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Washington Nationals Rally In Rain, Drop Fourth Straight, 8-7 To Cincinnati Reds.

Tonight's Top 5: 

5. Atilano's Back: Luis Atilano was sent down to Triple-A after his last outing on July 8th against San Diego and called back up for tonight's start against Cincinnati with Justin Maxwell getting yo-yo'ed up-and-down again and optioned to Syracuse. Atilano walks the first two Reds he faces tonight before surrendering a three-run HR to Joey Votto that puts Cincinnati up 3-0 before the Nats even come up to bat. The 25-year-old right-hander gives up two walks, a HR and a double in the first, and needs 31 pitches to get through the bottom of the opening inning after Reds' right-hander Mike Leake retires the Nats on 11 pitches in the top of the frame . 3-0 Reds early.

4. Leadoff Walk In The Fourth: Atilano walks Miguel Cairo and gives up a single to Drew Stubbs to put runners on first and thir---make that second and third as Roger Bernadina overthrows the cutoff man with an ill-advised attempt to catch Cairo at third, allowing Stubbs to move up. Ryan Zimmerman shows his frustration after catching the throw on a bounce. Reds' catcher Corky Miller lines to Zim at third, but he can't double up Cairo. Atilano vs Leake, and the opposing pitcher hits an RBI single to center. 4-1 Reds. Orlando Cabrera grounds out to first to allow Stubbs to score, 5-1 Reds. 

• Atilano's Line: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 72 pitches, 41 strikes, 3 groundouts, 7 flyouts.

3. E: 78: Doug Slaten on the mound for the Nats after a 2 hour 40 minute delay. Slaten gives up a leadoff walk to Joey Votto and a single to Jonny Gomes that puts runners on first and third so that Jay Bruce's groundout scores the Reds' sixth run, 6-1. Miguel Cairo singles Gomes over to third, steals second and scores on a Corky Miller grounder to third that the Nats' Gold Glove third baseman throws away. Ryan Zimmerman dives back for a ball he has no business getting, jumps up and fires a rain-soaked one-hopper to first that skips by Nats' first baseman Adam Dunn allowing what will eventually be the winning run to score when Gomes and then Cairo come across, 8-1 Reds. Zimmerman's 10 error, the Nats' league-leading 78th.

2. After 2:41 Nickname Bonanza!!!: After a two-hour and forty-one minute rain delay, Nats' lefty Doug Slaten comes back out and gives up three runs in the bottom of the fifth to turn a 5-1 Reds' lead into an 8-1 lead. Micah Owings starts the sixth on the mound for Cincinnati against Adam Dunn. Dunn walks in front of Ryan Zi--THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! Opposite field, 2-run HR into the corner in right. 8-3 Reds. Josh Willingham takes one in the ribs, and two outs later Adam Kennedy and Willie Harris take back-to-back walks, one each from Owings and former Nats' reliever Bill Bray. Q: "Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me?" - souldrummer) A: Michael MORSE!! Base-clearing triple for Morse off Bray, 8-6 Reds. Ian Desmond doubles to left to score Morse, and takes third on an errant throw in, but Adam Dunn's fly to right ends the sixth with the Nats down by one...

1. Dunn K's Looking: Adam Dunn vs Cincy closer Francisco Cordero. 8-7 Reds. Two down in the ninth. Dunn gets up 3-1, takes a swing and fouls off a fastball. Full count. Dunn takes a low fastball inside that should be ball four but is called strike three at 12:30 am on Wednesday morning. See for yourself. It's no.6. Reds win, 8-7 final. Game time, 2hrs 48 minutes, 2 hour and 40 minute delay, and the Nats can't complete the comeback, dropping their fourth straight game, second to Cincinnati, with two more to play before the Nats leave town...

• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Kept Watching...

Num Name - Comments
1 souldrummer - 154
2 plebescite - 96
3 grizzy - 65
4 RobBobS - 63
5 Jorgath - 50
6 Princess Jazzy - 44
7 Doghouse - 29
8 cat daddy3000 - 22
9 RoscoeNats - 18
10 ryzim22 - 17

• Final Score: Reds 8, Nationals 7. 

Nationals now 40-54.

FULL GAME REPORT: 

1 - Reds' right-hander Mike Leake strikes Nyjer Morgan out to start the second of four games in Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati for the visiting Washington Nationals. Ian Desmond takes a two-strike fastball outside for a called strike three. Adam Dunn grounds out to second to end a quick Nats' first...Nats' right-hander Luis Atilano misses with a low fastball to Orlando Cabrera and walks the Reds' leadoff man. Infielder Paul Janish takes the second Atilano walk. Two on for Joey Votto, who takes Atilano deep to left center and GONE! 3-run HR, 3-0 Reds. Jonny Gomes flies out to right for the first out of the inning. Jay Bruce gets a meaty fastball that he lines to left-center for a one-out double. Miguel Cairo flies out to center for the second out, Bruce takes third. Atilano throws a two-strike fastball by Drew Stubbs inside, swinging K, 3-0 Reds. 

2 - Ryan Zimmerman singles to center to start the Nats' second. Josh Willingham grounds to Orlando Cabrera at short and Paul Janish at second and on to Votto, double play. Roger Bernadina flies out to left and it's a quick second for Leake...Corky Miller starts the Reds' second with a leadoff double to right field. Luis Atilano fields and throws to first on a weak grounder by Leake. Orlando Cabrera flies out to Bernadina in right. Paul Janish flies out to Hammer on the track in left, still 3-0 Reds. 

3 - Pudge Rodriguez flies out to Jay Bruce in right, one down. Adam Kennedy drops a soft fly into short center for a one-out single off Mike Leake. Luis Atilano successfully bunts Kennedy over. Nyjer Morgan singles up the middle to drive the Nats' first run in. 3-1. Ian Desmond grounds to short and into a force at second...Pudge Rodriguez throws Joey Votto out on a weak grounder in front of home. Roger Bernadina tracks down a fly ball off Jonny Gomes' bat. Two down. Jay Bruce pops up behind third, and Ian Desmond calls for it and makes the catch.

4 - Adam Dunn grounds out to first on the first pitch from Leake. Ryan Zimmerman takes a one-out walk from Leake. Drew Stubbs tracks down a fly ball from Josh Willingham, two down. Roger Bernadina's way out in front of a two-strike change from Leake, still 3-1 Reds...Atilano walks Miguel Cairo to start the Reds' fourth. Drew Stubbs lines a single to right and takes second when Bernadina tries to throw out Cairo at third. Corky Miller lines to Zim at third, Cairo gets in and avoids the DP. Mike Leake singles to center to score Cairo, 4-1 Reds. Orlando Cabrera grounds out to first, Atilano covers as Stubbs scores, 5-1 Reds. Leake on second. Paul Janish pops out to left, 5-1 after four.

5 - Pudge Rodriguez grounds out to Janish at second. Adam Kennedy grounds out to first, two down. Pinch hitter Willie Harris strokes a single to right. Nyjer Morgan doubles on a full-count pitch from Leake, two runners on for Desmond. Ian Desmond works the count full and grounds out to short, still 5-1 Reds...Rain Delay...Doug Slaten takes over on the mound against Joey Votto. Leadoff walk. Jonny Gomes drops a single into center to move Votto to third. Jay Bruce chops a grounder back to the mound, 6-1 Reds. Miguel Cairo goes back up the middle with a one-out single, Gomes takes third. Cairo steals second as Drew Stubbs K's. Corky Miller rips a grounder to third, Zimmerman makes a diving play but bounces the throw and it gets by Dunn, two runs score, 8-1 Reds. MIke Leake K's swinging to end the fifth.

6 - Micah Owings vs Adam Dunn in the sixth. Leadoff walk for Dunn in front of Zimmerma--THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! Ryan Zimmerman puts a two-run HR out in the right field corner, 8-3 Reds. Micah Owings hits Josh Willingham. Roger Bernadina K's swinging through a fastball. Pudge Rodriguez pops out behind home. Adam Kennedy takes a two-out walk and Micah Owings is done. Former Nat Bill Bray is on to face Willie Harris. Harris walks to load the bases and Michael Morse empties them, 3-run triple to right and off the base of the wall. 8-6 Reds. Ian Desmond rips a grounder by third, Morse scores. 8-7 Reds. Desmond takes third on an errant throw in by Gomes!!! Adam Dunn flies out to right to end the Nats' long sixth!!...Tyler Clippard takes over for the Nats. Orlando Cabrera flies out to Michael Morse in right. Paul Janish flies out to Bernadina in center. Josh Willingham tracks down Joey Votto's fly to the line in left and closes his glove on the sixth.

7 - Ryan Zimmerman faces Nick Masset in the seventh. Zim misses badly on a two-strike bender, swinging K. Josh Willingham pops up to Votto foul of home. Two down. Roger Bernadina grounds out to second, 8-7 Reds...Tyler Clippard strikes Jonny Gomes out to start the Reds' seventh. Jay Bruce K's chasing. Clippard gets help from Zimmerman who throws out Miguel Cairo to end the seventh, still 8-7 Reds. 

8 - Pudge Rodriguez grounds out to Orlando Cabrera at short. Masset is done. Adam Kennedy will get "Ancient" Arthur Rhodes. Kennedy grounds back to the mound, two down. Cristian Guzman lines out to center to end the Nats' eighth...Matt Capps gets a grounder to third and a sidearm throw from Zim gets the first out. Corky Miller grounds out to Ian Desmond at short. Laynce Nix doubles into the left field corner. 

9 - Michael Morse flies out to Laynce Nix in right. Ian Desmond grounds out to Cabrera at short. Adam Dunn vs Francisco Cordero. Full count, Dunn takes a low fastball for a called strike three. Reds win, 8-7 final.