More photos » by Manuel Balce Ceneta - AP

2 months ago: Florida Marlins' Cameron Maybin, right, scores on a hit by teammate Nick Johnson during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Friday, Sept. 4, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

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Three hours and forty-five minutes after it started, the Washington Nationals had dropped their seventh-straight overall and the 10th out of 13 games played between DC and their NL East "rivals", the Florida Marlins so far in 2009. About two hours and forty-five minutes before the game ended, DC starter Garrett Mock was pulled from the mound after having allowed 7 hits, 2 HR and 6 ER in just 3.0 innings pitched in which he threw a total of 81 pitches, just 50 of them for strikes. After having scored a total of 4 runs in their last 4 games, the Nationals manage to force 6 runs across against Florida starter Sean West and the Marlins' bullpen. 3 through 6 in the order, Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham and Elijah Dukes are a combined 9 for 16, with 4 walks and 5 runs scored between them, but Josh Bard, batting seventh strands 10...seriously...Bard strands 10 runners and the Nationals fail to cash in on several opportunities to tie it. The Marlins continue their inexplicable domination of the Nationals...16,364 fans watch it live...at least that's more than the Fish get in Florida...

Marlins win, 9-6 final. 

Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...

Check Out The SB Nation's Florida Marlins Blog: FishStripes' Open Thread And Ichthyomancy.

"Game 135: Hope and FAIL" - Doghouse.

BACKPAGE:

• Part With Dukes? Why? Why? Why?

• Jesus Flores Returns. Sorta?

• MiLB.com's Jonathan Mayo Tweets About Storen.

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

Nationals now 46-89. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...11)

BACKPAGE:

• Part With Dukes? Why? Why? Why?

Just yesterday in the latest edition of MLB.com's Bill Ladson's "Inbox: Who will the Nats keep around", Mr. Ladson responded to a question about the makeup of the 2010 outfield and Roger Bernadina's place in it, by speculating that, "...if the Nationals are not happy with Elijah Dukes, I could see Bernadina getting at chance in right field. I would like to see Bernadina get a chance to play every day because he can catch the ball." In the comments section of a post today at the Nationals Journal by Washington Post writer Chico Harlan entitled, "What To Watch For In September", Mr. Harlan responds to someone who adds watching what happens with Elijah Dukes the rest of the way to Mr. Harlan's list of reasons to tune in, by writing (and I assume it's him, and not a fake "chicoharlan" commenting on his own board):

"Good call on Dukes. I agree that he's playing himself off the roster. September is critical for him." 

This is a topic that's been discussed here at Federal Baseball, in the comments sections, gamethreads, and in a recent FANPOST by "Potomac Fan" entitled, "Is Elijah Dukes the long-term answer in RF?", and the prevailing sentiment, if I was to sum it up, would seem to be that all of DC is waiting for Dukes to claim right field, but he has yet to do so...The question I'd ask...Who else in the Nationals' system is going to provide more in right? I've openly stated that I expected more from Dukes, so I'm really wondering if anyone sees Bernandina as a better option? Justin Maxwell in right? What's the thinking out there?

Dukes was 2 for 3 tonight with a run scored and 2 walks, and after 85 games played and 287 AB's, the Nationals' 25-year-old outfielder is hitting for a .254 AVG with 18 doubles, 2 triples, 8 HR's and 52 RBI's. Dukes has posted a .328 OBP, a .415 SLG and a .733 OPS for the Nationals. Is Elijah Dukes your 2010 DC RF?

• Jesus Flores Returns. Sorta?

Before tonight's game started, Washington Post writer Chico Harlan noted in an article entitled, "Flores Activated, Strasburg Works Out, And Other Notes", that the Nationals' catcher of the future, Jesus Flores was off the DL and available for some pinch hitting the rest of the way, though chances are the DC Faithful won't see Jesus Flores behind the plate again until 2010. Flores was not used in tonight's game, even though there were several opportunities to do so...Let's hope the Nationals can just let Flores rest up for next season. Why risk anything now? 

• MiLB.com's Jonathan Mayo Tweets About Storen.

In a tweet sent out early this morning, MiLB.com's Jonathan Mayo draws the baseball world's attention to the Washington Nationals' 2nd 1st Round pick, reliever Drew Storen:

"Just a note that @drewstoren still hasn't given up a run in Double-A ball. 12 1/3 IP and counting. Can't wait to see him throw in the AFL."

In 11 games and 14 IP at Class-A Hagerstown, the Nationals' 22-year-old right-handed reliever was (0-1) with a 3.68 ERA, 26 K's and not one walk allowed. In 7games with the Class-A Advanced Potomac Nationals, Storen was (1-0) with a 1.80 ERA in 10.0 IP, over which he recorded his first 2 professional saves. After the P-Nats, Storen jumped to Double-AA Harrisburg, where he's saved 9 games, pitched 12.1 innings, and given up just 3 hits, 0 ER as Mr. Mayo mentions, and allowed 6 walks while striking out 12 and holding opponents to a .077 BAA. Next up, unless he makes a surprise appearance in DC, will be the Arizona Fall League where he'll join his fellow '09 1st Round pick Stephen Straburg on the roster of the Phoenix Desert Dogs.

GAME REPORT:

Florida Marlins At Washington Nationals. Game 135 Of 162. (currently unedited)...

Chris Coghlan drops a bloop single into short right to start the first of three for the Florida Marlins in DC. Washington right-hander Garrett Mock gets a weak grounder to first from Nick Johnson for the first out. Hanley Ramirez sends a sharp grounder through short and Coghlan beats Josh Willingham’s throw home. 1-0 Marlins. Jorge Cantu destroys an 0-2 fastball that clears the left field wall for a two-run HR and a 3-0 Marlins’ lead. John Baker K’s swinging over a curve. Dan Uggla slices a line drive to right on one hop to Elijah Dukes. Cody Ross finally ends the first with a fly ball to right...Justin Maxwell rolls a bunt toward third that somehow rolls fair, and Maxwell’s on to start the Nationals’ first. Cristian Guzman grounds to second, Uggla to Ramirez to Nick Johnson, double play. Ryan Zimmerman grounds to short, Ramirez fields and throws.

Cameron Maybin doubles off the out-of-town scoreboard and takes third when Elijah Dukes and Justin Maxwell fumble with it. Mock gets Sean West swinging with his trademark two-strike bender. Adam Dunn stabs a grounder from Chris Coghlan. Nick Johnson hits a jam shot over short for a Trademark RBI single™. 4-0 Fish when Maybin scores. Hanley Ramirez pops out to short...Adam Dunn starts the DC second with a sliced single to left. Josh Willingham flies out to Coghlan in left. Elijah Dukes grounds weakly toward third, and Sean West’s throw to first pulls Nick Johnson off the bag. Josh Bard K’s swinging over a two-strike change. Sean West throws a change up high and Alberto Gonzalez triples off the left center wall to score Dunn and Dukes and make it 4-2 Fish. Garret Mock K’s to end the second.

Mock walks Jorge Cantu to start the third. John Baker takes a high fastball off the outside edge to deeep left and just over the wall. Two-run HR, 6-2 Fish. Dan Uggla goes down looking after an epic 10-pitch battle. Cody Ross flies out to right. Cameron Maybin flies to deeeep center, but Justin Maxwell gets there to make a catch at the wall...Justin Maxwell K’s swinging to start the DC third. Cristian Guzman grounds to Cantu at third. Ryan Zimmerman triples off the center field wall to give Adam Dunn a two-out RBI opp. Dunn rips a grounder to first and off Nick Johnson’s glove, Zimmerman scores. 6-3 Marlins. Josh Willingham tears into a fastball and launches it over the visitor’s bullpen in left. Two-run HR, 6-5 Marlins. Elijah Dukes uses his Discerning Eye to draw a two-out walk. A wild West pitch moves Dukes to second. Josh Bard K’s to end the third.

Saul Rivera on for Mock, and he gets a groundout from pinch hitter Brett Hayes to start the fourth. Chris Coghlan K’s swinging at a fastball outside. Nick Johnson breaks his bat grounding out to second...Burke Badenhop takes over for the Fish. Alberto Gonzalez grounds out to Hanley Ramirez at short. Saul Rivera grounds out. Justin Maxwell K’s looking to end the frame.

Hanley Ramirez battles Saul Rivera to a full count and ends up doubling by Justin Maxwell in center. Adam Dunn knocks down a grounder from Cantu and tosses to Rivera covering. John Baker singles up the middle under a diving Alberto Gonzalez for an RBI hit. 7-5 Fish. Saul Rivera walks Dan Uggla. Cody Ross sends a weak liner to short. Cameron Maybin grounds to third, Zimmerman fields and throws...Cristian Guzman grounds out to short. Ryan Zimmerman works a one-out walk off of Badenhop. Adam Dunn grounds back to the mound off the pitcher’s glove for an infield single to put two on for the Hammer. Nick Johnson drops a grounder from WIllingham and the bases are loaded for Dukes with one down. Dukes K’s chasing an 0-2 slider outside. Josh Bard grounds sharply to first, some guy named Nick Johnson makes a diving play and a toss to the pitcher covering.

Burke Badenhop lines out to first. Chris Coghlan singles to center with one down. Nick Johnson hits a weak line drive over second. Hanley Ramirez flies out to Dukes in right to score Coghlan. 8-5 Marlins. Nick Johnson goes first to third on a line drive single by Jorge Cantu. John Baker scores Johnson with a single up the middle. 9-5 Marlins. Jason Bergmann on to face Dan Uggla. Bergmann throws a high fastball by Uggla for a swinging K to end the top of the sixth...Alberto Gonzalez grounds out to short. Mike Morse flies out to Maybin in center. Justin Maxwell grounds back to the mound to end the sixth.

Jorge Sosa gets a fly ball to center from Cody Ross. Cameron Maybin grounds out to short. Pinch hitter Andy Gonzalez grounds to Guzman and Jorge Sosa’s got a scoreless frame...Kiko Calero vs Cristian Guzman to start the seventh. Guzman K’s looking at a low strike three. Ryan Zimmerman takes a 2-2 two-seam fastball for a called strike three. Adam Dunn takes a two-out walk. Josh Willingham singles to center in front of a sliding Cameron Maybin to move Dunn to third. Elijah Dukes works the count full and takes a two-out walk to load the bases. Josh Bard K’s trying to check his swing on a pitch in the dirt.

Jorge Sosa vs Chris Coghlan to start the eighth. Nick Johnson grounds by Dunn, but Alberto Gonzalez gets it and throws to Sosa covering. Coghlan to second. Jorge Cantu takes a two-strike slider for a called strike three. John Baker’s gonna face Tyler Clippard. Baker flies to right to end the Marlins’ eighth...Alberto Gonzalez shoots a line drive single to right off Marlins’ right-hander Matt Lindstrom. Willie Harris hits for the pitcher. TAWH singles to right to put two on. "Pinch Hittin’" Pete Orr grounds back to the mound and into a force at second. Cristian Guzman flies out unproductively to center. Ryan Zimmerman grounds up the middle, Uggla gets there, and drops it, Zim safe. Alberto Gonzalez scores from third. 9-6. Lindstrom’s out. Adam Dunn vs Renyel Pinto. Dunn K’s swinging to end the eighth.

Mike MacDougal vs Dan Uggla. Uggla walks to start the ninth. Cody Ross flies out to center. Cameron Maybin goes down swinging. Wes Helms K’s chasing to end the top of the ninth...Leo Nunez comes on to close it. Josh Willingham K’s swinging to start the frame. Elijah Dukes pulls a single to left with one down. Josh Bard pops out foul of third. Alberto Gonzalez pops out foul of first to end it....

Marlins win, 9-6 final.