Top 5 Things That Went Wrong On Frank Howard Bobblehead Night.
1) The Rain - Just like every other time I've come to DC this year, (and really, last year too), the rain came down from NJ with me (doesn't work that way, I know), but this time it actually worked for me...Had it not rained, I would have been somewhere on I-95 stuck in traffic when the first pitch was thrown, but the start of the game was delayed close to 90 minutes after which both teams took to the rain-soaked field and played the second of four for Milwaukee in DC this weekend under a steady drizzle.
2) John "Cool Hand" Lannan Struggles...Again? - 1.2 IP? 7 H? 7 ER? 2 WALKS?? Alright, there was nothing extraordinary about the walks, but it was "Opening Night" John Lannan again last night, who needed 43 pitches to get two outs in the second, after he'd allowed three-straight hits (two singles, 2-RBI double) to start the game and put Milwaukee ahead 2-0 in the first. Lannan didn't make it out of the second after forcing DC Skipper Jim Riggleman's hand by giving up three doubles, a home run and four runs to the Brewers before he was pulled, and one run afterwards, when Nationals' reliever Saul Rivera let Casey McGehee, (who hit the last double off Lannan), score on an RBI single by Jason "Discreet Charm Of The" Bourgeios. By the time the second inning was over, the Nationals trailed 5-2, after Ryan Zimmerman walked to start the frame and scored on an error on an Elijah Dukes' grounder, and Ronnie Belliard scored on a DP grounder by Jorge Padilla, after doubling his way on following Zim's leadoff walk.
3) Comeback Failure.
(Cont. After The JUMP)...
Brewers win, 11-9 final.
• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...
• Check Out The SB Nation's Milwaukee Brewers Blog:Brew Crew Ball Game Thread.
• "Game 123: Losses only look a little better from the $$$ seats" - Doghouse. (ed. note - "Doghouse gets an upgrade from the upper deck above third to within shouting distance of The RZO, DC GM Mike Rizzo, in the super comfy little used seats behind home...")
Nationals now 43-80. (Countdown To 100 Losses Now At...20.)
(cont.)
3) Comeback Failure. - After battling back from an 7-0, and then 8-2, the Nationals tied the game in the 4th on the strength of the error on the Dukes' grounder, Jorge Padilla's run-scoring DP grounder, Ronnie Belliard, or Belli-YARD's 3rd-inning Grand Slam, Nyjer Morgan's RBI double and Alberto Gonzalez's game-tying sac fly. The tie lasted through the fifth, but then Casey McGehee singled in a run in the sixth, Felipe Lopez singled in a run in the seventh and Jason Kendall doubled in a run in the eighth to make it 11-8 and finally 11-9 after Willie Harris' solo HR off former Expos' pitcher Claudio Vargas.
2) E: 109, E: 110. - E: 109 - Fielding error in the outfield by Nyjer Morgan on a double by Casey McGehee. OUTCOME: Runs scores on the error, John Lannan chased, McGehee scores on Jason Bourgeois' single. E: 110 - Brewers' center fielder Mike Cameron grounds back to the mound and off pitcher Jason Bergmann's glove, Ronnie Belliard fields the deflection and throws by Adam Dunn at first, for Belliard's 5th error of '09. OUTCOME: Cameron scores the game's winning run three batters later when McGEHEE!!! singles in the Brewers' ninth run of the night.
1) Failure by Ed Chigliak - I worked half a day in NJ, drove for four hour and a half hours through a hard rain, sat in traffic for an extra hour on what should be a 3 and a half hour trip, then waited out the Rain Delay in my hotel, made my way to the park in time to get my Frank "Hondo" Howard bobblehead, sat through a rain-soaked, run-filled affair and arrived home after midnight, at which point I foolishly listened to myself when I said I would just "rest my eyes" and didn't wake up until 5:30 am EST, at which point I composed this post with apologies to anyone who came looking for a postgame wrapup before now and didn't find one. BUT I GOT MY HONDO BOBBLE!!!!
Nationals now 43-80.