Washington Nationals leadoff hitter Nook Logan takes a walk from Florida starter Scott Olsen to start the top of the first inning of this three games series with the Marlins in Miami. Logan steals second, moves to third on a ground out from Felipe Lopez, and tags and scores on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Zimmerman to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead after a half.
After Hanley Ramirez singles to start the bottom of the first, Nationals right hander Shawn Hill gets help from Austin Kearns, who sprints in to rob Dan Uggla of a shallow single to right, and then doubles up Ramirez who is somewhere around third when Kearns makes the catch. Hill gets a line drive to right from Jeremy Hermida and Kearns handles that as well.
Wily Mo Pena goes with an outside pitch and punches it through the right side of the infield. Ronnie Belliard pulls a low inside fastball down the line in left for a double. Jesus Flores strikes out swinging. Shawn Hill attempts the squeeze, but fouls the bunt attempt to the backstop, fakes a bunt and fouls off the second pitch and eventually stares at strike three. Nook Logan takes his second walk of the evening to load the bases, but Scott Olsen gets a ground out from Felipe Lopez to end the top of the second.
Hill retires the Marlins in order to end the second. Sweat is pouring off the bent brim of Scott Olsen's Marlins cap in the third, but it's not over the stress of having walked DY with one out in the inning, as Olsen calmly strikes out Austin Kearns on a check-swing, but maybe Olsen should have been more concerned with Wily Mo MO MO MO MO!!! Wily Mo Pena tucks a hanging change into the left field corner for a two-run blast and a 3-0 Nationals lead.
DY is up with two on and two out in the fourth. Olsen's thrown close to 90 pitches through four, so his inning-ending K of DY might be his last. Shawn Hill strikes out Hanley Ramirez for the first out in the fourth, so Dan Uggla's solo shot to left and over the scoreboard does a little less damage. 3-1 Nationals. Hill gives up back to back singles, but gets Josh Willingham swinging over a sinker, and Mike Jacobs swinging at and popping up the first pitch. 3-1 Nationals after four.
Wily Mo MO MO MO MO!!! Wily Mo Pena picks up a low fastball and bounces it off the second deck in left, twenty rows over the scoreboard for his third hit and second home run of the game. 4-1 Nationals lead.
Hill gives up a leadoff single to Cody Ross in the fifth, and after a groundout advances Ross to second, another grounder from pinch hitter Todd Linden is thrown away by Nationals shortstop Felipe Lopez, allowing Ross to score on the play. Hill gets a double play ball from Hanley Ramirez, Zimmerman to Bellliard to DY, double play. 4-2 Nationals after five.
Nook Logan drops a decent bunt to start the sixth, but reaches first safely because of his above average speed. Marlins righty Harvey Garcia walks Felipe Lopez on a full-count fastball inside. Garcia gets Zimmerman swinging, and gets a pop fly from DY for the second out, though the runners advance to second and third. Austin Kearns...singles to center...Logan scores, Marlins center fielder Cody Ross comes up shootin'...Felipe Lopez, is OUT at home!! 5-2 Nationals...
The skies open up...Wonder why these guys don't have a dome ? I mean..Down here ? ...