Tonight's Top 5:
5. Brad Lincoln Meet Adam Dunn. Dunn, Mr. Lincoln: The Pirates had their '06 1st Round pick Brad Lincoln debuting tonight in Nationals Park, one night after Nats' right-hander Stephen Strasburg made his first Major League start in front of a packed house of over 40,000 fans. There were about 22,000 less fans in attendance tonight, but the 18,000 who were there saw the Pirates' prospect make the mistake of issuing a two-out walk early in the first that gave Adam Dunn an RBI opp with two down and one on. Then Lincoln made another mistake, challenging the Nats' 30-year-old left-handed-hitting slugger with a 94mph 1-1 fastball that Dunn sent out to right center over the out-of-town scoreboard for a 2-0 Nationals' lead after one.
4. Roger Bernadina Wants To Play!!: Roger Bernadina doubled to lead off the Nats' second but three outs later was stranded at third. Bernadina's second double of the game off Bucs' right-hander Brad Lincoln scored Josh Willingham from first after Hammer's one-out single, and Bernadina scored himself when Ian Desmond lined his own RBI double to center to make it 5-4 Nats a half-inning before the Pirates tied it at 5-5. Bernadina singled and stole a base in the eighth to finish the night 3 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI.
3. Lannan Leaves Early: 86 pitches in 4.2 IP? John Lannan struggled on the mound Wednesday night, walking 3 and giving up 10 hits to the Pirates before being lifted early having surrendered a run in the fifth to blow the second lead the Nats' had given their left-handed starter. Pittsburgh gets just one extra base hit off Lannan, a leadoff double by Lastings Milledge in the fifth, and a run-scoring single by the opposing pitcher Brad Lincoln scores Milledge and chases Lannan with the score tied at 5-5 after five.
2. Off Carrasco's Stirrups!!: After Nats' right-hander Drew Storen gets a double play from Bucs' catcher Jason Jaramillo to erase a leadoff single by Lastings Milledge and end the top of the seventh, the Nats take the lead in the bottom of the frame when Cristian Guzman singles off Pirates' right-hander D.J. Carrasco and scores when Ryan Zimmerman hits a low-liner off the relievers high socks and into the outfield in short right for Zimmerman's 34th RBI of 2008. 6-5 Nats, and Storen gets the win after a scoreless inning of relief by Tyler Clippard and...
1. Let's Go CAPPS!!!: For the second night in a row the Nats call on Matt Capps and the closer locks it down, earning his 20th save of 2010 and giving Drew Storen his second major league win, (W, 2-0). After blowing 3 of 4 save opportunities, Capps has converted three of four to calm some fears. The right-hander has, however, allowed 18 hits and 6 ER in his last 7.0 IP. At least the DC Faithful can stop the "Do we have to replace Capps" talk for now...
• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching:
| Num | Name - Comments |
|---|---|
| 1 | souldrummer - 130 |
| 2 | grizzy - 95 |
| 3 | Nationpastime9 - 55 |
| 4 | MissB - 48 |
| 5 | RobBobS - 30 |
| 6 | RoscoeNats - 29 |
| 7 | d_c_guy - 27 |
| 8 | yankee country - 19 |
| 9 | Fakey51 - 6 |
• Final Score: Nats 7, Pirates 5.
FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Jose Tabata's got an infield hit off Nats' lefty John Lannan when his hard chopper ties Ian Desmond up. Ryan Zimmerman charges on a bunt by Neil Walker, but the throw to first is late. Andrew McCutchen's way out in front of a 2-2 change and he K's swinging. Garrett Jones pops out to the infield. Two down. Andy LaRoche walks to load the bases but Lastings Milledge pops out to Dunn to end the Pirates' first...Jose Tabata gets under Cristian Guzman's fly ball to left. Nyjer Morgan flies out to right field for Lastings Milledge, but debuting right-hander Brad Lincoln walks Ryan Zimmerman with two down. SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!! Adam Dunn hits his second HR in two games, deeep to right and over the out-of-town scoreboard for a 2-0 Nats' lead. Josh Willingham flies out to center to end the first.
2 - Lannan gets a line drive to short from Pirates' shortstop Ronny Cedeno. Roger Bernadina and Cristian Guzman almost collide but Bernie catches Jason Jaramillo's foul pop. Brad Lincoln singles with two down, but Lannan gets a fly ball to right out of Tabata to hold the Pirates scoreless through two...Roger Bernadina lines to right on a fastball inside from Lincoln for a leadoff double. Ian Desmond flies out to right unproductively. Wil Nieves grounds out to second, Lannan K's swinging.
3 - Neil Walker flies out to Nyjer Morgan in center. One down. John Lannan misses with a 3-2 fastball to McCutchen and issues a one-out walk. Garrett Jones singles to right to put two on, and both runners steal with Andy LaRoche at bat. LaRoche hits an RBI groundout to short to cut the Nats' lead in half, 2-1. Lastings Milledge singles to center with two down, Garrett Jones scores and Milledge takes second when Nyjer Morgan's throw in bounces off the mound. 2-2. Ronny Cedeno's single scores Milledge from second and Nyjer Morgan makes another errant throw. Cedeno on second, 3-2 Pirates. Lannan walks Jason Jaramillo to get to the pitcher, and Brad Lincoln's groundout ends the third...Cristian Guzman grounds out to second, Nyjer Morgan grounds out to first, and Ryan Zimmerman's pop-up ends the third.
4 - Jose Tabata reaches on his second infield single and steals second with Neil Walker at bat. Walker's single to center off Lannan makes it 4-2 Pirates in the fourth. Walker steals second and takes third when Wil Nieves bounces the throw past second. Garrett Jones K's swinging through a 2-2 change. Andy LaRoche grounds out to first to end the Bucs' fourth...Adam Dunn lines out to start the Nats' fourth, but Willingham reaches on a one-hopper to third that bounces of LaRoche's shoulder. Roger Bernadina hits his second double of the game to right to score Willingham and makes it 4-3, and it's 4-4 when Desmond lines to right and Milledge dives and misses it. Wil Nieves flies out to right. John Lannan grounds to short and Ronny Cedeno misses it, 5-4 Nats as Desmond scores. Guzman pops out to third to end the fourth.
5 - Lastings Milledge singles by Adam Dunn at first and down the line in right for a leadoff double. Ronny Cedeno flies out to center, but Milledge doesn't move up. Jason Jaramillo flies out to center, two down. Brad Lincoln singles Milledge in and chases Lannan, 5-5 game. Tyler Walker takes over for Lannan, and walks Jose Tabata before a line drive from Neil Walker ends the top of the fifth...Nyjer Morgan starts the Nats' fifth with a line drive to Neil Walker at second, one down. Ryan Zimmerman gets punched out on a called strike three. Adam Dunn K's swinging to end the fifth.
6 - Andrew McCutchen flies out to Roger Bernadina in right. Tyler Walker walks Garret Jones with one down, but gets a DP grounder from Andy LaRoche to Zim, to Guzman and Dunn double play....Josh Willingham lines through short to start the Nats' sixth. Roger Bernadina flies out to Milledge in right. Ian Desmond grounds out to third, and it's up to Wil Nieves to knock the Hammer in. NIeves gets pitched around and Willie Harris grounds out, 5-5 game after six.
7 - Drew Storen starts the seventh against Lastings Milledge, who singles to right on a hanging curve inside. Ronny Cedeno flies out to center. Drew Storen gets a DP grounder from Jason Jaramillo, to Desmond to Dunn double play to end the Pirates' seventh...D.J. Carrasco gives up a leadoff single by by Cristian Guzman, who moves to second on Nyjer Morgan's bunt. Ryan Zimmerman hits a low liner off the pitcher's leg and it bounces out to right, Guzman scores, 6-5 Nats. Adam Dunn pops out to short. Zim's caught stealing with Willingham at bat.
8 - Tyler Clippard gets Aki Iwamura looking for the first out of the eighth. Jose Tabata lines to right center, Bernadina has it, and Bernadina gets the third out too off of Neil Walker's bat...Brendan Donnelly walks Josh Willingham to start the Nats' eighth. Roger Bernadina goes back up th middle for a single with Hammer running, first and third. Ian Desmond pops out to short. Ian Desmond flies out to center and it's a sac fly when Willingham scores, 7-5 Nats. Roger Bernadina steals second ahead of Jaramillo's throw. Adam Kennedy walks with two down, but the Guz grounds out to end the eighth.
9 - Matt Capps gets a grounder to short from McCutchen, one down. Garrett Jones flies to left and WIllingham twists in the win and loses it. One-out double. Andy LaRoche grounds out to short, TWO!!! Lastings MIlledge pops up to short left, Adam Kennedy makes the catch, ballgame. 7-5 Nats.