Washington Nationals Win At Home, 4-2 Over Cincinnati Reds.

Tonight's Top 5: 

5. Expos Reunion: Leading off the game for the Reds is the former Expos' shortstop Orlando Cabrera, who played eight seasons in Montreal. On the mound is the former Expos' ace Livan Hernandez who spent two seasons in the Stade Olympique wearing the eMb before making the move to DC. After Livan gets a groundout to short from Cabrera, Brandon Phillips, the Expos' 2nd Round pick in 1999, steps up to the plate and singles up the middle for the Reds' first hit of the night. That was a nice bit o' nostalgia....

4. RISP FAIL!!!: Josh Willingham's up in the first after Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn single in succession with two down. Willingham connects, but flies out to center, two stranded. Zim and Dunn hit back-to-back singles to start the third, and the Hammer works the count full before he K's chasing. Luckily, Roger Bernadina's up next, and Bernadina singles to center, just over Orlando Cabrera, Zimmerman scores to make it 2-1 Nats after three.

3. BERNADINA DIVES!! 2-2 tie after five, when Orlando Cabrera hits a leadoff single, moves to second on a balk and scores on an RBI hit by Brandon Phillips in the Reds' fifth. In the sixth, Livan Hernandez gives up a two-out walk and a single to the seven and eight hitters in the Reds' lineup, and faces Micah Owings with two down. The Reds' right-hander flies to right, down the line it's gonna dro--ROGER BERNADINA dives and makes the play for the second-straight day!! Bernadina gets dirty diving at the line and he makes the inning-ending catch to preserve the tie. 

2. Eagle Eye Joe West. 2-2 game in the seventh. Josh Willingham singles off Reds' right-hander Enerio Del Rosario to start the inning. Roger Bernadina flies to center, Drew Stubbs and Jonny Gomes collide trying to catch it and it drops between the outfielders. First and second, no outs. Ian Desmond lines to left, and it drops in, Hammer scores!! 3-2 Nats. Wil Nieves gets a sac bunt down, Bernadina to third, Desmond to second. Willie Harris flies to short center, Bernadina scores, the throw gets by home and the Reds' pitcher Rosario fields and fires to third, too late to get Desmond, but the Nats' SS's foot comes off the bag and he's tagged by Scott Rolen. From the other side of the field, First Base Ump "Country" Joe West reverses the call after a huddle by the Umps. (ed. note - "It was the right call.") Desmond's tossed for tossing his helmet, Nats' third base coach Pat Listach is furious, and the Nats are up 4-2. 

1. Livan = Good Enough: There was an announced crowd of 33,774. Many of whom probably purchased tickets for tonight's game hoping to see Stephen Strasburg make his MLB debut. Instead it's the 35-year-old veteran, Livan Hernandez on the hill for the Nats. Hernandez goes 6.0 long innings, throws 111 pitches, 66 for strikes, gives up 8 hits, 4 walks, 2 ER, and collects 10 groundouts, 2 flyouts and 3 K's from the 27 batters he faces. After Hernandez, it's Tyler Clippard (who gets the W, again) with a scoreless frame in which he strikes out 2 Reds. Drew Storen throws a scoreless eighth, and Matt Capps comes on to close it, and gives up a leadoff and one out single before striking out Joey Votto and popping up Scott Rolen to earn his 18th save of the season. 

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

• Final Score: Nationals 4, Reds 2. 

Nationals now 27-29.

FULL GAME REPORT: 

1 - Orlando Cabrera grounds the second pitch he sees from Livan Hernandez out to Ian Desmond at short, one down. Brandon Phillips shoots a single by the mound and off the second base bag. Phillips is running with Joey Votto at bat, and Wil Nieves' throw gets by second, handing Phillips third. Joey Votto chases a full-count sinker for strike three swinging and the second out of the frame. Scott Rolen walks with two down. Jay Bruce grounds out to short...Cristian Guzman sends the first out to left for Jonny Gomes to handle. Nyjer Morgan's grounder beats Brandon Phillips to the hole at second, one-out single in front of Zim. Ryan Zimmerman grounds to third, Rolen gets the force at second, but Morgan's hard slide keeps Phillips from throwing to first. Adam Dunn rips a low liner into right, Zimmerman moves to third. Hammer up with two on, two out. Fly ball to center, Drew Stubbs collects it, Reds' righty Aaron Harang has one scoreless. 

2 - Jonny Gomes sends Roger Bernadina back to the track in right to catch the first out. Drew Stubbs singles over Guzman's outstretched glove at second, one-out single. Stubbs steals second ahead of Nieves' throw. Ramon Hernandez singles to left, Stubbs scores from second, 1-0 Reds. Aaron Harang's sac bunt moves Hernandez to second. Orlando Cabrera grounds weakly to third, Zimmerman charges, barehands and throws to first, in time...Roger Bernadina grounds out to first, one down. Ian Desmond takes an 0-2 fastball up high back up the middle for a one-out single. Desmond takes second on a wild pitch with Wil Nieves up. Nieves K's chasing. Harang walks the opposing pitcher with two down, putting two on for Guzman. Cristian Guzman slices a single over short, Desmond scores, 1-1 ballgame. Nyjer Morgan K's chasing to end the second.

3 - Brandon Phillips grounds out to Desmond at short to start the third. Livan gets Joey Votto to ground to second, two down. Scott Rolen singles to center to keep the Reds' third alive. Jay Bruce K's looking, Livan's through the third, tie in tact...Ryan Zimmerman leads off the third with a line drive single to center. Adam Dunn rips a grounder up the middle and off Orlando Cabrera, two on, no outs. Josh Willingham works the count full, and K's swinging, one down. Roger Bernadina slices a single over second, Cabrera can't get there, Zim scores, 2-1 Nats. Ian Desmond's swinging bunt advances both runners. Wil Nieves K's swinging and it's 2-1 Nats after three. 

4 - Jonny Gomes flies to left, and Hammer dives and misses, leadoff double for Gomes. Drew Stubbs works the count full and takes ball four low and away for a walk. Ramon Hernandez grounds to second, Guzman shuffles to Desmond, who makes a leaping throw to first, Dunn picks it. Two down on the DP. Livan gets Harang swinging, 2-1 Nats in the fourth...Livan Hernandez singles to center to start the Nats' fourth. Cristian Guzman grounds into a force at second, one down. Nyjer Morgan's groundout advances Guzman to second. Ryan Zimmerman flies to left center for the final out of the frame. 

5 - Orlando Cabrera singles through second to start the fifth, and takes second on a balk by Livan Hernandez on an attempted pickoff throw to first. Brandon Phillips follows with a line drive to right, Cabrera scores from second, 2-2 ballgame. Joey Votto grounds to second, Guzman to Desmond to Dunn, double play. Scott Rolen pops out to short right, and it's 2-2 in the fifth...Micah Owings takes over on the hill for Harang. Adam Dunn K's swinging. Willingham grounds out to short. Roger Bernadina works a patient two-out walk. Ian Desmond grounds to second to end the fifth, tied at 2-2. 

6 - Livan vs Jay Bruce. Leadoff walk. Livan pops up Jonny Gomes. One down. Jay Bruce tries to steal second with Drew Stubbs up, but Wil Nieves nails him!! Two down. Two-out walk to Stubbs. Ramon Hernandez singles with two down, lining to center off Livan. First and second for Micah Owings. Owings lines to right, down the line, Roger Bernadina gets there and makes a diving catch to preserve the tie!!...Wil Nieves up to start the Nats' sixth. Groundout to third, one down. Adam Kennedy hits for Livan, who's done, and Kennedy singles to right with one down. Cristian Guzman pops out to short left, two down. Nyjer Morgan takes a 3-0 pitch waaay outside from Owings, ball four, two on two out and Zim's up. Zim walks, Daniel Ray Herrera's on for Cincy. Adam Dunn swings at the first pitch and grounds out to first. 2-2 after six. 

7 - Tyler Clippard will pitch the seventh. Orlando Cabrera swings through an 0-2 fastball upstairs. Brandon Phillips grounds out to short, two down. Joey Votto rips a line drive single into center with two down. Scott Rolen chases 0-2 heat upstairs and K's!!!...Enerio del Rosario takes over for the Reds in the seventh. Josh Willingham singles to left in front of Bernie. Bernadina flies out to cente---Jonny Gomes and Drew Stubbs collide and it drops in!! First and second, no outs. Ian Desmond lines to left, and it falls in, Hammer scores from second, 3-2 Nats. Wil Nieves bunts both runners over. Willie Harris hits a sac fly to center, Bernadina beats the throw, 4-2 Nats. Desmond takes third, but gets tagged when he comes off the bag, 8-1-5 DP to end the seventh.

8 -  Drew Storen vs Jay Bruce. Single to center to start the eighth. Jonny Gomes flies out to center, one down. Drew Stubbs vs Drew Storen. Grounder to second, Alberto Gonzalez tosses to Guzman for the force. Ramon Hernandez up against Storen. Full count, Storen brings the heat, 95mph fastball, strike three swinging!!...The Guzzzz leads off the Nats' eighth against with a line drive single to right. Nyjer Morgan bunts/grounds into a force at second, one down. Morgan on first with Zim up. Ryan Zimmerman pops out to short right. Arthur Rhodes vs Adam Dunn. Dunn K's swinging.

9 - Matt Capps vs Lance Nix. Leadoff single to left. Orlando Cabrera flies out to left, one down. Brandon Phillips shoots a flare to right, two on. Joey Votto K's looking, two down. Scott Rolen pops up behind home, Nats win!!