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Tonight's Top 5:
5. Dawson And Carter: I wasn't sure what exactly the Washington Nationals had told Gary Carter about tonight's ceremony to honor Andre Dawson when I wrote this morning that Gary Carter might be in for a surprise when he arrived at Nationals Park tonight and found that his name had been added to the Nats' Ring of Honor:
"When Mr. Carter enters Nationals Park tonight to catch the ceremonial first pitch thrown out by Mr. Dawson, who's being honored for his induction into the Hall, he might be surprised to realize that within a year after he first asked to simply be acknowledged, he's become a permanent fixture in the nation's capital's Nats' home park, with his name (alongside the Expos' eMb logo) the first in line in a new "Ring of Honor" featuring names from the franchise's and DC baseball's history, which wraps around the facade above the first level of stands behind home plate."
But apparently no one told Mr. Carter what the Nats had already done prior to his arrival as he explained in a quick interview before tonight's ceremony:
Gary Carter: "I just found out about five minutes ago that they put this ring of honor up there, I mean, I'm just overwhelmed. To now be recognized with Andre Dawson and all the great Washington Senators' players, I'm speechless basically, and that's tough for me to do, you know, but when I was doing the interview they told me about this and so there will always be a remembrance here at Nationals Park, and I'm very honored and very proud."
4. "You came here to see Miss Iowa...and you had to wait through 4 innings of miss universe first." - Doghouse: The suspense ended when Stephen Strasburg did in fact take the mound tonight in Nationals Park, momentarily, at least, calming the nerves of the DC Faithful who had to be wondering until they saw him release his first pitch if he was going to be himself on the hill. After popping up Hanley Ramirez, however, Strasburg walked Logan Morrison, and got a fly ball from Gaby Sanchez before giving up a two-run HR on a 98mph 1-2 fastball that Dan Uggla dumped over the wall in left and into the first row. 2-0 Marlins after one. 23-pitch first for Stras.
3. Strasburg...Struggles? Hanley Ramirez hits a one-out double off the left field wall in the third and Strasburg issues another walk to Logan Morrison, but gets a groundout from Gaby Sanchez for out no.2. Not Uggla again? Dan Uggla doubles over Hammer's head in left for a two-out, two-run blast that puts the Marlins up 4-0 on Stras and the Nats. A leadoff double by Ramirez again in the fifth and a one-out double by Gaby Sanchez that bounces of Josh Willingham's glove and it's 5-0 Marlins. Stephen Strasburg is done. Asked in the post game press conference what he thought of the Nats' rookie right-hander's outing, Nats' Skipper Jim Riggleman said that the team and their fans have, "...raised the bar very high for Stephen, maybe unfairly, but I think he's going to be fine, he'll be better next time out." Strasburg's Line: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 84 pitches, 51 strikes, 5 groundouts, 4 flyouts, 4 K's.
2. Double and Walks: It wasn't just Hanley Ramirez, whose doubled three times off the Nats tonight, Dan Uggla, Gaby Sanchez, Mike Stanton (who was killing the ball) and Wes Helms all collected two-baggers and the Marlins took seven walks from Nats' pitchers tonight, which, when combined with the their other four hits gave the Marlins 15 opportunities on the night with runners in scoring position, 4 of which they cashed in in the 8-2 win.
1. Andre Dawson: Montreal Expos' Hall of Famer Andre Dawson was moved to tears by the unveiling of his name in the Nats' Ring of Honor. With his fellow Expo and HoFer by his side the 56-year-old former major leaguer had tears in eyes when the cover was removed from the placard bearing his name. Much more on this in the morning with interviews from Dawson and Carter. Thanks, Washington Nationals.
Final Score: Marlins 8, Nats 2.
Nationals now 49-64.
• FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Hanley Ramirez pops out to Pudge Rodriguez and Nats' right-hander Stephen Strasburg has a quick out. Strasburg loses Logan Morrison and issues a one-out walk. Gaby Sanchez flies out to right, two down. Dan Uggla gets hold of a 98 mph 1-2 fastball from Strasburg and lifts it to left and just over the wall, HR, 2-0 Fish. Cody Ross flies to center, Roger Bernadina takes a step back and comes charging in to make a diving grab...Anibal Sanchez gets two quick outs when Bernadina flies out to center and then Ian Desmond to right. Ryan Zimmerman grounds to Wes Helms at third and the throw to first ends the first.
2 - Strasburg misses with a 2-2 fastball and then throws a 98mph fastball upstairs by Mike Stanton to get a swinging K. Wes Helms takes a 2-2 curve for a called strike three. Ronny Paulino grounds out to second, Kennedy makes the backhand play...Adam Dunn pops out to Wes Helms at third. Josh Willingham flies out to right, two down. Michael Morse flies out to left, 2-0 Marlins after two.
3 - Swinging K from Anibal Sanchez to start the Marlins' third. Hanley Ramirez is swinging at a 98mph first pitch fastball, and he connects for a one-out double to the wall in right. Logan Morrison draws a one-out walk to put two on in front of Gaby Sanchez. Strasburg goes 2-0 to Sanchez and gets a visit from Steve McCatty. Sanchez gets his bat shattered and grounds weakly to third, Zim barehands and throws him out. Dan Uggla flies to deep left and over Hammer's head, two runs score. 4-0 Fish. Cody Ross grounds to short to end the Marlins' third...Ivan Rodriguez lines a single to center to start the Nats' fourth. Adam Kennedy lines out to second. Strasburg tries to bunt with two strikes and comes up empty, two down. Roger Bernadina works the count full and takes a two-out walk. Ian Desmond grounds out to thir--Helms misses it, Pudge scores from second, 4-1 Marlins. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to center to end the third.
4 - Mike Stanton hugs the line with a leadoff double by third. Wes Helms flies out to left, one down. Ronny Paulino grounds out to third. Strasburg drops an 0-2 bender on Anibal Sanchez, 4-1 Marlins in the fourth...Adam Dunn K's swinging. Josh Willingham K's looking. Two down in a hurry. Michael Morse misses a full-count slider, 4-1 Marlins after four.
5 - Hanley Ramirez lines a double over third, just out of Ryan Zimmerman's reach. Logan Morrison grounds to second to move Ramirez up. Gaby Sanchez lines to left and just off Willingham's glove. 5-1 Marlins. Strasburg is done. Miguel Batista on to face Uggla. Batista walks the first batter he faces, and the second, and Wes Helms doubles to left to make it 7-1 Marlins. Ronny Paulino gets the intentionals. Strasburg strikes out the opposing pitcher to end the Marlins' fifth...Pudge flies out to center. Adam Kennedy drops a single down the line in left. Justin Maxwell makes a pinch hit appearance. and K's looking at a 1-2 slider. Roger Bernadina rolls a groundout to first to end the fifth.
6 - Hanley Ramirez starts the sixth with a line drive to left and off the wall for a double. Logan Morrison singles to left to score Ramirez and make it 8-1 Marlins. Gaby Sanchez K's looking. Dan Uggla grounds to first, Dunn to Desmond at second and back to first, double play...Ian Desmond flies out to right to start the Nats' sixth. Ryan Zimmerman hits a standup double to left. Dunn K's swinging. Josh Willingham takes a two-out walk. Michael Morse flies out to left-center to end the sixth.
7 - Cody Ross sends a dribbler through short for a leadoff single. Mike Stanton tears into a fastball and lines to center to put two on. Craig Stammen gets Wes Helms swinging. Ronny Paulino's punched out by the ump. Two down. Anibal Sanchez K's looking to end the top of the seventh...Pudge Rodriguez lines to right for a leadoff single. Adam Kennedy reaches on a check-swing bunt when Anibal Sanchez drops the ball. Willie Harris K's looking, one down. Roger Bernadina drops a single into left, one hop in front of Logan Morrison. Ian Desmond grounds into a force at second, but beats the throw to first. 8-2 Marlins. Ryan Zimmerman will get a new pitcher. Jose Veras walks Zim, and Adam Dunn will get a new pitcher. Dunn flies to deep left to end the threat.
8 - Doug Slaten gets shortstop Donnie Murphy looking. One-out walk to Logan Morrison. Gaby Sanchez grounds to Desmond to Kennedy to Dunn, double play, 8-2 Marlins in the eighth...Josh Willingham grounds weakly to short. Michael Morse K's swinging, two down. Pudge Rodriguez grounds out to short to end the eighth.
9 - Emilio Bonifacio walks to start the ninth. Cody Ross flies out to right. Mike Stanton pops out to Adam Dunn. Wes Helms lines to center to end the top of the ninth...Adam Kennedy lines out to left. Kevin Mench pops to second. Bernadina flies out to left, ballgame.