HEADLINE...
DC Starter Shairon Martis K's 9, Allows Only 1 ER In Loss...
DC's rookie right-hander Shairon Martis was featuring a power change tonight, striking out 9 Marlins' batters, the bulk of which were baffled by his low 80's offspeed stuff, which, when matched with Martis' mid-90's fastball is quite an effective attack. In spite of Martis' effort, the Nationals managed to plate only one run, on an RBI double in the second, so the 21-year old Curacao native took the second loss in a row to start his Major League career, while allowing only one run, with the second, and winning run for Florida scoring on an error.
Anderson Hernandez doubled in the Nationals' only run off Florida lefty Scott Olsen in the second inning. Olsen gave up a single and a stolen base to Willie Harris, before walking Wil Nieves to bring up Hernandez, who drove Harris in with a line drive RBI hit to the gap in left center on an 0-2 pitch that Olsen left up high in the zone.
The Marlins tied the game in the fourth when Jorge Cantu made history with his 25th HR of the season, giving the Marlins the first-ever infield to EVER all hit over 25 HR's, with shortstop Hanley Ramirez currently at 29, second baseman Dan Uggla up to 30, and first baseman Mike Jacobs leading the Marlins with 32.
In the home half of the sixth, Shairon Martis issued his second walk of the night to the wrong to player, Hanley Ramirez, who promptly stole second to bring up John Baker. Baker grounded back to the mound, where Martis fielded and threw to second behind the Ramirez, who was already headed for third, and slid in safe when Cristian Guzman's throw got by Ryan Zimmerman, allowing Ramirez to get up and score the go-ahead run. 2-1 Florida after six.
Both bullpens then combined for three scoreless with Charlie Manning winning a Lefty vs Lefty matchup with Mike Jacobs, and Steven Shell throwing 1.2 scoreless for the Nationals before Mike Hinckley came out in the eighth and retired the first two batters, and then surrendered a single to PLoD, yes our old friend Paul Lo Duca, who got greedy and got thrown out trying to take second. Silly PLoD!...The Marlins use three relievers, Kevin Gregg, Joe Nelson and Matt Lindstrom, who combined collect three scoreless, two holds and Lindstrom's 3rd save of the season.
The Nationals score just 1 run on 8 hits, six of them off Scott Olsen, who wins his seventh game of 2008, (and first since July 19th) improving to (7-10) and lowering his ERA to 4.31 on the season. The Nationals drop to 2-11 against the Marlins in '08, and now with 15 games remaining in the season, Washington stands just 9 L's from the century mark, 100 losses...
Two more with the Marlins in Florida starting tomorrow at 7:10 pm EST. Tim Redding vs Josh Johnson on the hill...
For The Completists, Full Game Report Follows After The Jump...
Nationals now 56-91. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...9.)
Starting second baseman Anderson Hernandez chops a 2-1 pitch to short that’s a single if not for an off-balance overhand throw from Jorge Cantu. Cristian Guzman hits a lazy broken-bat-liner to Hanley Ramirez at short. Ryan Zimmerman hits the padded wall below the left field scoreboard, and Josh Willingham throws it back in quickly holding Zim to a single. Lastings Milledge lines a single to left moving Zimmerman to third. Marlins’ lefty Scott Olsen throws three straight pitches by Dukes to end a scoreless first frame...Shairon Martis has the navy blue road socks pulled high. Hanley Ramirez flies out to Milledge in deep center. John Baker pushes an outside fastball to left for a one-out single. Jorge Cantu lifts an 81 mph bender to Willie Harris in left for the second out. Mike Jacobs takes a 2-2 pitch to the deepest part of the park where Lastings Milledge catches the final out of the inning.
Aaron Boone swings through a two-strike fastball for the first out of the second. Willie Harris goes back up the middle with the second single off Olsen. Wil Nieves up, as Harris takes a big lead and gets a good jump on Olsen to easily steal second. Olsen walks Nieves. Martis pops a bunt attempt up to the catcher. Anderson Hernandez waits on a high off-speed 0-2 pitch and hits the gap in left center for a two-out RBI double and a 1-0 DC lead. Cristian Guzman takes a full count fastball high in the zone for ball four to load the bases. Ryan Zimmerman pops unproductively to right to end the top of the second...Dan Uggla works the count full, and a check-swing-foul-tip into Nieves’ glove results in the first out of the Marlins’ second. Martis hits the outside corner with two straight fastballs to get Josh Willingham staring. Cody Ross drills a 2-2 fastball to short, and Guzman’s throw ends the second.
Milledge turns a low fastball inside out but flies to right to start the third. Dukes grounds weakly to third. Aaron Boone sends the barrel of the bat and the struck ball out to short where Hanley Ramirez fields and throws to end DC’s third...Martis strikes out Jeremy Hermida and the opposing pitcher Scott Olsen for the first two outs of the Marlins’ third. Hanley Ramirez walks and steals second. John Baker grounds to short, Guzman’s throw to first gets away from Aaron Boone, who recovers in time to throw out Ramirez trying for home. 1-0 DC after three.
Willie Harris swings through a two-strike change inside. Wil Nieves strokes a single through short. Martis tries to bunt for the second time. This time Martis bunts too hard back to the mound, Olsen takes the force at second, but Hanley Ramirez throws wide of first to allow the pitcher on. Anderson Hernandez up, Martis takes another base on a ball that bounces off the catcher. Anderson Hernandez takes a two-out walk. Guzman pops out to the infield, Olsen’s thrown 76 pitches...Jorge Cantu takes a 94 mph fastball into the empty orange seats above the left field scoreboard for his 25th HR of the season, becoming part of the first infield ever to all hit over 25 HR’s. 1-1 ballgame. Mike Jacobs flies out to Milledge, and Martis strike out Uggla and Willingham to end the fourth.
Ryan Zimmerman grounds back to the mound. Milledge grounds out to Ramirez at short. Elijah Dukes lines a two-out single to left center in front of Boone, who grounds to Olsen, to first, to end the DC fifth...Martis strikes out Cody Ross. Hermida swings over a 81 mph two-strike change. Scott Olsen K’s and waits for his glove and cap as he retakes the mound after Martis strikes out the side.
Olsen’s got sweat dripping off of his drenched cap bill as he walks Willie Harris to start the sixth. Hanley Ramirez dives and tosses from his stomach to start the DP on a grounder from Nieves. Shairon Martis strikes out swinging...Martis is back on the mound in the bottom of the sixth. Martis walks Hanley Ramirez to start the home half of the frame. Ramirez steals second easily as Nieves’ throw gets by the bag. Ground ball back to the mound from Baker, Martis throws behind Ramirez at second, and the throw to third gets away from Zimmerman allows Hanley to score for a 2-1 Marlins’ lead. Jorge Cantu walks. Martis is done. Charlie Manning vs Mike Jacobs, Lefty vs Lefty. Jacobs K’s swinging. Manning out, Steven Shell’s on to face Uggla. Single through short, bases loaded. Josh Willingham pops up behind second. Shell throws a 91 mph heater through Cody Ross’ bat for strike three to end the sixth.
Willie Harris lines to Wes Helms at third. Marlins’ reliever Kevin Gregg gets a groundout to second from Guzman. Full count pitch to Zimmerman is low, and Milledge is gonna get a two-out shot. Milledge backs Hermida up to the wall in right, where he makes the grab. Stand Up and Stretch...Steven Shell’s back for his second inning in relief. 91 mph on the outside edge to get Hermida swinging for the first out. Wes Helms flies out to Dukes in right. 91 miles on the outside edge and Hanley Ramirez doesn’t even swing. Shell’s second scoreless.
Elijah Dukes faces right-hander Joe Nelson. Dukes continues to fail to recognize change-ups, swinging over a slow two-strike slow ball. Aaron Boone flies out to Cody Ross. Willie Harris lines a two-out single to the right side of second. Ryan Langerhans ropes a single to center, Harris speeds around to third. Kory Casto pops out behind home to end the top of the eighth...Mike Hinckley vs John Baker. Lefty vs Lefty. Baker battles but grounds out to Boone at first. Cantu pops out to center. Paul Lo Duca, old PLoD comes out to pinch hit. Lo Duca lines a two-out hit to right and gets thrown out running like an idiot for second.
Three outs to get one run. Matt Lindstrom starts the ninth against the Nationals' “Little Guillen” Anderson Hernandez, who flies out to Ross in center. Crisitian Guzman almost goes yard, but it dies on the track, falling into Hermida’s glove. Ryan Zimmerman swings over a bender for strike three to end the game. Marlins win. 2-1 final.
Nationals now 56-91. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...9.)