Washington lefty Matt Chico throws three scoreless against San Francisco before the faceless voice on the end of my phone line is able to resend the signal to my modem three times and finally get me back online. The Nationals have yet to score on the Giants left-handed Curve-Magician Barry Zito. Ronnie Belliard reaches first on an infield single when Omar Vizquel can't handle a hotshot. Belliard moves to second on Brian Schneider's ground out. A bearded Barry Zito gets Matt Chico staring at one of his World Famous Curves. Nook Logan is at third base before Belliard reaches home, alright that's slightly hyperbolic but only slightly, Belliard scores on Logan's triple, 1-0 Nationals after three.
Rajai Davis hits a 1-2 pitch into short center and not even Nook Logan can get there as the Giants have their first hit in the fourth inning. Wily Mo Pena ranges far into the left field corner to track down a line drive from Omar Vizquel. Rajai Davis steals second. Chico walks Randy Winn on four pitches. Davis tries a delayed steal on a wlid pitch and Brian Schneider throws to third and has him by two steps. Line drive out to left from Pedro Feliz and Chico's out of trouble.
Ryan Zimmerman reaches on a grounder to Giants third baseman Pedro Feliz that takes a bad hop. Zito gets a DP grounder from Dmitri Young. Austin Kearns ground out to second for Zito's fourth scoreless. Rich Aurillia takes a 2-1 fastball to the upperdeck for a solo shot to lead off the fifth. 1-1 ballgame. Nook Logan robs Giants catcher Guillermo Rodriguez of a single to center, sprinting in and picking it up inches above the ground, and Chico makes it through five with the score still tied.
Barry Zito pumphandles his way to a scoreless fifth. It takes only eight pitches for Matt Chico to work the bottom of the sixth inning. Another pitcher's duel is in progress. Felipe Lopez reaches down for a full count fastball but lines out to left for the last out of the sixth. Zito and Chico are neck and neck through six.
Chico throws an 0-2 pitch that gets a little too much plate and Dan Ortmeier hits it for a two-out single. Matt Chico ends the seventh by eliciting a pop-up from Guillermo Rodriguez on an off-speed pitch that DY corrals just foul of first. Zito issues a leadoff walk to Ryan Zimmerman in the bottom of the seventh, but negates it when he gets DY to ground into another DP. Austin Kearns chases a high heater for strike three. 1-1 after seven.
Saul Rivera replaces Chico after seven. Chico's line 7.0 IP, 4 hits, 1 run on 1 HR, 1 walk, 3 K's. Kevin Frandsen singles on Rivera's first pitch. The Giants Left Fielder pinch hits for Barry Zito. Zito's line...7.0 IP 2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 5 K's. The Giants Left Fielder grounds out to second, moving Frandsen into scoring position. Rajai Davis flies out to center. Omar Vizquel grounds back to the pitcher. 1-1 after seven and a half.
Platinum-Blonde Giants reliever Tyler Walker issues a two-out walk to Brian Schneider in the bottom of the eigth. Walker sets Ryan Church down swinging. The Flat-Brimmed Closer Chad Cordero will pitch the top of the ninth for the Nationals. Winn flies out to left. Pedro Feliz swings through a low fastball for strike three. Rich Aurillia doubles by DY at first. Cordero blows Ortmeier away with a 3-2 fastball. Still 1-1 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Brian "Not That Brian" Wilson gets a groundout from Nook Logan for the first out. Felipe Lopez finds the gap in left center for a double. Ryan Zimmerm...THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! Ryan Zimmerman goes the other way with a hump-backed single to right...Lopez is waved around and slides in safely! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! as the Nationals walk off with a win. 2-1 final.
Nationals now 60-77.