HEADLINE...
90 Minutes From Deadline Crow Still Unsigned...
While the Nationals were busy dropping to first of three to the Rockies, the DC faithful were all over the blogosphere not-so-patiently waiting for news on the Nationals' negotiations with 1st Round pick, pitcher Aaron Crow, but as of right now, (10:33 pm EST), there's still no news on the Crow front with less than 90 minutes to go...
Chico Harlan hasn't checked in in a while but here's his latest deadline-themed Nationals Journal post entitled, "Five hours remaining"...(Updated..."Less than two hours remaining" is the latest post by Mr. Chico.)
Brian Oliver at the Nationals Farm Authority is waiting out the deadline in his "Signing Deadline Waiting Room"...
...and over at MLB.com, Jonathan Mayo just updated his "Geeking on the Draft" blog with a quick note on Aaron Crow, in his post entitled, "Aaron Crow update." (ed. note I got a quick question in to Mr. Mayo's post, "Ready for a wild night", earlier which was promptly answered with basically the same news...")
On Baseball Tonight, Jim Callis from Baseball America just said that the two players most likely not to sign tonight are Gerrit Cole, the Yankees pick and Allan Dykstra the Padres pick...plus...Josh Fields, who does not have to sign with Seattle tonight as a college senior...Well at least he didn't say Crow won't sign...yet...
Rockies 4 Nationals 3...
DC righty Tim Redding took a 1-0 lead in to the third, after Emilio Bonifacio singled and Ronnie Belliard doubled behind him for an early DC lead in the first, and the high fastball that Redding threw to Troy Tulowitzki had no right going out, but Tulowitzki overpowered the shoulder-high heater and forced it out to the left center seats to tie the game at 1-1. Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa walked Belliard to start the bottom of the third. A wild pitch from De La Rosa allowed Belliard to take second, and Ryan Zimmerman followed with a single that brought Belliard around for a 2-1 DC lead, but the Rockies two-out rally off Redding in the fifth would provide them with a 4-2 lead...
The fifth started with Redding recording two outs, on a groundout from De La Rosa and a pop out from Colorado's leadoff batter Clint Barmes, but a two-out single by Seth Smith, a Matt Holliday double and a home run by Brad Hawpe brought the Rockies three runs and a 4-2 lead after four and a half innings in DC.
Jorge De La Rosa let the Nationals draw close in the sixth when he hit Austin Kearns to start the inning and then threw a wild pitch to put AK in scoring position with Jesus Flores at bat. Flores managed a fly deep enough to center for Kearns to take third, and Aaron Boone hit a ground ball to short that allowed Kearns to score and draw it close at 4-3 Rockies after six. But that's as close as Washington would come as the Colorado bullpen shut DC down over the final frames with Manny Corpas, Taylor Buchholz and closer Brian Fuentes preserving the lead and allowing only 1 hit combined over the remaining three innings.
Jesus "Everyday" Colome, Charlie Manning and Saul Rivera allowed just 3 hits over in 3.0 innings of relief of Redding, who allowed 7 hits, 4 ER, 1 walk and 2 HR's with 5 K's in 6.0 innings. Redding ends the night (L, 8-8, 4.66 ERA)...Jorge De La Rosa gets the win to improve to (W, 6-6, 6.16 ERA) in '08 and Fuentes records his 23rd save of the season.
Nationals lose. 4-3 final.
Parting Shots Fired On The Way Out By Cothran...
Newark Star-Ledger Staff writer Jeremy Cothran took a few final shots at your Washington Nationals as the NY Mets left town with the three game sweep completed. Mr. Cothran's article on the series' finale entitled, "Offense still clicking as Mets finish sweep", begins with the Star-Ledger writer musing:
"Because the Nationals are, well, the Nationals, the Mets' sweep was never in doubt.
"What was once a plucky team that gave the Mets fits is now a wretched squad that personifies every bit of their last-place status."
...and later Mr. Cothran continues:
"The knock on (Oliver) Perez is that he tunes out games against lesser opponents. And since the Nationals are perhaps the ideal description of the term..."
I'll just ignore my problems with that second sentence and hope the Nationals really stick it to NY later this season...
For The Completists...Full Game Report after the jump...
New Nationals now 6-9.
Nationals now 44-79. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...21.)
DC righty Tim Redding starts Clint Barmes with a fastball for a strike. and gets the first out on a weak liner to second that Emilio Bonifacio grabs. Ronnie Belliard throws out Seth Smith from deep in the hole at short. Tim Redding throws a 2-2 fastball at 94 mph right through Matt Holliday’s bat for the third out of the first...Emilo-Oooo Bonifacio lines a double into the corner in left to leadoff the Nationals’ first against Jorge De La Rosa. Ronnie Belliard singles to right and gets nailed trying to stretch it while Bonifacio scores. 1-0 DC. Ryan Zimmerman rips a groundout to short. Lastings Milledge takes the first pitch to center where Seth Smith’s catch ends the first.
Brad Hawpe swings over a two-strike fastball low and inside for the first out of the second. Tim Redding throws a fastball by Garrett Atkins, who never takes his bat off his shoulder. Ian Stewart flies out to left where Willie Harris settles in under the third out of the frame...Austin Kearns can’t check his swing, and he’s called out on a two-strike breaking ball in the dirt. Jesus Flores grounds to short where Tulowitzki makes the play. Aaron Boone walks on a two-out wild pitch. Thrillie Harris sends Boone around to third with a double to the corner in left. Tim Redding works the count full and walks to load the bases. Emilio Bonifacio strikes out swinging at a two-strike change outside. 1-0 DC after two.
Chris Iannetta backs Milledge up a few steps in center with a fly ball out. 92 mph fastball high in the zone = towering drive into the left center seats, solo shot for Troy Tulowitzki, 1-1 ballgame on the Rockies’ first hit. Redding strikes the opposing pitcher out. Clint Barmes lines a single to center, and swipes second on a wild pitch from Redding with Seth Smith at the plate. Redding gets squeezed on a 2-2 fastball up high, and he walks Smith on a late breaking two-seamer inside. Two on, two outs for Holliday. Redding gets in on Holliday’s hands and gets a fly ball to Milledge to end the top of the third...Ronnie Belliard works a walk to start the DC third. A wild pitch with Zimmerman up moves Belliard to second. THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM! RBI single through second on an outside breaker, and Belliard scores standing up for a 2-1 Washington lead. Lastings Milledge K’s on check swing strike three. Zimmerman gets caught leaning off first, and tagged out when he breaks toward second. Austin Kearns swings at a curve that’s in the dirt when it gets to Iannetta. 2-1 DC after three.
Brad Hawpe drops a single in front of Milledge in center. Garrett Atkins grounds to third, Zimmerman’s throw to second is high and Bonifacio’s throw to first is too, so Hawpe’s out and Atkins reaches. Willie Harris catches a fly ball out from Ian Stewart. Chris Iannetta’s low liner finds its way through short. Tulowitzki flies to left, Harris makes the catch...Tulowitzki catches the first out in foul territory off third on Jesus Flores’ pop out. Aaron Boone pulls a single through short. Willie Harris beats Clint Barmes with a single under the diving second baseman and into center. Redding bunts it too hard, and De La Rosa throws to third to get Boone. Bonifacio K’s swinging. 2-1 DC after four.
Ronnie Belliard runs across second to throw out De La Rosa for the first out of the fifth inning. Clint Barmes flies out to Boone behind first. Seth Smith singles to center with two out in the fifth. Matt Holliday flies to center, and Milledge misplays it, leaping at the last minute and missing, Smith scores, 2-2 ballgame on the 2-out error. Brad Hawpe takes Redding deeeep to right center and into the first row for a two-run, two-out blast. 4-2 Rockies after the top of the fourth...Ronnie Belliard strikes out swinging at junk. Ryan Zimmerman grounds out to Tulowitzki at short. Milledge grounds back to the mound for a quick fifth.
Redding gets a called strike three on a fastball outside to K Ian Stewart. Chris Iannetta grounds out to short. Troy Tulowitzki flies out to left, Redding retires the Rockies in order in the sixth...Austin Kearns walks to start the home half of the sixth. Jesus Flores is up when a wild pitch moves Kearns up a base. Flores flies out to center to advance Kearns to third. Aaron Boone grounds out to short, Tulowitzki makes a great across-the-body throw to get Boone but Kearns crosses. 4-3 Colorado. Willie Harris K’s swinging to end the sixth.
Jesus “Everyday” Colome takes over in the seventh, facing Willy Taveras, who hits for De La Rosa, and singles to start the frame. Clint Barmes is up when Taveras steals second on Colome and Flores. Barmes bunts to Zimmerman at third, Taveras advances. Seth Smith grounds out, Taveras stays at third. Matt Holliday pops up, and Aaron Boone reaches in to the stands to make the catch. Stand up and stretch...Pinch Hittin’ Pete Orr grounds out to third. Rockies’ righty Manny Corpas is on. Emilio Bonifacio gets called out looking. Ronnie Belliard finds open grass in short right for a two-out single, but Zimmerman K’s before anyone can start thinking rally.
Charlie Manning gets a groundout to short from Brad Hawpe to start the eighth. Garrett Atkins pops out to second. Ian Stewart pops out to the infield where ZImmerman grabs the third out of a 1-2-3 eighth...Milledge vs Taylor Buchholz. Lasto pops out foul of third. Kearns pushes Hawpe back to the track in right but that’s as far as it goes. Jesus Flores strikes out on a ball way out of the zone, and it gets away from Iannetta too, so Flores takes first. Aaron Boone flies out to Holliday to end the eighth.
Chris Iannetta singles to center off Saul “Sa-ool” Rivera to leadoff the ninth. Holliday grounds to Belliard who starts the DP, Bonifaco to Boone. Willy Taveras hits a two-out single over second and then steals the bag in spite of a good throw from Jesus Flores. Rivera gets Barmes swinging...Three outs to get one run off Brian Fuentes. Willie Harris K’s swinging. Ryan Langerhans K’s swinging. Emilio Bonifacio K’s swinging. Rockies win 4-3.
New Nationals now 6-9.
Nationals now 44-79. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...21.)