Washington and Arizona might have a real significant connection come this November, but for now it’s a drama/tension-less series between inter-divisional non-rivals, with only the D-Backs five-game losing streak and the Nationals’ attempts to climb their way out of the NL East’s basement as intriguing storylines. Right? D-Backs' righty Brandon Webb throws nothing but strikes and gets two groundouts and a K for his first scoreless frame. DC starter Jason Bergmann now has 20.2 scoreless innings pitched, with Orlando Hudson’s two-out single the only offense for Arizona in the first.
Lastings Milledge singles through short with one down for the first DC hit of the night off of Webb. Milledge steals second to get himself into scoring position for Willie Harris, but Webb throws a two-seamer which seems inside til it breaks back over for strike three to end the DC second. Jason Bergmann’s scoreless streak ends at 21.0 when Mark Reynolds laces into one and lines it to left center and about twenty rows deep for a 1-0 D-Backs' lead after two.
Wil Nieves hits an excuse-me single to third that third baseman Mark Reynolds can’t pick up barehanded. Jason Bergmann fouls out trying to bunt, and Felipe Lopez and Cristian Guzman ground out to end the top of the third. Brandon Webb rips a single through short like he was Micah Owings. Bergmann drops a curve on Stephen Drew, who swings over strike three, and Orlando Hudson just watches strike three into Nieves’ glove. 1-0 AZ after three innings.
Webb gets a fly ball out from Aaron Boone, and a groundout from DY, but hits Milledge in the jersey to let a DC runner on in the fourth. Milledge steals second for the second time this game. Webb hits Ryan Langerhans too. The bottom drops out of a fastball to get Willie Harris swinging for Webb’s fourth scoreless. Bergmann retires the D-Backs in order and at 9:05 pm four innings are done. 1-0 Arizona.
Five scoreless for Webb, who gets Nieves, Bergmann and Lopez in the sixth. Bergmann gets a fly ball out from Jeff Salazar, drops a two-strike curve on AZ catcher Chris Snyder and gets a swinging K from Webb to end the fifth, still 1-0 Snakes. DY hits a two-out grounder through short. Lastings Milledge slaps an outside sinker into right for back to back two-out hits off Webb, but Langerhans grounds out to end the Nationals' sixth. DY has one bounce off his mitt to allow the lead runner on in the bottom of the frame, but Bergmann gets a DP grounder and then a plain old groundout to end the sixth. Still 1-0 Snakes...
Harris, Nieves, Bergmann, 1-2-3 in the 7th as Webb continues to dominate the Nationals. Stand up and stretch...Bergmann gets the first out in the seventh and then surrenders back to back homers to Justin Upton and Mark Reynolds, whose second HR of the night puts Arizona up 3-0 after seven. Felipe Lopez singles to start the eighth. Webb gets Guzman swinging, and Aaron Boone grounds into an inning-ending DP. Bergmann strikes out the first two batters in the home half of the inning, before serving up Chris Young's 12 HR of '08. 4-0 D-Backs. Bergmann gets Orlando Hudson, though, impressing Nationals' fans with the team's first complete game of the season, and in fact, the Nationals' first complete game since...Pedro Astacio pitched a complete game on August 15, 2006 in a 5-0 win over the Atlanta Braves...
...Unfortunately, Jason Bergmann's was not a winning effort tonight...As Brandon Webb sealed the D-Backs' victory with a quick 1-2...Ryan Langerhans singles... Willie Harris goes down swinging for his third K of the day against Webb. Arizona wins, 4-0 final.
Even rarer than the complete game these days...Two pitchers going the distance...
Webb's line - (W, 10-2), 9.0 IP, 6 hits, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K's, 2.69 ERA.
Bergmann's line - (L, 1-2), 8.0 IP, 7 hits, 4 ER, 0 BB, 8 K's, 4 HR's, 4.50 ERA.
Nationals now 24-33.