• Today's Top 5:
5. Turn Go Sign Off Now: Nyjer Morgan walks to start the first as the Florida Marlins' 21-year-old right-hander Alex Sanabia tries to get a read on the home plate Ump's strike zone. I know he's running. You know he's running. Marlins' catcher Ronny Paulino know he's running, and the Fish backstop erases the runner for the young pitcher when the Nats' leadoff man tries to turn the free pass into a double...Nyjer Morgan's now been caught stealing in 13 of 34 stolen base attempts this season. Back in April, when Morgan had been caught stealing in 3 of 7 attempts, I asked Nats' Skipper Jim Riggleman what it would take before he took the green light away from Morgan, but in his mind, "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's hitting .255 on the year after going 1 for 3 with a walk today, and his .316 OBP and .317 SLG combined with 13 CS...how much lower can his value go? Is this a leadoff hitter? When is that second-half bump supposed to start again?
4. LOB Killing Nats: The Nats get leadoff walks to start each of the first two innings and get two runners on with no outs in the second and third without putting any runs on the board. After Adam Dunn K's swinging with the bases loaded in the third, the Nationals are 0 for 15 with RISP in the last two games, 9 last night and 6 through four innings today. The Nats' end the Sunday matinee with the Marlins 0 for 9 with RISP for the second-straight game, 0 for 18 in two shutout losses in which they collect 19 hits. The Nats' big middle-of-the-order bats, Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham are a combined 1 for 7 with 3 K's today, the one hit a Hammer single, two of the K's Dunn's and 10 LOB between them, 5 each in a 1-0 loss.
3. No Support For Stammen: The Nats have scored 3 runs total in 3 starts by Craig Stammen against the Florida Marlins this season, one run in a 7-1 loss to the Marlins in Florida, two in a 4-2 loss to the Fish in DC on May 7th, and no support at all today as Stammen throws 6.0 innings and gives up just 6 hits, 3 walks and 1 ER while striking out 6 Florida batters and even singling to start the third before the big middle-of-the-order bats came up empty. The Marlins' Only Run: Of course it's Emilio Bonifacio who scores the one run that Craig Stammen surrenders. Bonifacio rips a sharp liner by Dunn at first, gets to second easily and scores when Stammen hangs a curve up for Gaby Sanchez, who lines to center for the second-straight double and the game's only run. Stammen's Line: (L, 2-4), 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K's, 98 pitches, 62 strikes, 8 groundouts, 4 flyouts, 0 run support.
2. E: 77, E: 9: Bottom of the eighth, Ryan Zimmerman fields a grounder from Dan Uggla and tries another one of his trademark sidearm throws™ to first, but this one sails, for Zimmerman's 9th error the season and the Washington Nationals' MLB-leading 77th error of 2010. But who's counting....
1. Adam Kennedy Must Go?: The Nats once again threaten to score when Adam Kennedy hits a one-out single to center off Marlins' closer Leo Nunez in the ninth. Mike Morse hits for Wil Nieves, and sends the second-straight single to right, Adam Kennedy slips going around second, and gets tagged out trying to get back!! Mike Stanton throws in quickly, Hanley Ramirez makes an alert play, Adam Kennedy is out! But DFA'd? I admit, my initial reaction was, "Just get him out of here," and it's not just that play, or running through the "Go-Go-Stop" sign last night and getting thrown out at the plate, it's the fact that something has to change...But what? Play Alberto Gonzalez more? Bring up the sparkplug Pete Orr?...Maybe telling a veteran infielder, "Thanks, but we can't have a veteran making mistakes like these," and hoping it sends a message will change something...But do something...before the Trade Dunn/Trade Willingham noise overwhelms NatsTown...
• Player Of The Game: RHP - Alex Sanabia - 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 0 ER, 5 K's, 78 pitches, 45 strikes, 5 groundouts, 5 flyouts.
• Miss The Game? THE DC FAITHFUL HAVE HAD IT!!!
| Num | Name - Comments |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jorgath - 102 |
| 2 | Princess Jazzy - 93 |
| 3 | gannett123 - 43 |
| 4 | MissB - 41 |
| 5 | Dave from NNN - 35 |
| 6 | RoscoeNats - 30 |
| 7 | Doghouse - 29 |
| 8 | d_c_guy - 27 |
| 9 | brook - 26 |
| 10 | cat daddy30000 - 24 |
| 11 | rachel216 - 20 |
• Final Score: Marlins 1, Nats 0.
• FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Marlins' right-hander Alejandro "Alex" Sanabia walks the Nats' leadoff man, Nyjer Morgan. With Cristian Guzman up, Morgan's caught trying to steal second on a perfect throw by Ronny Paulino. Guzman flies out to left. Ryan Zimmerman K's swinging to end the Nats' first...Nats' starter Craig Stammen gets Emilio Bonifacio to chase strike three out of the zone. Gaby Sanchez takes a four-pitch walk and Hanley Ramirez lines a single to center to put two on for Dan Uggla. A two-strike bender in the dirt gets Uggla chasing. Jorge Cantu grounds to short, Guzman tosses to Adam Kennedy to end the first.
2 - Adam Dunn takes the second-straight leadoff walk from Alex Sanabia. Josh Willingham lines to left and a nice play by Emilio Bonifacio holds Hammer to a single. Roger Bernadina lines out to left. One down. Adam Kennedy K's chasing a Sanabia change out of the zone away. Wil Nieves grounds out to first, two leadoff runners wasted...Cody Ross flies out to Nyjer Morgan in short center. Mike Stanton chops a grounder to third, Ryan Zimmerman fields and throws to first, in time, Gold Glove Zim does it again. Ronny Paulino flies to center, 0-0 after two.
3 - Craig Stammen sends a soft liner over second for a leadoff single. Nyjer Morgan bunts for a hit to put two on for Cristian Guzman. Guzman K's chasing a change outside. Ryan Zimmerman takes one for the team. Adam Dunn up with the bases loaded after the HBP. Swinging K on a low change that Dunn chases. Josh Willingham grounds out to third to end the threat...Stammen gets the opposing pitcher swinging, one down. Emilio Bonifacio bunts back to Stammen, who throws to first. Gaby Sanchez singles to left with two down. Hanley Ramirez grounds sharply to Zimmerman at third, Zim makes sidearm toss to second for the inning-ending force.
4 - Roger Bernadina flies out to Bonifacio in left, one down for Sanabia. Adam Kennedy skies one to center, two down. Wil Nieves gets his bat shattered by Sanabia and grounds back to the mound to end the Nats' fourth...Dan Uggla grounds back to the mound, Stammen stabs and throws to first. One down. Jorge Cantu K's swinging over a sinking fastball inside. Cody Ross singles to right with two down. Mike Stanton works the count full as Ross steals second. Stammen walks Stanton. Two on, two down. Stammen pitches around Paulino to bring up the pitcher. Sanabia K's swinging on a nasty bender, Stammen leaves the bases loaded.
5 - Craig Stammen K's swinging to start the fifth. Nyjer Morgan grounds out to second, two down. Cristian Guzman grounds out to Gaby Sanchez at first to end the Nats' fifth...Emilio Bonifacio gets a sharp grounder by Dunn at first and down the right field line, leadoff double for Bonifacio. Gaby Sanchez hits the second-straight double, this one to right-center and to the wall for an RBI two-bagger and a 1-0 lead. Hanley Ramirez flies out to right, Sanchez takes third ahead of Bernadina's throw in. Full count to Dan Uggla grounds to short, Guzman throws home to get Sanchez at the plate. Two down. Jorge Cantu grounds into a force at second to end the fifth. 1-0 Fish.
6 - Ryan Zimmerman singles to left off of Sanabia to start the sixth. Adam Dunn flies out to center completely unproductively. Alex Sanabia is done. Josh Willingham vs Brian Sanches. Swinging K on a high 1-2 fastball after Hammer fouls off a few then chases the heater upstairs for strike three. Ryan Zimmerman steals second, but Roger Berndina K's swinging to end the Nats' sixth...Stammen gets Cody Ross swinging to start the Marlins' sixth. Mike Stanton grounds out to short. Ronny Paulino doubles into the right field corner with two down. Pinch hitter Donnie Murphy flies out to right to end the sixth, 1-0 Marlins.
7 - Adam Kennedy vs Jose Veras. Adam Kennedy grounds out to second to start the seventh. Wil Nieves reaches on a grounder to short that Hanley Ramirez misses trying to be fancy. Pinch hitter Willie Harris K's on a called check swing and tells the Ump he disagrees. Nyjer Morgan grounds to second to end the Nats' seventh...Emilio Bonifacio faces new Nats' pitcher Joel Peralta. Swinging K for Bonifacio. Peralta pops up Gaby Sanchez. Two down. Hanley Ramirez lines to short center, Morgan gets there and makes the grab.
8 - Clay Hensley gives up a leadoff single to center to Cristian Guzman. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to Cody Ross in center. One down. Adam Dunn K's swinging over a two-strike curve. Two down. Josh Willingham pops out to Jorge Cantu foul of third, and it's still 1-0 Marlins...Dan Uggla grounds to third, Zimmerman fields and throws it away, awful. E: 76 on the season for the Nats. Jorge Cantu K's swinging, one down. Peralta issues the intentionals to Cody Ross. Mike Stanton pops out to Dunn behind first. Ronny Paulino flies out to Bernadina in right to end the eighth.
9 - Leo Nunez gets Roger Bernadina looking with a brutal two-strike change. Adam Kennedy singles to center with one down in front of pinch hitter Mike Morse. Morse singles through second, Adam Kenne--slips on second and gets tagged out. Oh noes. Justin Maxwell on to run for Morse. Ivan Rodriguez K's swinging to end the game. 1-0 Marlins win.