It all went right tonight, except for the weather and the K's. The Washington Nationals scored 13 runs on 16 hits, with two home runs, one each by Ryan Zimmer--THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! and Adam D---SHAKE N BAKE!!! SHAKE N BAKE!!! Ryan Zimmerman went deep in the first for his 17th HR, and the 2-run blast gave DC an early 2-0 lead over San Diego and their right-handed starter Tim Stauffer.
There was a three-hour and eleven minute rain delay in the bottom of the second, but the Nationals came back ready to play. Padres' right-hander Luis Perdomo took over on the mound and got Ronnie Belliard and Wil Nieves swinging to start the home-half of the frame. But then the Padres' 25-year-old right-hander walked Washington starter J.D. Martin, who was left in so DC didn't burn a player coming out of the delay. Nyjer Morgan singled Martin over to third, and the pitcher/walk scored on Cristian Guzman's RBI single. 3-0 DC. Ryan Zimmerman walked to bring up the Big Donkey, Adam Du---SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!! GRAND SLAM!!! 7-0 Nationals on Adam Dunn's 4-run blast to straight center...The Nationals scored six more, and after five hours and twenty-two minutes, they improved to 29-68 on the season with the 13-1 win.
Nationals win, 13-1.
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BACKPAGE:
K's, Hits and Runs.
Tyler Clippard Night At Nationals Park...
Doghouse: Game 97 TSF Rating.
For The Completists, Full Game Report After The JUMP...
Nationals now 29-68.
BACKPAGE: (under construction)...
• K's, Hits and Runs.
Of the 43 Nationals who stepped to the plate tonight in DC's Nationals Park, only 6 would ground out and just 3 would fly out. The Padres' pitchers, five of them total, collected 15 K's, (K-Leaders: Wil Nieves - 4, Nick Johnson -3, Ronnie Belliard -2), but they also gave up 16 H and 13 runs, every one of them earned, including the two Ryan Zimmerman (3 for 4, 3 RBI's) knocked in with his 17th HR and the four Adam Dunn (2 for 3, 5 RBI's) scored with his Grand Slam, which was his 25th HR of '09. Cristian Guzman goes 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored, Nyjer Morgan 4 for 5 with a triple and 3 singles, leaving the top four hitters in DC's lineup a combined 12 for 17 with 11 runs scored and 9 RBI's.
• Tyler Clippard Night At Nationals Park...
After the three-hour delay, DC starter J.D. Martin walked and scored a run in the Nationals' second, and was out for Nationals' reliever Tyler Clippard, who proceeded to pitch 4.0 scoreless over which he allowed just 1 hit and 1 walk while collecting 7 K's. Clippard ended his outing with a 1.93 ERA, 24 K's and his first win of the season, and he's now allowed 5 runs (4 earned), 11 hits and 8 walks in 18.2 IP in '09. The Nationals' 24-year-old reliever was called up in the last week of June after he'd gone (4-1) with 42 K's and an 0.92 ERA in 24 games and 39.0 IP with the Nationals' Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse. After allowing 3 hits and 2 ER in his first '09 appearance with DC, Clippard's given up just 2 earned runs in 16.2 IP.
• Doghouse: Game 97 TSF™ Rating.
GAME REPORT:
San Diego Padres At Washington Nationals. Game 97 Of 162.
Tony Gwynn, Jr flies out to Adam Dunn in left for the first out of the evening. D.C. right-hander J.D. Martin gives up a long fly to right to Everth Cabrera and it falls in against the wall for a one-out double. Nick Johnson trots to first to force out Adrian Gonzalez as Cabrera takes third. Kevin Kouzmanoff grounds to short, and J.D. Martin’s got a scoreless frame...Nyjer Morgan bounces one off the out-of-town scoreboard and takes an ill-advised turn around second, but he ends up safe when the relay bounces by Kouzmanoff. Cristian Guzman grounds to short...and Morgan’s caught in a rundown too far off third and tagged. Ryan Zimmerm....THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! Two-run HR to the red seats in the outfield. 2-0 Nationals. Adam Dunn beats the shift with a single through second. Nick Johnson chases a two-strike change off the plate. Josh Willingham flies out to Chase Headley in left to end the first.
Cristian Guzman’s standing near second in the shift and Chase Headley’s grounder supports the numbers. Nick Johnson fields and steps on first to retire Drew Macias. Luis Rodriguez takes a one-out walk from J.D. Martin. Ronnie Belliard can’t knock down a grounder from Jose Lobaton, so Rodriguez takes third...Three hours and ten minutes later, the opposing pitcher grounds out to end the top of the second...Padres’ righty Luis Perdomo is on the hill, when we come back...Ronnie Belliard and Wil Nieves both K swinging, but J.D. Martin works a two-out walk. Nyjer Morgan singles up the middle to move J.D. Martin from first to third. Cristian Guzman sends a slow chopper toward second, Everth Cabrera throws to first, late, Guzman beats it, Martin scores, 3-0 Nationals. Ryan Zimmerman walks to load the bases for Adam Dunn. Dunn takes a fastball to deeeeeeeeeeeeeeep center and GONE!! SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!!! SHAKE N BAKE!!!! 7-0 Nationals. Nick Johnson has a Discerning Eye, and he uses it to draw a two-out walk. Josh Willingham K’s swinging to finally end the second.
Tyler Clippard gets a fly ball to right from Tony Gwynn,Jr. Everth Cabrera singles deep in the hole at short, beating Guzman’s throw. Adrian Gonzalez takes strike three, but Clippard gets squeezed on a 1-2 fastball inside and eventually walks Gonzalez. Tyler Clippard throws a two-strike fastball by Kevin Kouzmanoff, who guessed wrong. Chase Headley flies out to Adam Dunn in left to end the top of the third...Ronnie Belliard grounds out on the first pitch he sees from Perdomo. Wil Nieves K’s swinging at some at a fastball inside and Perdomo gets Clippard swinging to end the third.
Clippard drops a two-strike bender on Drew Macias, who K’s swinging. Luis Rodriguez flies out to Adam Dunn in left. Jose Lobaton swings through a full-count fastball upstairs and Clippard’s through two scoreless...Nyjer Morgan makes Perdomo rush the throw on a swinging bunt, and Morgan takes second when the throw to first bounces. Cristian Guzman K’s swinging, which does no good at all. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to deep right, Drew Macias makes the catch. Adam Dunn gets called out looking a fastball that might have been outside.
Oscar Salazar gets a pinch hit opportunity in the fifth. Clippard throws a 94 mph fastball right by him for a swinging strike three. Clippard drops a 1-2 curve in on a befuddled Tony Gwynn. Everth Cabrera flies to center and Nyjer Morgan sprints in to make a catch at his waist...Right-hander Mike Ekstrom gets Nick Johnson swinging over a slider for the first out of the Nationals’ half. Josh Willingham hits the out-of-town scoreboard on one hop for a double with one down. Ronnie Belliard works the count full and walks. Wil Nieves K’s chasing junk out of the zone. Tyler Clippard gets a little of his own medicine as he K’s swinging through a fastball.
Tyler Clippard throws a two-strike fastball by Adrian Gonzalez. Kevin Kouzmanoff pops out behind second. Headley K’s and Clippard’s through the top of the sixth...Nyjer Morgan lines a single to left to start the DC sixth. Guzman singles off Ekstrom to put two on in front of Ryan Zimmerman. Zim doubles to right, Morgan scores, 8-0 Nationals. Guzman takes third on Zim’s double and scores on Dunn’s sac fly. 9-0. Willingham singles, Zim scores, 10-0. Ronnie Belliard gets a new pitcher, Joe Thatcher, who comes on for Ekstrom. Belliard K’s when he can’t hold up on a slider outside.
Logan Kensing starts the seventh inning at just after 12:19 pm EST. Drew Macias draws a leadoff walk. Luis Rodriguez gets one to the warning track in center where Nyjer Morgan makes the grab. Jose Lobaton grounds to second, Anderson Hernandez to Guzman to Nick Johnson at first, double play!...Padres’ left-hander Joe Thatcher’s back. Wil Nieves K’s swinging over a nasty curve. Austin Kearns grounds out to Luis Rodriguez at second. Nyjer Morgan K’s chasing a curve that breaks away and under his bat.
Joe Beimel gets pinch hitter Will Venable swinging. Tony Gwynn, Jr.’s sharp grounder hops on and gets by Nick Johnson for a one-out single. Everth Cabrera lines to right, Gwynn moves to second, 1 down, 2 on for Kyle Blanks. Ryan Zimmerman fields Banks’ grounder and steps on third for the force. Kevin Kouzmanoff lines a single to left and Cabrera scores to make it 10-1 DC. Eliezer Alfonzo grounds back to the mound to end the top of the frame...Cristian Guzman lines a single to center off Edward Mujica. Ryan Zimmerman goes the other way with a single, Guzman to second, and each of them move up a base when Anderson Hernandez singles. Nick Johnson lines a trademark single to right to score two and make it 12-1 Nationals. Willie Harris grounds into a force at second that scores Anderson Hernandez, 13-1 Nationals. Alberto Gonzalez grounds to short, Everth Cabrera to Luis Rodriguez to Adrian Gonzalez, double play.
Mike MacDougal on. Alberto Gonzalez catches a pop out Drew Macias. Luis Rodriguez grounds out to short and Jose Lobaton flies out to finally end the game. 5 hours after it started...13-1 final.
Nationals now 29-68.