Game two of three in Turner Field, Atlanta, GA features:
Matt Chico (5-7, 4.78) vs Chuck James (9-10, 4.27)
He's only 22. He's only 22. That's why I kept telling myself all day while thinking back to Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman's 4 K, 3 E performance last night against John Smoltz and the Atlanta Braves. Zimmerman was kept off-balance at the plate all night by the veteran right-hander, but it was Zimmerman himself whose throws were off all evening continuing an alarming trend of wild throws on routine plays that has whispers of "Mackey and Knobby" filling the humid ATL air..."He's only 22"...
Having their five game winning streak ended last night, the Washington Nationals look to bounce back on the road, as Matt Chico faces fellow lefty Chuck James on the hill for the Braves, as the two teams play their fourteenth game of the season against one another.
Matt Chico has faced the Braves three times in his rookie campaign, and has amassed a (2-1) record with a 2.87 ERA against Atlanta, giving up 15 hits, 8 runs, 5 earned, 10 walks, and 2 HR's while striking out 4 in 15.2 innings on the mound.
Chico's only appearance in Atlanta was a brief one on April 10th of this year, an 8-0 loss for the Nationals, in which Chico lasted only 4.2 innings while surrendering 4 runs on 6 hits, though only 1 of the runs was earned.
Chico is (0-5) on the road in 11 starts this season, but he pitched brilliantly in his first start since being recalled on September 3rd against San Francisco in DC, in which Chico completed 7.0 innings of 4 hit, 1 run baseball in a 2-1 Nationals win.
Atlanta lefty Chuck James has faced the Nationals 6 times in his 2+ Major League seasons, going (2-2) in 32.2 innings pitched while giving up 35 hits, 15 runs, 2 home runs and 20 walks. Last time out against Washington on May 17th, James pitched 5.1 innings, and gave up 8 hits and 3 runs while walking 2 and striking out 5.
James is actually better on the road than at home in Fulton Count- I mean Turner Field where James is (3-6) in 13 starts as opposed to his (6-4) record on the road in the same 13 starting appearances.
The Braves took an (8-5) season series lead with last night's win, but there are 5 more games to go between the NL East rivals, so throw the numbers out the window...No! Not you Zim! You just work on the throw to first...
Who watches Nationals games ? Who's going next weekend for the Braves series? I am!!!...Anyone else gonna be there ?...Anyone ?...