HEADLINES:
• Nationals Win Big In Wrigley.
• 15 runs, 14 hits, 2 doubles, 3 HR's, 7 two-out RBI's, and as MASN's Bob Carpenter stressed several times throughout last night's broadcast, only 3 LOB, and the Nationals were 5-9 with runners in scoring position as Washington walked into Chicago's Wrigley Field and put a 15-6 beating on Carlos Zambrano and the struggling Cubs. There was a strong wind blowing out toward center by all reports, but the HR's the Nationals hit needed no help. Josh Willingham, who scored the first run of the game on a sac fly in the second, sent a 1-1 fastball from Zambrano out of the park in left center in the fourth and Elijah Dukes hit a line drive grand slam to left center on a first pitch change from Aaron Heilman in the fifth, after which Willingham returned to hit a three-run HR in the eighth that gave DC a 10-run lead in what ends up a 15-6 win.
• Nationals Sign Livan Hernandez.
According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article entitled, "Livan signs deal, returns to Nationals", Washington's original ace Livan Hernandez is going to don the curly-W again as the 34-year-old right-hander reached an agreement with the Nationals Tuesday night. Washington Post writer Chico Harlan reported later last night that the Nationals would send right-handed starter Collin Balester to Syracuse to make room on the roster for the soft-tossing junkballer.
Nationals win, 15-6 final.
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Check Out The SB Nation's Chicago Cubs Blog: Bleed Cubbie Blue Game Thread.
"Game 126: Today's 6-run inning much better than yesterday's" - Doghouse
BACKPAGE:
• E: 111, E: 112.
• Nationals' Prospects In The AFL
For The Completists, Full Game Report After The JUMP...
Nationals now 45-81. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...19)
BACKPAGE: (Under Construction)
• E: 111, E: 112.
Though the Nationals won big over Chicago, they still committed two errors to add to their Major League-leading total. E: 111 - Bottom of the fourth, Cubs' third baseman Aramis Ramirez pulls a sharp grounder to Ryan Zimmerman's backhand, Zim makes the play and makes a quick throw that bounces in front of Adam Dunn at first, who stretches to meet it but comes up empty; OUTCOME: Kosuke Fukudome K's with Ramirez running, and DC right-hander Garrett Mock gets the strike'em-out-throw'em-out and a grounder from Jake Fox to end the frame. E: 112 - Bottom of the eighth, Cristian Guzman gets a ground ball at short from Kosuke Fukudome and Guzman loses it, can't make the play and Fukudome reaches safely. OUTCOME: Saul Rivera retires the next three batters, Fukudome still on first when the inning ends.
• Nationals' Prospects In The AFL
MiLB.com's Jonathan Mayo reported early this afternoon, in an article entitled, "Strasburg, top picks highlight AFL", that the Washington Nationals would be sending both of their '09 1st Round picks, pitchers Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen out to Arizona this fall along with catching prospect Derek Norris. The full rosters were announced last night and it's Strasburg, Storen, Norris, SS Daniel Espinosa and 1B prospect Chris Marrero all on the Phoenix Desert Dogs' roster.
GAME REPORT:
Washington Nationals At Chicago Cubs. Game 126 Of 162.
The Amazing Willie Harris is leading off for the Nationals against the Cubs’ right-handed ace Carlos Zambrano, and he lines out to Milton Bradley in right for the first out of the game. Cristian Guzman’s thrown out by Ryan Theriot on a sharp grounder to short. Ryan Zimmerman takes a two-out walk in front of Adam Dunn, Dunn K’s trying to hold up on a two-strike slider outside, the third base ump thinks he went at least...Ryan Threriot rolls the first out of the Cubs’ first to Ronnie Belliard at second. Milton Bradley rips the first pitch from Garrett Mock by Ryan Zimmerman at third. Derrek Lee lines out real hard to center, Willie Harris has it. Garrett Mock comes inside on Aramis Ramirez and pops him up toward first for the final out of the frame.
Josh Willingham goes back up the middle with a leadoff single off Zambrano, and Ronnie Belliard follows with a line drive to center as well. Elijah Dukes grounds weakly to second but there’s no double play. Wil Nieves flies to center on a full-count pitch to score Willingham from third for a 1-0 lead. Garrett Mock K’s looking and heads back to the mound...Kosuke Fukudome’s grounder eats up Ronnie Belliard who just knocks it down, but can't play it. Garrett Mock pops up Jake Fox. Geovany Soto hits a ground ball to third, Ryan Zimmerman to Belliard to Adam Dunn at first, double play.
Willie Harris takes a fastball up high for a called strike three. Cristian Guzman pops out to Ryan Theriot behind short. Ryan Zimmerman skips the third out to short, and Theriot fields and throws...Ronnie Belliard catches a pop fly from Mike Fontenot that spins out to second. Garrett Mock throws a 2-0 fastball at the outside low corner and Carlos Zambrano hits an opposite field HR to tie it. Mock pops up Ryan Theriot. Milton Bradley singles again, this time on a line drive to right to bring up D. Lee. Mock comes inside with a rising fastball to Lee that’s a swinging strike three.
Adam Dunn K’s swinging through a full-count fastball outside. Josh Willingham hits one, oh lord does he hit one, out over the left center stands and onto Waveland Ave for an out-the-park job. 2-1 DC. Ronnie Belliard reaches on an field singles, and then Elijah Dukes bruises the ivy with hard line drive to left to score Belliard and Dukes takes third as the Cubs throw it around the infield. 3-1 Nats. Wil Nieves tries the suicide bunt and misses and Dukes just stands in front of home and gets tagged. Nieves lines out to end the top of the fourth...Aramis Ramirez grounds to Zim’s backhand but Adam Dunn can’t pick the long throw. Garrett Mock thows a two-strike fastball by a swinging Fukudome and Ramirez is running and thrown out at second. Jake Fox grounds back to the mound, Mock up 3-1 after four.
Garrett Mock grounds out to Theriot. Willie Harris gets hit and gets a free pass to first, before he takes third on Cristian Guzman’s humpbacked line drive over short. Ryan Zimmerman sends a broken bat liner through short as the barrell goes into the stands. Guzman to third, Harris scores, 4-1 DC. Adam Dunn walks to load the bases and Zambrano walks Willingham to force in a run, 5-1. Aaron Heilman comes on for Zambrano. Ronnie Belliard K’s swinging to waste an AB. Elijah SSSSSSUPER DUKESSSSSSSSSS goes yard, GRAND SLAM!! GRAND SLAM!!! 9-1 Nationals. Wil Nieves grounds out to second to end a six-run fifth...Garrett Mock throws a high two-strike fastball by Geovany Soto. Mike Fontenot works a one-out walk. Aaron Miles hits for Heilman, and with Miles up, Mock throws one by Wil Nieves. MIles K’s swinging through a full-count fastball outside. Ryan Theriot stares a curve all the way in for a called strike three and the end of the fifth.
Cubs’ lefty Sean Marshall gets Garrett Mock swinging. Willie Harris grounds out to Fontenot at second. Cristian Guzman grounds one back up the middle, but Ryan Theriot fields, spins and throws to end the inning...Milton Bradley goes to a full count against Mock, and takes a leadoff walk. Derrek Lee K’s chasing a fastball upstairs. Aramis Ramirez hits a line drive off the ivy, but Josh Willingham’s play keeps it a single. Fukudome drives in a run with an infield single to second. 9-2 DC. Jake Fox flies out to center. Geovany Soto lines to left, and Josh Willingham leaps at the wall and hits it hard as he misses, two runs score, 9-4. Mock’s done. Tyler Clippard pops up Mike Fontenot with one pitch.
Ryan Zimmerman lines to left and off the wall for a leadoff double. Adam Dunn K’s again on a rough night. Josh Willingham pinballs a grounder off Mike Fontenot and into center for an RBI single. 10-4 DC. Ronnie Belliard hits another line drive to left, Hammer to third, Belliard takes second when Fox bobbles it in left. Elijah Dukes gets the intentionals. Angel Guzman vs WIl Nieves with the bases loaded again. Nieves lines to right to score two, 12-4. Tyler Clippard grounds into an inning-ending DP...Tyler Clippard starts with a fly ball out to right off Jeff Baker’s bat. Ryan Theriot pops out behind second. Milton Bradley sends one up into the wind and it’s carried out to center to make it 12-5. D. Lee doubles to left center. Clippard pops up Aramis Ramirez foul of third to end the seventh.
Tom Gorzelanny takes over in the eighth. Willie Harris lines out to MIlton Bradley in right. Cristian Guzman stares a low fastball in for a called strike three. Ryan Zimmerman takes a two-out walk. Adam Dunn makes Zimmerman jump back before he moves to third on a line drive single. Josh Willingham takes a fastball inside out to left and GONE!!! Three-run HR!!! 15-5!!! Ronnie Belliard lines to left to end it...Saul "Sa-ool" Rivera gets a ground ball from Fukudome to short, but Guzman drops it. Jake Fox fouls strike three into Nieves’ glove. Geovany Soto K’s swinging over a two-strike Rivera curve. Groundout to Belliard at first from pinch hitter Sam Fuld to end the eighth.
Elijah Dukes walks to start the ninth. Wil Nieves gets robbed of a single by Jeff Baker who makes a glove toss to Theriot who throws to first for the DP. Alberto Gonzalez grounds out to third to end the DC ninth...Saul Rivera vs Jeff Baker. HR to left center for Baker, solo shot, 15-6 DC. Ryan Theriot grounds out to short. Milton Bradley singles to center with one down. Bradley steals second with Derrek Lee up. D.Lee lines out to center. Fukudome pops out to short, Nationals win.
Nationals now 45-81.