an 0-1 fastball to Brooks Conrad, yes Brooks Conrad, who collects the first HR of his MLB career. Colome had nothing, but it was actually the run Ron Villone and Julian Tavarez combined to force in in the eighth that is eventually the difference as Washington rallies for two in the ninth but falls one short in the end dropping a 9-8 decision to Atlanta in DC's Nationals Park. 

Braves win, 9-8 final.

Miss The Game, The DC Faithfull Were Watching...

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

BACKPAGE:

• The Ron Villone And Julian Tavarez Show.

• SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!!! Did You See How Far Adam Dunn Hit That HR????

DWDT: 19.

Nationals now 22-55.

• The Ron Villone And Julian Tavarez Show...

Ron Villone threw a 2-2 slider to Martin Prado in the eighth that was lined to right for a leadoff double. Villone then walked Chipper Jones on five pitches and gave up a sac bunt to Brian McCann to put two runners in scoring position for Yunel Escobar, who got four balls and a free pass that ended Villone's night after 0.1 IP, 1 hit and 2 walks with the three runners on base his if they scored. If? Julian Tavarez replaces Villone and promptly walks the first Brave he faces, missing with a full-count fastball low and inside to force in a run on the 3rd walk of the inning. 

• SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!!! Did You See How Far Adam Dunn Hit That HR????

Yes, Adam Dunn did hit another tape measure blast to right on a 1-0 fastball from Atlanta Braves' right-hander Kenshin Kawakami in the third to give Washington a 4-3 lead over Atlanta, but a half-inning later the Braves were back up 5-4 when Ross Detwiler gave up three-straight one-out singles and Tyler Clippard gave up an RBI double to Yunel Escobar after starting the Braves' shortstop with three straight balls. Josh Bard's RBI ground out tied it at 5-5 after five, and then Ron Villone...well you know the rest...

GAME REPORT:

Atlanta Braves At Washington Nationals. 77 or 78 of 162. 

Ross Detwiler vs Nate McLouth as the game gets underway in Nationals Park. Willie Harris fields McLouth’s grounder on the grass in right and throws across his body to Nick Johnson at first. Martin Prado grounds weakly to second. Nyjer Morgan motors over to make the grab in right center robbing Chipper Jones of extra bases and ending the top of the first...The newest National, Nyjer Morgan works the count full against Kenshin Kawakami and takes a leadoff walk in front on Nick "Two-Spot" Johnson. Nyjer Morgan steals second, sliding in headfirst ahead of the throw. Nick Johnson gets called out looking at strike three low and outside. Ryan Zimmerman pops the first pitch he sees up into foul territory off third. Adam Dunn takes a low 3-2 pitch for ball four. Josh Willingham brings Morgan around with a line drive to left. 1-0 Nationals. Cristian Guzman K’s looking to end the first.

Brian McCann hits a fly ball to right and runs slowly to second coming in ahead of Willingham’s throw wide of the bag. Yunel Escobar’s bunt moves McCann to third. Matt Diaz rips a line drive to center to score McCann and tie it at 1-1. Nyjer Morgan backs up all the way to the angle in the outfield wall in center to catch the second out off Francoeur’s bat. Casey Kotchman goes back up the middle with a two-out single to center. Ross Detwiler walks the opposing pitcher to load the bases. Detwiler drops a two-strike bender on Nate McClouth to end a long Braves’ second...Josh Bard hits a long fly ball to McLouth in deep center.Willie Harris sneaks a 1-0 liner in under McLouth’s glove in center, and speeds around to second. Ross Dewtiler’s grounder to second hits off a diving Martin Prado’s glove, Harris scores from second, 2-1 DC. Nyjer Morgan lines out to Kotchman at first. Nick Johnson hits a trademark single to center to score Detwiler from second. NJ™ 3-1 DC. Ryan Zimmerman pops up again to end the second. 

Martin Prado doubles over first to start the third. Chipper Jones doubles off the out-of-town scoreboard to score Prado from second, 3-2 Nationals. Ross Detwiler fields a grounder back to the mound, looks Chipper back to second and throws McCann out at first. Yunel Escobar doubles to left and Adam Dunn doesn’t even bother with a throw. Chipper scores to tie it at 3-3. Ross Detwiler leaves another fastball up for Matt Diaz, who singles to center. Jeff Francoeur grounds weakly to first. Casey Kotchman gets the intentionals. Kenjin Kawakami flies out to Morgan to end the Braves’ third...Adam Du--SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!!! A HR to the upper deck in right, 4-3 DC. Josh Willingham swings over a two-strike bender. Cristian Guzman sends a flare into right. Josh Bard grounds weakly to third. Willie Harris gets the intentionals. Detwiler K’s to end the third. 

Ross Detwiler’s back in the fourth. Nate McLouth rolls a weak grounder to first for Nick Johnson to handle. Martin Prado singles and takes second on a pitch from Detwiler that bounces a foot in front of the plate. Prado scores from second on a Chipper Jones’ liner to left, the throw in is late, 4-4 ballgame. Brian McCann singles through second to chase Detwiler. Yunel Escobar will face Tyler Clippard. Escobar takes a 3-1 pitch to left and off the wall. 5-4 Braves. Diaz and Francoeur go down swinging to end the fourth...Kawakami gets Nyjer Morgan swinging at an 0-2 bender inside. Nick Johnson flies to center, Nate McLouth makes a sliding catch to take away a trademarker. Ryan Zimmerman grounds back to the mound to end the Nationals’ fourth...

Casey Kotchman pops up behind short for the first out of the fifth. Guzman fields and throws from deep in the hole to get Kawakami at first. Ryan Zimmerman catches a pop fly off of  McLouth’s bat...Adam Dunn fouls strike three into McCann’s glove. Josh Willingham can’t get out of the way of a fastball inside. Cristian Guzman grounds back to the mound, Kawakami tries for the DP at second and throws it away. Second and third for Bard. Kawakami replaced Boone Logan. Josh Bard grounds to short to score Willingham from third, 5-5 ballgame. Willie Harris flies weakly to right. 

Tyler Clippard vs Martin Prado to start the sixth. Prado pops out to Zimmerman in foul territory down the line in left. Chipper Jones lines to Nyjer Morgan in center. Morgan backs up to catch Brian McCann’s fly ball to center...Alberto Gonzalez hits a soft liner to first. Nyjer Morgan grounds weakly to second. Nick Johnson flies out to left to end the Nationals’ sixth. 

Jesus Colome starts the seventh against Yunel Escobar. Leadoff walk. Matt Diaz gets a sac bunt down to advance Escobar to second. Jeff Francoeur rips a grounder to third, unfortunately Zimmerman plays there. Casey Kotchman works a two-out walk. Brooks Conrad gets a fastball in his wheelhouse and the kid hits it out of the park, three-run HR, 8-5 Braves’ lead...Ryan Zimmerman vs Peter Moylan. Zimmerman reaches on an infield single. Moylan walks Dunn. Josh Willingham rips a grounder to third, Chipper makes a diving play and gets the force at second. Cristian Guzman hits a line drive to left, Matt Diaz makes the catch and fires first almost doubling up Willingham as Zimmerman scores. 8-6 Braves. Bard grounds out to second to end the comeback attempt. 

Ron Villone vs Martin Prado in the eighth. Prado doubles down the line in right to start the frame. Ron Villone walks Chipper Jones, and McCann bunts both runners over. VIllone gives Yunel Escobar the intentionals to load’em up for Matt Diaz. Julian Tavarez vs Diaz. 3-2 pitch, low, ball four. 9-6 Braves on the forced-in run. Garret Anderson flies out to right, Willingham fields and throws it back in to hold Chipper Jones at third. Casey Kotchman grounds out to second to end the Braves’ eighth...Mike Gonzalez vs Anderson Hernandez. Hernandez takes a high curve for a called strike three. Austin Kearns K’s on a called strike in under his arms. Nyjer Morgan K’s swinging to end the eighth. 

Joe Beimel gets Gregor Blanco looking for the first out of the ninth. Martin Prado lines to left center, Nyjer Morgan speeds over to make the grab. Beimel throws a pick-off attempt by first. Chipper Jones gets the intentionals to bring up McCann. Beimel gets a swinging K to end the frame...Nick Johnson uses his Discerning Eye to draw a leadoff walk. Ryan Zimmerman walks in front of Dunn. Adam Dunn pops a 1-2 pitch up over third. Josh Willingham swings through a 2-2 heater up high. Cristian Guzman rips a high heater to right for a two-run double, Johnson and Zimmerman score, 9-8 Braves. Josh Bard grounds the first pitch he sees to first, Kotchman tosses to Soriano to end it.  Braves win, 9-8 final. 

Nationals now 22-55.