Today's Top 5:
5. Lannan = Big Story Of The Day: Optioned to Double-A Harrisburg so he can work with his old pitching coach from Potomac, Randy Tomlin, who worked with Lannan when the then-22-year-old left-hander was (6-0) in 8 starts and 50.0 IP for the P-Nats before Lannan rose through the system to reach the Majors from High-A ball before July of that season was over. Lannan is replaced on the Nats' roster by RHP Joel Peralta, who was (2-0) with a 1.08 ERA and 20 saves in 28 G and 33.1 IP over which he's allowed 1.9 BB/9 and struck out 10.3 K/9 while posting a 0.93 WHIP at Trlple-A Syracuse after having signed with Washington this past winter.
• Further Reading:
• NATIONALS NEWS NETWORK - Dave Nichols: "Lannan's Struggles: Mechanics, Injury or Dumb Luck?"
4. Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me? - souldrummer (ed. note -"The DC Faithful won't stop asking this.") Michael Morse gets a cut fastball up and inside from the KC Royals' lefty Bruce Chen and he launches it to left, further back than I've seen anyone hit a HR in Nationals Park since it opened, almost onto the center field concourse...Michael Morse wants to play. 1-0 Nats in the second on Michael Morse's 3rd HR of 2010. From @NatsTownNews on Twitter:
"When in the starting lineup this season, Michael Morse is hitting .428 (12-for-28) with 3 homers and 4 RBI in 9 games. #Nats"
3. I HATE Leadoff Walks: Michael Morse gives the Nationals a 1-0 lead in the second? Livan Hernandez walks Yuniesky Betancourt to start the top of the third, Bruce Chen bunts him over, Billy Butler's double to left moves Betancourt to third and Jason Kendall's groundout scores the leadoff walk for the tying run, 1-1. The Kansas City Royals put the lead runner on in seven of nine innings, but only the leadoff walk manages to cross...
2. The GUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!: Cristian Guzman hits his first HR since August 23, 2009. Bruce Chen hangs a slider inside to the Guzzzzzz, who gets it over the wall and into the visitor's bullpen for his first HR of 2010. Guzman goes 1 for 3 with a HR and a walk....a HR and a walk? When was the last time the Guzzzzzz did that? July 28th 2009...before that...August 8th...of 2004.
1. No One Runs On Pudge Tonight!! - brook!! : Scott Podsenik singles to start the first, and one out later he's thrown out trying to take second on Future Hall of Fame catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez!!! David DeJesus grounds out to end the first...Mike Aviles singles to start the fifth. Yuniesky Betancourt tries to make contact cause Aviles is running, but Betancourt comes up empty and Pudge nails Aviles!! Back-to-back singles to start the seventh. Alberto Callaspo singles to right. Mike Aviles beats a weak grounder to first when Livan can't get over to the bag in time. Two on no outs. Betancourt squares to bunt and misses, Pudge throws to second with Aviles too far off the bag and picks Aviles off!! Ian Desmond blocks the bag and Aviles can't reach it!! No one runs on Pudge, who frames all three strike threes from Matt Capps in the ninth as the Nationals snap their six-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Royals!!
• Miss The Game?The DC Faithful Were Watching...
| Num | Name - Comments |
|---|---|
| 1 | souldrummer - 112 |
| 2 | MissB - 77 |
| 3 | grizzy - 71 |
| 4 | RoscoeNats - 43 |
| 5 | brook - 35 |
| 6 | John Quinn - 33 |
| 7 | RobBobs - 25 |
| 8 | Doghouse - 16 |
| 9 | bluelineswinger - 16 |
| 10 | natsstats - 13 |
| 11 | martins - 11 |
• Final Score: Nationals 2, Royals 1.
Nationals now 32-29.
FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Mr. National Himself Livan Hernandez gives up a leadoff single to center to Scott Podsednik. Jason Kendall flies out to right for the first out of the evening. Ivan Rodriguez nails Podsednik trying for second with David DeJesus up. Ground ball to short, Desmond throws out DeJesus and it's a scoreless frame for Livan...Nyjer Morgan lines to center for a leadoff single off Royals' left-hander Bruce Chen. With Ryan Zimmerman up, Nyjer Morgan's picked off first and tagged at second. Zimmerman walks with two down, but Adam Dunn's fly ball to right ends the first.
2 - Billy Butler doubles to left to start the Nats' second. Jose Guillen grounds back to the mound, Livan fields and throws to first, one down. Livan Hernandez throws a two-strike two-seamer inside that breaks back in for a called strike three on Alberto Callaspo. Two down. Mike Aviles K's chasing a slooow bender outside...Josh Willingham pops out to Yuniesky Betancourt behind second. Ivan Rodriguez lines to second, two down. Michael Morse gets hold of a hanger and launches it to left and almost onto the concourse beyond center, didn't miss by much, 1-0 Nats. Ian Desmond flies to left to end the second.
3 - Yuniesky Betancourt starts the third with a leadoff walk. Bruce Chen gets a sac bunt down. One out. Scott Podsednik doubles to left-center moving Betancourt to third. Ian Desmond throws to first to get Jason Kendall, Betacourt scores. 1-1 game. David DeJesus lines to deep center, Nyjer Morgan tracks it and goes up the wall to bring it down, brilliant catch by Morgan, 1-1 game in the third...Livan Hernandez flies out to straight center. One down. Nyjer Morgan walks with one down, but Guzman lets Chen off the hook with a DP grounder to second, Aviles to Betancourt, who leaps over Morgan and throws to first, 1-1 after three.
4 - Billy Butler grounds to Desmond at short to start the fourth. Jose Guillen flies out to Nyjer Morgan in center, two down. Alberto Callaspo grounds to first to end a 1-2-3 fourth for Livan...Ryan Zimmerman takes a leadoff walk from Bruce Chen. Adam Dunn gets to the warning track in right where Jose Guillen grabs it. Josh Willingham K's swinging through a 2-2 changeup. Ivan Rodriguez takes strike three from Chen, 1-1 after four.
5 - Mike Aviles singles to center to start the Royals' fifth. Yuniesky Betancourt's up and he swings and misses with Aviles running, Pudge nails him at second. Betacourt takes strike three. Two down. Bruce Chen lines to center. Scott Podsednik does the same. Two on, two out. Jason Kendall grounds sharply to third, Zim backhands it and steps on the bag...Michael Morse flies out Podsednik in left, one down in the Nats' fifth. Ian Desmond goes down swinging, Livan flies out to center to end the fifth. Still 1-1.
6 - David DeJesus flies out to left, Hammer gets there to make the grab. Livan Hernandez gets Billy Butler swinging for the second out. Jose Guillen grounds to short, Desmond guns him down...Nyjer Morgan grounds back to the mound, one down. Cristian Guzman goes DEEEEEEEEEEEEP TO LEFT ON A HANGING CURVE!!! Guzman's first HR of the year, 2-1 Nats!!! Zimmerman takes a one-out walk. Dunn pops out to third, two down. Josh Willingham pops out to short to end the sixth, 2-1 Nats.
7 - Alberto Callaspo singles to right to start the Royals' seventh. Mike Aviles beats out a weak grounder to first to put two men on. Bunt attempt by Betancourt, and he misses, Pudge fires to second, Desmond blocks the bag, and Callaspo's a goner!! PUDGE!!! Betancourt flies out to center. Two down. Wilson Betemit stares strike three all the way in...Robinson Tejada gets Pudge swinging to start the Nats' seventh. Michael Morse lines out to third. Ian Desmond goes down swinging through a 96mph heater.
8 - Tyler Clippard takes over for Livan in the eighth. Single to right from Podsednik, who lines to right for his fourth hit of the night. Jason Kendall gets a bunt down, Dunn makes the play and throw. David DeJesus pops up to Zimmerman in front of the mound. Billy Butler K's swinging at a rising heater!!!! 2-1 Nats in the eighth...Roger Bernadina singles to right in his first AB. Nyjer Morgan bunts Bernadina over. One down. Cristian Guzman walks with one out. Ryan Zimmerman with two on, one out, swinging K. Dunn's got a two-out shot. Pops up foul of first, 2-1 Nats after eight. Here comes Capps...
9 - Jose Guillen singles to center to start the ninth. Willie Bloomquist on to run. Alberto Callaspo's up with one on. Two-strike heater inside for a called strike three on Callaspo!!! Mike Aviles up, Bloomquist runs, Aviles singles to right, first and third on the hit and run single. Yuniesky Betancourt stares strike three all the way in to the low outside corner for a called third strike!!! Mitch Maier stares at strike three!!! THE NATIONALS WIN!!!