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2 months ago: The Washington Nationals celebrate on the field following their win against the Milwaukee Brewers in a baseball game in Washington, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009. Washington won 8-3. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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Quick Game Recap: Nationals 8 Brewers 3

DC right-hander Craig Stammen came through with a solid performance on the mound this afternoon, throwing 93 pitches over 6.1 IP and allowing just 5 hits and 3 earned runs to a Milwaukee Brewers team that pounded Nationals pitchers in the first two games of this four-game long-weekend-series in Nationals Park. Today it was the Nationals who got out to an early lead putting up 5 runs in the first two innings on RBI singles by Ryan Zimmerman and Ronnie Belliard in the first, and a suicide squeeze (Nyjer Morgan bunting with Mike Morse charging from third), and a solo shot by Cristian Guzman in the second. The Brewers got on the board in the top of third with a double by their pitcher, Manny Para, a productive groundout by shortstop Alcides Escobar and an RBI single by our old friend Felipe Lopez, but the Nationals responded in the bottom of the frame when Adam Dunn launched his 33rd HR to right to give DC back its 5-run lead. The Nationals add two in the fourth, with Ryan Zimmerman's 26th HR of '09, a two-run blast, making it 8-1 Washington, so the two runs the Brewers tack on later are inconsequential. Craig Stammen earns his fourth win, (4-6, 5.08), and Sean Burnett (0.2 IP) and Tyler Clippard (2.0 IP) help snap the Nationals' five-game losing streak. 

Nationals win, 8-3 final. 

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Nationals now 44-80. 

GAME REPORT:

Milwaukee Brewers At Washington Nationals. Game 124 Of 162. 

While I’m finishing off my veggie burger, after a Stan Kasten and Mike Rizzzo interview, DC right-hander Craig Stammen puts the Brewers down in order in the top of the first...Nyjer Morgan leads off the Nationals' first with a single off Alcides Escobar at short. Cristian Guzman grounds back to the mound, Manny Parra turns to throw to first, but Escobar drops the ball on a hard slide by Morgan. Error on Escobar is the call. Ryan Zimmerman gets down 0-2 and ends up ripping a line drive to left center that scores Morgan from second, and Zimmerman takes second on the throw in. 1-0 DC. Adam Dunn lifts a soft liner up over second, but Felipe Lopez gets there. Josh Willingham lines out to short on the first pitch from Parra. The Brewers’ left-hander gives up a sliced single to Ronnie Belliard that lands in the right field grass and scores two. 3-0 Nationals. Josh Bard flies out to left to end the first. 

Big Prince Fielder grounds back to the mound to start the second, Stammen handles it. Mike Cameron goes down swinging through a high fastball. Frank Catalanotto flies out to Nyjer Morgan on the curly-W in the center field grass...Mike Morse, who’s starting in right, leads off the Nationals’ second. Morse rips a double by Craig Counsell at third. Craig Stammen squares to bunt and gets a perfect sac down to move Morse to third. Nyjer Morgan, drops a bunt!!!! Morse is running, suicide!!! Morse safe, Morgan out at first!! 4-0 Nationals. THE GUZZZZZZZ goes DEEEEP!! Cristian Guzman takes Parra deeeeep to left and GONE!! HR!! 5-0 Nationals. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to end the Nationals’ second. 

Brewers’ backstop Mike Rivera leads off the bottom of the frame with a groundout to short. Mike Morse misplays a line drive off Manny Parra into a double. Belliard charges on a weak grounder from Alcides Escobar and makes the play as Parra takes third. Felipe Lopez lines to right for an RBI single. 5-1 Nationals. Craig Counsell grounds out to second to end the top of the third...Adam Dunn leads off the second with a monster shot to left to make it 6-1 Nationals. Second deck over the bullpen. 7 to go to 40. Josh Willingham grounds out to first. Ronnie Belliard walks with one down. Mike Morse grounds to third and Counsell can’t come up with it. Belliard takes second. Craig Stammen pops out foul of first to end the frame.

Ryan Braun rips a foul ball down the left field line, then straightens it out a bit for a single to center. Prince Fielder flies out to left, WIllingham has it. Braun takes second with Cameron at bat. Mike Cameron walks. Frank Catalanotto pops out to third. Mike Rivera rips a grounder to short, Zimmerman cuts it off and takes the force at second...Nyjer Morgan grounds out to first. Cristian Guzman rips a one-out single over short. Ryan Zimmerman works the count full, and rips a line drive to right center and GONE!! Over the out-of-town scoreboard for a two-run blast and an 8-1 Nationals’ lead. Parra’s done, Carlos Villanueva on to face Dunn. Dunn bounces a line drive off the right field wall. Ryan Braun makes a sprinting catch to rob WIllingham of extra bases. Ronnie Belliard rolls a hard grounder at Counsell, who throws to second for the inning-ending force. 

Pinch hitter Jody Gerut pops up to Bard. Alcides Escobar hits a liner to left that clears the fence for his 1st HR. 8-2 Nationals. Felipe Lopez flies out to left center. Craig Counsell grounds back to the mound off Stammen’s glove to Belliard, who makes the play...Josh Bard lines a single to left to start the fifth. Mike Morse flies out to short center. Craig Stammen K’s swinging. Mike Cameron sprints out to the left center track to take a hit away from Nyjer Morgan and end the Nationals’ fifth. 

Ryan Braun leads off the sixth for Milwaukee. Guzman backhands a grounder from Braun and throws him out at first. Prince Fielder flies to Mike Morse in right. Stammen knocks down a line drive from Mike Cameron and throws to first to end the Brewers’ sixth...Cristian Guzman lines out to Cameron in left center. Ryan Zimmerman pops out to the catcher. Adam Dunn takes a two-out walk. Josh Willingham gets hit to put two on for Belliard. Belliard flies out to center to end the sixth.

Hernan Iribarren gets one over Nyjer Morgan’s head in center for a leadoff double. Mike Rivera pops out to Adam Dunn behind first. Sean Burnett takes over for Stammen, and gives up an RBI single to Jody Gerut. Alcides Escobar flies out to right. Felipe Lopez hits Burnett with a liner, Burnett makes the play...Mike DiFelice takes over for Milwaukee. Josh Bard pops out to short. Mike Morse K’s swinging. Willie Harris flies out to Cameron in center to end the seventh. 

Tyler Clippard takes over in the eighth against Craig Counsell flies out to center. Jason Bourgeois takes a one-out walk. Prince Fielder pops out to third. Mike Cameron goes down swinging...Nyjer Morgan grounds by the mound and out to short where Alcides Escobar makes the play. Cristian Guzman flies out to center. Ryan Zimmerman up with two down and he gets a free pass. Adam Dunn hits a broken bat grounder into the shift to end the eighth. 

Clippard’s back out for the ninth. Casey McGehee leads off the ninth. McGehee pops out to second. Mike Rivera K’s chashing. Jody Gerut flies out to right to end it. Nationals win. Nationals win. 

Nationals now 44-80.