Julian Tavarez On To Close Out The Win...
No one said it was going to be easy, but the DC Faithful held their collective breath and watched as DC (Closer?) Julian Tavarez attempted to record his first save since May 28th, 2006...Tavarez and the Washington Nationals held a 4-1 lead in the ninth, but in Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park and in 2009 for DC's Nationals, no lead is safe...
Washington lefty Scott Olsen gave up a one-out solo shot to Shane Victorino in the first inning of tonight's game and then got angry, striking out five of the next six batters he faced, and holding the Phillies off the board over 5.2 IP in which he allowed 6 hits, the 1 ER and 2 walks with 6 K's, and Olsen leaves the game up 3-1 in the sixth after RBI singles by Elijah Dukes and Anderson Hernandez combine to break up a 1-1 tie. Olsen's out, Garrett Mock in with two on, Mock throws just two pitches, the second ends up in center where Elijah Dukes closes his glove on the sixth.
Mock issued a leadoff walk to Chris Coste in the seventh, causing concern throughout the nation's capital, but a swinging K and two fly balls later, Mock was through a scoreless frame, with Washington still head 3-1, and it was 4-1 DC by the end of DC eighth, as a two-out RBI double by Anderson Hernandez added an insurance run in the form of the returning Willie Harris, who'd come on to run for Adam Dunn, who'd singled to start the frame. 4-1 Washington...
...And Nationals' reliever Kip Wells...walks the leadoff batter in the eighth. Wells gets a line drive out, from Ryan Howard into the shift, and then has Jayson Werth ground to third, but so slowly that Anderson Hernandez should've never thrown it to first after the force at second, but he does, and he soars it over first on the DP attempt, allowing Werth to take second on the error. Kip Wells walks Raul Ibanez to put two on for pinch hitter Matt Stairs. Stairs swings at a 3-1 pitch, and grounds out to end the eighth.
Julian Tavarez is on to close out the Washington Nationals' fifth win in twenty tries. Ground out from Chris Coste. Ground out from Greg Dobbs. Jimmy Rollins...singles? Oh no...Shane Victorino, swings over a 1-2 change and K's to end it. Washington wins. 4-1 final.
Player of the Game...TIE!
• Anderson "Elvis" Hernandez - 3 for 4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI's, .304 AVG. (Doubles and scores in the third to tie it at 1-1. Two-out RBI single in the sixth to put DC up 3-1. Two-out RBI double in the 8th for 4-1 DC lead.
and
• Julian Tavarez - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K, 1 SAVE.
Honorable Mention...
• Scott Olsen wins, (W, 1-3). First pitcher not named Zimmermann or Martis to win one for Washington.
• Ryan Zimmerman hits in the 18th Straight Game. Zimmerman now hitting, .291 AVG, 8 2B, 4 HR's, 14 RBI's, .358 OBP.
• Elijah Dukes, 2 for 4, 1 R, 1 RBI. '09 - .292 AVG, 4 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR's, 13 RBI's, .361 OBP.
Nationals win, 4-1 Final. (ed. note - Check these links out if you haven't been, the SBN has really built up their post game coverage, and there are other bloggers' posts on the games...")
Enjoy The Win All Over Again With The DC Faithful In The Federal Baseball.com Game Thread...
For The Completists, Full Game Report After The Jump...
Nationals now 5-15.
Washington Nationals vs Philadelphia Philles. Game 20 of 162.
Jimmy Rollins' throw to first beats Cristian Guzman by half a step. NIck “Two-Spot” Johnson hits a trademark single over short. Ryan Zimmerman sends the barrel of his bat into short left, but the ball only reaches Rollins, who throws to Chase Utley to Ryan Howard, double play. Brett Myers throws a scoreless frame for Philadelphia...Jimmy Rollins grounds to second, Anderson Hernandez handles it. Scott Olsen hangs an 0-2 fastball up for Shane Victorino, and Victorino’s fly clears the wall in a hurry, 1-0 Philly. Olsen drops a two-strike slider across the zone and gets Chase Utley swinging. Ryan Howard can’t figure out the slider either, Olsen K’s Howard to end the first.
Adam Dunn grounds to first. Elijah Dukes throws the bat at a low pitch from Myers and sends it over second for a single. Dukes gets picked off leaning off first. Josh Willingham takes a low two-strike fastball that’s called strike three...Scott Olsen’s angry he gave up the HR, and he makes Jayson Werth pay with a brutal two-strike slider. Raul Ibanez K’s chasing another slider. Scott Olsen walks Pedro Feliz on a low full-count fastball. 0-2 slider to Chris Coste, and Olsen’s through two.
Jesus Flores pops out to first. Anderson Hernandez lines to right, and heads for second, Jayson Werth races to it, slides and almost nails Hernandez, who's called safe. Scott Olsen works a walk off of Myers. Cristian Guzman grounds to Ryan Howard, who throws to second for the force. Nick Johnson uses his Discerning Eye to load the bases. Ryan Zimmerman walks to force one in and tie it at 1-1 for Dunn. Adam Dunn flies out to left...Brett Myers flies to Adam Dunn in short right. JImmy Rollins takes a low two-strike fastball for strike three looking. Shane Victorino sends a line drive out to short, and Guzman throws to first to end the third.
Elijah Dukes shoots a fly ball to Victorino in center. Josh Willingham grounds weakly to short. Jesus Flores sends one...to the...warning track in left, Myers retires the Nationals in order in the top of the fourth...Chase Utley grounds to Nick Johnson, who fields and hustles over to first. Ryan Howard grounds into the shift, Zimmerman dives back toward third, pops up and throws, but it’s too late. Ryan Howard takes second on a wild pitch from Olsen. Jayson Werth singles to Josh Willingham in left, and Howard takes third. Raul Ibanez walks when he stops swinging at sliders. Adam Dunn catches Pedro Feliz’s liner coming in and Howard stays at third as Dunn “fires” it in. Chris Coste just misses a grand slam that soars foul. Coste rips one at Zimmerman, who stabs it with his glove and throws on one-hop to Nick Johnson at first, 1-1 after four.
Anderson Hernandez swings through a high full count fastball that would’ve been a leadoff walk. Scott Olsen grounds out to Utley. Guzman gets sawed off but singles into right. Nick Johnson grounds to short to end the DC fifth...Brett Myers grounds to second for the first out of the Philly fifth. Jimmy Rollins lines a single through short, but gets caught off first by Olsen and gunned at second by Nick Johnson. Shane Victorino pops up behind the plate.
Ryan Zimmerman finds the left center gap with a line drive and doubles to start the sixth. Adam Dunn K’s swinging over a two-strike slider. Elijah “Super” Dukes singles to center, Zimmerman scores. 2-1 DC!! Josh Willingham lifts a single over short into center. Jesus Flores rips a broken bat liner to left, but Ibanez is there. Anderson Hernandez shoots a single by a diving Chase Utley and into right center. Dukes scores, 3-1 DC. Scott Olsen flies out to center. 3-1 DC after six...Scott Olsen gets Chase Utley to ground out to Nick Johnson at first. Ryan Howard beats the shift with a grounder up the middle. Jayson Werth gives Guzman a DP grounder, but Guz bobbles it and only gets the force at second. Raul Ibanez goes behind Olsen’s back with a single up the middle, Werth to third, Olsen out. Garrett Mock up with two on, two out. Mock pops Pedro Feliz up to center, Dukes closes his glove on it.
Cristian Guzman K’s swinging. Nick Johnson grounds out to first, and Jack Taschner pops up Zimmerman to end the DC seventh...Garrett Mock issues a leadoff walk to Chris Coste. Greg Dobbs swings at a 2-2 bender in under the arms and he can't get close, K for Mock. Hammer and Dukes almost collide in left center, but Willingham catches it. Shane Victorino flies out to Dukes in center. Mock with a scoreless frame.
Adam Dunn vs Jack Taschner to start the eighth. Dunn beats the shift. Elijah Dukes flies unproductively to right. Willie Harris, running for Dunn, steals second. Taschner throws a 3-2 fastball by the Hammer. Jesus Flores gets the intentionals. Anderson Hernandez pokes one down the line, Harris scores, 4-1 DC, Hernandez in at second. Cristian Guzman flies out to right to end the inning...Kip Wells up to face Utley. Utley works a leadoff walk. Ryan Howard rips one right at Guzman at second in the shift. Jayson Werth grounds to ZImmerman at short, to Anderson Hernandez, but the throw sails, Werth safe at first and he takes second. Raul Ibanez walks. Matt Stairs with a pinch hit appearance. Stairs grounds to second, Anderson Hernandez throws to first to end the eighth.
Nick Johnson takes a 2-2 curve and K’s looking. Ryan Zimmerman skies one to right. Willie Harris, lines under Utley, two-out single. Elijah Dukes grounds out to end the DC ninth...
Julian Tavarez is on to close out the Nationals’ fifth win. Chris Coste grounds out to Zimmerman. ONE! Greg Dobbs grounds out to first! TWO! Jimmy Rollins lines one just over Guzman’s outstretched glove. Shane Victorino up, Rollins steals second. Julian Tavarez gets Shane Victorino swinging to end it, Nationals win!! 4-1 final.
Nationals now 5-15.