Tonight's Top 5:
5. NHMIMHA!!!: A leadoff single, stolen base, wild pitch and RBI double!!! 1-0 Nats. Nyjer Morgan singles to start the Nats' first, steals second as Cristian Guzman K's, takes third on a wild pitch by 'Stros' starter Wandy Rodriguez and scores on a line drive double by Adam Dunn, 1-0 Nats.
4. Morgan Caught Stealing? Stop Sign? When I asked Nats' skipper Jim Riggleman during a pregame press conference earlier this season if he'd ever considered taking away Nyjer Morgan's green light to run as he pleases, Mr. Riggleman responded, "...If I put the reins on him, then it's just, his value to us goes way down if I hold him up too much." Morgan stole second successfully in the first inning tonight, but after Morgan singled to start the fifth, and Cristian Guzman popped out, failing to advance the runner, Morgan attempted to do it himself, and got picked off by the Astros' left-hander Wandy Rodriguez. Turning a leadoff single into two outs with no one on. The Nats' 29-year-old center fielder's been caught in 9 of 21 attempts through 52 games, does he continue to get the green light?
3. Eight Stranded, Eight K's through 5.0 for Wandy Rodriguez. With two runners on and one out in the first, Wandy Rodriguez is able to pop Josh Willingham up and strike out Ian Desmond. In the fourth the Nats load the bases with one out, and Rodriguez strikes out the opposing catcher and pitcher to end any threat. The left-handed Astros' starter gives up a two-out single and walk in the fifth and Humberto Quintero interferes with Willingham's swing, so the bases are once again loaded for Ian Desmond who grounds out to to Tommy Manzella at short. Wandy Rodriguez is done after 5.0 IP, 5 hits, 3 walks, 1 ER and 8 K's. The Nats go 1 for 6 with RISP. Ian Desmond strands 5, Nieves 4.
2. 3 E's On Desi, Tough Night: Runners on first and second with one out in the Astros' sixth, and shortstop Tommy Manzella grounds sharply to Adam Dunn at first, Dunn throws low to second, Ian Desmond makes the catch, but misses the bag, and his throw to first is behind the covering pitcher, John Lannan, who watches it pass behind him and head for the first base dugout. Error on the catch and throw for Desmond, who bobbles a grounder from Lance Berkman in the seventh for his team-leading 14th error in 50 games.
1. Lannan Cool Through 6.1: El Caballo, Carlos Lee's third-inning two-run HR off DC lefty John Lannan was all the Astros would need to beat Washington tonight, as the Nats' offered just one run of support. Lannan got 12 groundouts, 4 flyouts, 2 K's, gave up 2 walks, and just the 2 ER on a first pitch fastball to El Caballo, with the other three runs Houston scores with Lannan on the mound coming after Desmond's errors. Lannan takes the loss (L,2-3), throws 99 pitches, 66 for strikes, and holds the Nationals close until Hunter Pence's two-run double in the seventh puts the game out of reach.
Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...
| Num | Name - Comments |
|---|---|
| 1 | souldrummer - 148 |
| 2 | Doghouse - 112 |
| 3 | grizzy - 80 |
| 4 | MissB - 52 |
| 5 | natsstats - 50 |
| 6 | brook - 35 |
| 7 | RoscoeNats - 30 |
| 8 | Nationalpastiime9 - 25 |
| 9 | bluelineswinger - 15 |
• Final Score: Astros 5, Nats 1.
FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Nyjer Morgan starts the game with a single to right off Astros' right-hander Wandy Rodriguez. Cristian Guzman K's swinging, but Morgan advances himself, stealing second. A wild pitch with Adam Dunn up moves Morgan to third, and Dunn's double scores him for an early 1-0 Nats' lead. Zimmerman walks to put two on for Willingham, who flies to left and Ian Desmond, who K's looking, Rodriguez limits the damage...Michael Bourn bunts the first pitch back to the mound, Lannan handles it. One down. Jeff Keppinger walks and Lance Berkman moves him to second on a single through short. El Caballo Carlos Lee grounds into a DP, Guzman at second to Desmond to Dunn, double play.
2 - Mike Morse leads off in the Nats' second. Swinging K on a fastball outside, one down. Wandy Rodriguez gets a fly ball to right from Wil Nieves. John Lannan K's looking to end the top of the second...Hunter Pence leads off the bottom of the frame with a groundout to Ian Desmond at short. Pedro Feliz lifts a single to center. Tommy Manzella gets a bunt down with Zimmerman playing back, no chance. Two on, one out. Humberto Quintero flies out to Michael Morse in right. Wandy Rodriguez K's swinging.
3 - Morgan grounds to first, Lance Berkman makes a diving play and toss to the pitcher, one down. Cristian Guzman grounds out to Manzella at short and Adam Dunn K's chasing a curve, 1-0 Nats...Michael Bourn singles to center to start the Astros' third. John Lannan gets a grounder from Keppinger, but only the out at first. Michael Bourn tags and takes third on Lance Berkman's lineout to center. Carlos Lee lines one to left center and deep, over the arches in the wall and above the yellow line, two-run HR, 2-1 Astros. Hunter Pence grounds to short, Desmond throws him out.
4 - Ryan Zimmerman K's chasing a curve into the dirt, one down. Josh Willingham gets hit with one of Rodriguez's curves. Ian Desmond doubles to left, Hammer goes first to third. Michael Morse gets an RBI opp, but simply walks to load the bases. Wil Nieves K's looking. John Lannan's called out on a check swing strike three...Cristian Guzman gets dirty getting to a grounder from Pedro Feliz. Lannan gets a pop fly to center from Tommy Manzella. Two down. Humberto Quintero singles to center, but Lannan gets Wandy Rodriguez swinging.
5 - Nyjer Morgan lines a single to short center to start the Nats' fifth. Cristian Guzman pops out to second, one down. Adam Dunn up, Morgan's picked off first by Wandy Rodriguez, throw to second gets him. Two down. Dunn singles to right in front of Zimmerman. Zim walks. Willingham K's but gets first base when the Ump calls catcher's interference. Ian Desmond up with the bases loaded. Groundout to short, three stranded...Michael Bourn flies out to Josh Willingham in left, one down. Zimmerman gets to a grounder from Keppinger and throws to first for the second out. Berkman grounds out to Dunn. 2-1 Astros after five.
6 - Mike Morse's grounder to second starts the sixth. Wilton Lopez gets Wil Nieves chasing and gets Lannan swinging for a quick 12-pitch frame...El Caballo, Carlos Lee, singles to start the Astros' sixth. Hunter Pence grounds into a force at second, but beats the DP throw to first. One down. Pedro Feliz lines a single to center, Pence to second. Tommy Manzella grounds to first, Dunn throws to second, Desmond misses the bag, and the throw to first gets by Lannan, everyone's safe, Pence scores, 3-1. Feliz to third. Squeeze attempt by Quintero, Lannan fields and tosses to Nieves who tags Feliz, he's out. Still 3-1 Astros. Two down. Jason Michaels flies to right to end the sixth.
7 - Nyjer Morgan K's swinging on a sweeping two-strike slider. Tim Byrdak gets a groundout from Guzman, but gives up a two-out single to Adam Dunn. New pitcher. Casey Daigle takes over against Ryan Zimmerman. Zim grounds to second and Manzella tosses to Keppinger for the force...Michael Bourn grounds out to second. Jeff Keppinger shoots a single into left. Grounder to short from Berkman, Desmond drops it. Desi's 3rd E of the evening. Carlos Lee vs Tyler Walker. Lee pops up, two down. Hunter Pence breaks it open with a fly to center that Morgan can't get to, Keppinger and Berkman score, 5-1 Astros. Walker gets Pedro Feliz to ground out to Desmond at short to end the Astros' seventh.
8 - Casey Daigle vs Willingham to start the eighth. Grounder to third, one down. Ian Desmond's down 0-2, works the count full and flies out to center. Michael Morse singles with two down, but WIl NIeves grounds into a force at second to end the Nats' eighth...Tyler Walker gets Tommy Manzella swinging, one down. Humberto Quintero K's swinging. Tyler Walker gets a fly to center from Cory Sullivan to end the eighth.
9 - Adam Kennedy vs Gustavo Chacin. Kennedy K's swinging. One down. Nyjer Morgan K's swinging, and Chacin pops Alberto Gonzalez up to end it, 5-1 Astros.