Tonight's Top 5:
5. Walks? From Martin?: J.D. Martin, who'd walked just two runners in his first 5 starts, walked two in the bottom of the first but allowed just one run to cross the plate on an RBI double by Brian McCann. The Nats' 27-year-old right-hander gives up a leadoff double to Martin Prado that sails over Nyjer Morgan's head in center and a two-out RBI double by Brian McCann that soars over Josh Willingham in left and off the wall. 1-0 Braves. Troy Glaus takes a two-out walk and another walk to Eric Hinske loads the bases for Yunel Escobar who pops out to the infield. Two doubles + two walks = one run...not bad.
4. 96 Pitches Through 5.0: J.D. Martin retires 6 of the next 7 batters he faces, giving up only a one-out single to Chipper Jones. The Braves get to Martin in the fourth, however, with Eric Hinske and Gregor Blanco singling before Jair Jurrjens squared to bunt, pulled back and singled by a pulled-in Zimmerman at third to score Hinske, 2-0, and set Blanco up at third for a sac fly by Martin Prado that made it 3-0 Braves. That's it for Martin: 5.0 IP, 6 hits, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's, 96 pitches, 57 strikes, 3 groundouts, 10 flyouts.
3. Jurrjens Appears To Be Back: In his first start for the Braves since April 29th, 24-year-old Jair Jurrjens, (who's been in the Minors recovering from a hamstring injury after struggling through shoulder problems and getting hit hard early this season), gives up two doubles, two singles and a walk in 5.0 scoreless innings pitched before surrendering back-to-back singles and a base-loading walk to start the sixth. Peter Moylan gets a DP grounder from Pudge Rodriguez to let the one run Jurrjens allows score. Jurrjen's Line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K's, 85 pitches, 56 strikes.
2. RISP FAIL: Nats' 6th -- Ryan Zimmerman almost takes a fastball in the earhole, but bounces back and lines the next pitch into left for a leadoff single in the Nats' sixth. Adam Dunn lines a single through the shift. Josh Willingham walks to load the bases and chase Jair Jurrjens. Braves' right-hander Peter Moylan gets a DP grounder from Pudge Rodriguez, that scores a run, 3-1 Braves, but after a walk to Cristian Guzman, Moylan strikes out Alberto Gonzalez and it's 3-1 Braves after five and a half. Bases loaded, one out and just 1 run scores. The Nats go 0 for 9 with RISP, with 8 LOB.
1. Riggleman Takes Mannygering To New Heights: Joel Peralta hits Yunel Escobar in the ribs with a fastball, but otherwise pitches a scoreless sixth, and Ian Desmond replaces Peralta to lead off the seventh at the plate. Desmond grounds out on a first-pitch fastball from Braves' lefty Jonny Venters. Nyjer Morgan gets on with one out with a perfect bunt down the first base line. Nats' Skipper Jim Riggleman sends Michael Morse to the plate in place of starting right fielder Roger Bernadina (0 for 3, 4 LOB). Morse grounds into a double play. Morse is replaced by pitcher Doug Slaten and Ian Desmond goes out to right field? I thought this was over with? Slaten walks Chipper Jones, hits Brian McCann. Miguel Batista replaces Slaten. Desmond goes to short. Alberto Gonzalez, the starting SS, goes to right. Desmond - 1 GP in RF. Alberto Gonzalez - 0 GP in RF...Miguel Batista pops up Troy Glaus before walking Eric Hinske to force in the Braves' fourth run, 4-1...Yunel Escobar K's looking so neither Gonzalez or Desmond's tested when in right. Nats fan's patience....tested.
• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...
| Num | Name - Comments |
|---|---|
| 1 | Doghouse - 98 |
| 2 | souldrummer - 83 |
| 3 | RobBobS - 80 |
| 4 | MissB - 41 |
| 5 | brook - 32 |
| 6 | bluelineswinger - 19 |
| 7 | BloggerVance - 19 |
| 8 | SeanMac1 -11 |
| 9 | cat daddy3000 - 9 |
• Final Score: Braves 4, Nationals 1.
Nationals now 34-45.
FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Nyjer Morgan's bunt attempt is foiled by Chipper Jones' barehanded play. Roger Bernadina K's swinging at a 2-2 fastball low out of the zone. Zim K's swinging on a two-strike fastball upstairs...J.D. Martin faces Martin Prado to start the Braves' first. Prado doubles over Nyjer Morgan's head in center and off the wall. Melky Cabrera pops out to Cristian Guzman back a step onto the right field grass. Chipper Jones doesn't get enough of a fly ball to left. Prado tries Willingham's arm out, and beats him to third. Brian McCann doubles over Josh Willingham's head for a two-out RBI double. 1-0 Braves. Troy Glaus works the count full after starting 0-2 and takes a two-out walk from J.D. Martin. Eric Hinske walks to load the bases, but Martin pops Yunel Escobar up to end the first having surrendered just one run.
2 - Adam Dunn doubles to left center when Eric Hinske traps a line drive to the gap. Josh Willingham K's swinging. Pudge Rodriguez moves Dunn to third with a groundout to second. Cristian Guzman K's staring at a fastball outside for a called strike three...Gregor Blanco grounds out to Alberto Gonzalez at short. Jair Jurrjens K's chasing. Martin Prado's out on a grounder to second that Guzman backhands before throwing to first.
3 - Alberto Gonzalez grounds toward short, Chipper Jones cuts it off. J.D. Martin gets hold of a hanging slider and drives it past third for a one-out double into the corner. Nyjer Morgan chases an 0-2 fastball outside. Roger Bernadina pops up on the first pitch he sees...Melky Cabrera flies out to right. One down. Chipper Jones crushes a high fastball to center for a single. Brian McCann pops out to Ryan Zimmerman foul of third. Troy Glaus flies out to Nyjer Morgan in center to end the third.
4 - Ryan Zimmerman pops out to second on a fastball inside. Adam Dunn pops out to Chipper foul of third on a 3-0 pitch. Josh Willingham K's chasing a fastball up high and inside...Eric Hinske lines one off the mound and into center. J.D. Martin gets Yunel Escobar to pop a 2-1 cutter up to Guzman at second. One down. Gregor Blanco lines to center on one hop. Two on for Jurrjens. Jair Jurrjens squares to bunt, pulls back and lines by third for an RBI single. Martin Prado flies out to Willingham in left. Blanco scores without a throw. Ryan Zimmerman gets to the wall for a foul pop and a fan interferes, so Melky Cabrera's out.
5 - Pudge Rodriguez lines one right at Jair Jurrjens, who deflects it and recovers to make the play. Cristian Guzman hits a slap single over short. Alberto Gonzalez gets a grounder by the mound for a one-out single to center. J.D. Martin gets the sac bunt down. Nyjer Morgan takes a two-out walk to get Bernadina up. Jurrjens gets a grounder to second with a 0-1 fastball, 1-0 Braves in the fifth...Chipper Jones grounds out to Guzman at second. Brian McCann pops a 1-1 change up to Morgan in center. Troy Glaus stares a big bender in for a called strike three.
6 - Ryan Zimmerman almost gets hit in the head and lines to left on the next pitch. Adam Dunn lines a single through the shift to put two on for the Hammer. Jurrjens gets a low fastball by McCann's glove. Second and third for the Hammer. Walk. Bases loaded. Pudge Rodriguez will see a new pitcher, Peter Moylan. DP grounder to third, Escobar to Prado to Glaus. Run scores, 3-1 Atlanta. Cristian Guzman takes a two-out walk. Alberto Gonzalez goes down swinging...Joel Peralta replaces J.D. Martin. Hinske flies out to Nyjer Morgan on the center field warning track. Peralta hits Escobar in the ribs. Gregor Blanco flies to foul territory in the left field corner, but the Hammer gets there. Pinch hitter Brooks Conrad K's looking at a fastball that's honestly outside.
7 - Jonny Venters gets a groundout to short from Ian Desmond on the first pitch he throws. Nyjer Morgan reaches safely on a bunt single. Mike Morse hits for Bernadina, or more accurately grounds into a DP...Doug Slaten gets a grounder to second from Martin Prado, and Dunn picks Guzman's low throw. Melky Cabrera gets hit on the foot. Chipper Jones walks to put two on for McCann who takes a fastball on the wrist. Bases loaded.Troy Glaus pops up on the first pitch from Miguel Batista. Eric Hinske walks to force in a run. 4-1 Braves. Yunel Escobar's called out on strikes and does not like it.
8 - Ryan Zimmerman vs Takaski Saito. Swinging K, Zim down chasing a bender outside. Adam Dunn tips strike three into McCann's glove. Josh Willingham pops out to end the Nats' eighth...Gregor Blanco grounds to second, Guzman backhands but throws short of first, infield single. Omar Infante pops out on a bunt attempt. Martin Prado's up. Blanco's thrown out going for second. Prado grounds to short, Desmond makes the play.
9 - Pudge Rodriguez lines a single to right off Billy Wagner to start the ninth. Cristian Guzman K's looking at a slider outside. Alberto Gonzalez goes down swinging at a slider inside. Ian Desmond up. Pudge takes second. Desmond K's trying to check his swing on a slider inside. Ballgame.