HEADLINE...
Nationals Drop Eleventh Straight On Werth's 8th Inning Homer Into The Wind...
The Washington Nationals dropped their eleventh-straight game tonight to the Phillies in Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park, blowing 1-0 and 4-1 leads and eventually losing it in the bottom of the eighth when Jayson Werth, who was 0 for 3 before the eighth, takes Steven Shell deep on a 1-2 curve that Shell hangs up so Werth can hit it...deep to left against the wind and into the second row of seats for a 5-4 lead that capped off a comeback win for Philadelphia.
Philly shortstop Jimmy Rollins was booed mercilessly by the hometown Philly fans all evening, not for his .263 AVG, but because he belittled Phillies' fans the other day on tv, according to this uncredited Philly.com article entitled, "Rollins calls Philly fans front-runners", which is pulled from the Philadelphia Daily News. Rollins is quoted in the article telling the hosts of Fox Sports' "Best D^*M Sports Show, Period":
"'There are times,' he said. 'I might catch some flak for saying this, but, you know, they're front-runners. When you're doing good, they're on your side. When you're doing bad, they're completely against you.'"
Rollins responded by going 0 for 4 tonight, and they were against him...
DC's 4 Runs Don't Hold Up...
The Nationals' scoring came courtesy of Wille Harris' one-out HR in the top of the first off Philly starter Joe Blanton, who came inside on Thrillie Harris and gave up a homer to right off Harris' fists...1-0 DC. After Greg Dobbs tied it at 1-1 with an RBI sac fly in the Phillies' second...Jesus Flores hit the third of three-straight singles to start the fourth off Blanton, scoring Lastings Milledge from third to give DC a 2-1 lead...then in the top of the fifth, Ryan Zimmer...THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! RBI triple from Zimmerman follows a Willie Harris single to make it 3-1 DC, and Zimmerman scores one out later on a two-out RBI single from Ronnie Belliard, to give the Nationals a 4-1 lead after four and a half...
A lead which lasted all of three batters...After Jesus Flores K'd looking to end the DC fifth...Shane Victorino started the home half with a triple on a line drive into the left center gap. Victorino scores from third when Willie Harris drops a fly ball to left from Dobbs, 4-2 DC, and the Phillies make it a 4-3 game as Geoff Jenkins connects on the second sac fly of the inning to score Dobbs...
Jason Bergmann allowed two singles to start the seventh, and was replaced by Steven Shell, who entered the game in a first and third, no out jam and gave up the third Philly sac fly run of the night to Chris Coste, to tie it at 4-4 in the seventh, and Shell gives up the home run to Werth in the eighth that completes the Phillies' comeback win...
Squandered Chances...
- Ronnie Belliard doubles to start the second, moves to third on a fly ball from Jesus Flores, and is stranded there after Kearns walks and Casto and Bergmann line and ground out, respectively.
- Three straight singles to start the fourth from Milledge, Belliard and Flores to score one run...BUT...Kearns flies out. Casto lines out. Bergmann K's, two stranded...
- The Nationals start the sixth with two singles from Austin Kearns and Kory Casto, and Jason Bergmann bunts too hard allowing Blanton to cut down Kearns at third. Emiio Bonifacio grounds out, Willie Harris flies out, no runs scored...
Jason Bergmann allows 6 hits, 4 runs, 3 earned in 6.1 innings pitched, with 0 walks and 4 K's. Steven Shell blows the save and takes the loss, surrendering the winning run on the HR by Werth. Philly starter Joe Blanton throws 5.0 innings, giving up 8 hits, 4 runs, 1 walk and the HR to Harris, but it's the Phils' bullpen that throws 4 scoreless to allow the offense to complete the comeback. Chad Durbin, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge strike out 5 combined, with only Durbin allowing 3 hits, two singles to start the sixth, and a two-out single in the seventh.
Player of the Game for DC...Ronnie Belliard - 4 for 4, 1 2B, 1 RBI.
Casto Cast Out To Make Room For Returning Guzman And Hernandez...
According to Chico Harlan's Nationals Journal post entitled, "Casto to Class A Columbus", Kory Casto is out because, the still-soon-to-be acquired, "(Anderson) Hernandez is expected to join the Nats tomorrow...with Guzman set to return in a day or two."
For the Completists, 3/4 Full Game Report Follows After The Jump...
New Nationals now 6-12.
Nationals now 44-82. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...18.)
Willie Harris Wants To Play. Thrillie Harris hits a solo shot with one down in the first while I'm still at work...1-0 DC. By the time I get home...there are two down in the bottom of the first, Jason Bergmann on the mound for the Nationals, already staked to a 1-0 lead on a solo HR off the fists by Willie Harris, and Bergmannn’s through the firs scoreless before I can get the game on...
Ronnie Belliard doubles off Philly starter Joe Blanton to leadoff the second and moves to third on a sac fly from Jesus Flores. Austin Kearns walks to put two on for Kory Casto, who lines out, followed by Bergmann, who grounds out to end the DC second. Greg Dobbs up with men on second and third, one out. Dobbs flies far enough to left to score Howard from third. 1-1 ballgame. Lastings Milledge gets under a fly ball to left center from Philly catcher Chris Coste, and it’s tied after two.
Emilio Bonifacio flies out to left for the first out of the third. Willie Harris hits a swinging bunt to first. Ryan Zimmerman hits a high fly ball that hangs up on the wind, and falls short of the walll in left where Pat Burrell’s catch ends the frame...Bergmann faces Blanton to start the Philly third. Blanton K’s swinging at a cruel curve. Jimmy Rollins grounds out to Casto’s backhand at first for out number two. Chase Utley flies out to short right, and Austin Kearns catches it coming in...
Lastings Milledge goes the other way with a single off Blanton in the fourth. Ronnie Belliard bounces a fly ball off the wall in left, and settles for a single that moves Milledge to third. First and third for Jesus Flores...WWJD? RBI single through the hole at short, Milledge scores. 2-1 Nationals. Kearns flies out unproductively. Kory Casto rips a line drive right into Ryan Howard’s glove, and Flores has to dive back into first to avoid getting doubled up. Bergmann K’s chasing a curve...Chase Utley grounds into a less-dramatic defensive shift. Jesus Flores catches a two-strike foul ball off Howard’s bat. Pat Burrell stares at strike three inside and doesn’t believe it. 2-1 DC after four.
Bonifacio sends Shane Victorino speeding out to center to catch up with the liner for the first out of the fifth. Willie Harris goes back up the middle for a one-out single. Ryan ZImmer...THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! RBI triple just inside the line and into the right field corner. Harris scores from first. 3-1 DC. After Milledge pops out unproductively, Ronnie Belliard hits a broken bat single to left center to score Zimmerman and make it 4-1 Washington...Shane Victorino triples to the left center gap to start the Phillies’ fifth. Greg Dobbs pops up to left and Willie Harris has it bounce off his forearm as he makes an underhand attempt at the catch, Victorino scores, Dobbs safe at first. Dobbs beats Flores’ throw to second for a stolen base. Chris Coste goes to a full count, lines to left, off Belliard’s glove for a single. Geoff Jenkins hits for Blanton. Jenkins hits a sac fly to left, Dobbs tags and scores. 4-3 Nationals. Jimmy Rollins, quick as he is, can’t outrun his own DP grounder. 4-3 DC after five.
Austin Kearns starts the sixth with a single off Philly reliever Chad Durbin. Kory Casto sneaks a second-straight single under a diving Rollins and into center. Jason Bergmann grounds too hard back to the mound, and Durbin throws to third to cut down the lead runner. Emilio Bonifacio moves both runners up with a groundout to give Willie Harris an RBI opportunity. Durbin takes the count full, and gets a fly ball out to right to end the DC sixth...Jason Bergmann K’s Jayson Werth to start the Philly sixth. Chase Utley flies out to short right where Belliard makes the catch. Ryan Howard grounds out to first. 4-3 DC after six.
Ryan Zimmerman strikes out to start the seventh. Milledge flies out to left. Ronnie Belliard pushes a two-out single to right, but gets nailed trying to steal second with Flores at bat...Stand up and stretch...Pat Burrell singles to start the Philly seventh, Bonifacio ranges to his right and tosses to second to get Burrell on the force on a ground ball from Victorino. Jesus Flores throws to first to try and catch Victorino napping, and the throw sails to right...Victorino take third, but is called back, when it’s determined by the home plate ump, that he, himself, interfered with Flores. Dobbs singles to center and Victorino takes third anyway. Bergmann’s out with men on first and third, one down. Chris Coste flies out to right, and Kearns’ throw home is way too late to get Victorino. 4-4 ballgame. So Taguchi tries to bunt his way on, but Zimmerman barehands it and throws him out...
Philly righty Ryan Madson faces Jesus Flores, who leads off the eighth with a swinging K. Austin Kearns K’s swinging. Kory Casto grounds back to the mound...A full-count fastball to Jimmy Rollins dies on the track in right where Austin Kearns catches it. Jayson Werth gets a hold of a 1-2 fastball and destroys it, out to left and GONE! 5-4 Philly. Charlie Manning comes on in relief, covering first on a groundout from Utley. Ryan Howard walks. Manning’s done. Saul “Sa-ool” Rivera’s on in relief. Pat Burrell flies out on the first pitch...Three outs to get one run...
Brad “Fragile” Lidge is on to close it. Aaron Boone K’s chasing a two-strike slider off the plate. Emilio Bonifacio pops out to the infield. Willie Harris swings over a slider. Phillies win. 5-4 final. Nationals drop their eleventh straight...
New Nationals now 6-12.
Nationals now 44-82. (Countdown to 100 Losses Stands At...18.)