Tonight's Top 5:
5. Hell-oooo, Newman Stanton!!: After going 5 for 5 and just a triple short of the cycle last night while collecting 4 RBI's in the Marlins' win, Florida's 20-year-old outfielder Mike Stanton starts the scoring tonight in the second when he makes Nats' right-hander Livan Hernandez pay for a leadoff walk to Dan Uggla by hitting a two-run HR over the out-of-town scoreboard and into and back out of the first row of stands. 2-0 Marlins after the instant replay makes it clear to the umps. Stanton ends the night 1 for 3 with two walks and 2 RBI's. Stanton ends the three-game series in DC 8 for 12 with 3 doubles, 2 HR's and 6 RBI's...After all those years of Miguel Cabrera...
4. Adjust Morse, Adjust: In 9 games in August before tonight, Nats' outfielder Michael Morse was 4 for 32, 125/.152/.313 with 2 HR's, 2 RBI's and 9 K's. In his first two at bats tonight, Morse gets a steady diet of breaking balls down and away from Ricky Nolasco that he can't help chasing, and he's going to need to make an adjustment or he's going to keep striking out. The 28-year-old right-handed hitting power threat ends the series 0 for 12 with 6 K's. Mr. Morse, meet Mr. Eckstein, he's going to show you how to power those out to right...
3. Fifth-Inning-FAIL!!!: Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez gets a gift when Hanley Ramirez fields a wet ball on the infield grass with his bare hand and then bounces the throw to first. Gaby Sanchez can't corral it. Willie Harris, filling in for an injured (to some degree?) Josh Willingham, lines a single to left to put two on with no outs. Livan Hernandez fails to get the bunt down and K's on a two-strike attempt to get it done. Roger Bernadina flies to right. Ian Desmond gets hit, bases loaded for Adam Dunn, who K's swinging through a low 84mph 2-2 slider that Nolasco drops on the slugger after a 93mph fastball inside was called strike two...
2. Nolasco vs Livo: Roger Bernadina hits a leadoff double in the first, but is stranded there two outs later. Bernadina hit a two-out single in the third for the Nats only two hits through three. Adam Dunn hits a leadoff single in the fourth before Ryan Zimmerman grounds into a force at second and Michael Morse and Adam Kennedy K swinging. The Nats get two on with no outs and the bases loaded with two outs without scoring a run in the fifth and get two on to lead off the seventh without ever forcing a run across on Nolasco. 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 8 K's, 0 ER, 106 pitches, 74 for strikes. Livan gives up the two-run HR to Stanton and a two-out RBI to Cody Ross to put the Nats down 3-0 and he gets no support from the Nationals. 6.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K's, 116 pitches, 65 strikes in the loss.
1. RISP FAIL!!: Nats go 0 for 10 with RISP through seven innings. They finally chase Marlins' right-hander Ricky Nolasco in the seventh after back-to-back leadoff singles by Pudge Rodriguez and Willie Harris. Nats' pinch hitter Alberto Gonzalez grounds into a 6-4-3 DP. Two down, Pudge at third and Roger Bernadina flies out left. The Nats go down in order in the seventh and eighth and drop their fifth straight and eighth of eleven games in August.
• Final Score: Marlins 5, Nats 0.
Nats now 49-66.
• FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Livan Hernandez pops Hanley Ramirez up to short for the first out of the game. Logan Morrison lines out to second, two down for Livan. Marlins’ first baseman Gaby Sanchez flies out to left where Willie Harris is waiting for the final out of Florida’s first...Right-hander Ricky Nolasco gives up a leadoff double to Roger Bernadina on a line drive to left that Logan Morrison misses in spite of a diving attempt. Ian Desmond’s grounder to short is unproductive. The BIG Not Going Anywhere, Adam Dunn, K’s swinging over a junk from Nolasco. Ryan Zimmerman pops up to second to end the first.
2 - Livan Hernandez issues a leadoff walk to Dan Uggla who gets nothing to hit. Mike Stanton sends a high fly to right and over the out-of-town scoreboard. 2-0 after the umps review it. HR. Ryan Zimmerman charges a grounder to third by Donnie Murphy and throws the Marlins' third baseman out. Brett Hayes doubles off the wall in left. Livan gets a groundout from the opposing pitcher to end the top of the Marlins' second...Michael Morse K's swinging to start the Nats' third. Adam Kennedy flies out to left. Two down. Ivan Rodriguez flies out to Stanton in right and it's a 1-2-3 second for Nolasco.
3 - Hanley Ramirez flies out to right field. Livan gives up a line drive single to right to Logan Morrison. Gaby Sanchez singles to center, Morrison to third. Dan Uggla battles and pops up to Adam Dunn. Cody Ross reaches out for a fastball that he sends rolling into center, 3-0 Fish. Livan walks Mike Stanton to load'em up for Donnie Murphy, who falls victim to Livan's "veteran leadership." ...Willie Harris K's swinging and has to run it out. Hernandez chops out to second. Roger Bernadina goes the other way with a curve outside for a two-out single. Ian Desmond flies out to left to end the third.
4 - Livo gets Brett Hayes swinging to start the fourth. Livan throws out the opposing pitcher on a weak-a•• grounder. Hanley Ramirez singles with two down, but gets thrown out trying for second, Pudge nails him....Adam Dunn dumps a leadoff single into short left that no one can get to. Ryan Zimmerman grounds into a force at second, but Uggla throws away the relay to first. Zim to second. Michael Morse K's chasing benders outside. Adam Kennedy K's too and is tagged out.
5 - Logan Morrison K's looking to start the fifth. Livan walks Gaby Sanchez, but gets a DP grounder from Dan Uggla to Desmond at short, Kennedy at second and Dunn, double play...Pudge Rodriguez reaches on a soft chopper to short Hanley throws away. Willie Harris works a walk out of Nolasco. Livan Hernadez K's trying to bunt. Roger Bernadina flies out to right, two down. Ian Desmond's hit by a pitch to load'em up for Adam Dunn, who K's swinging to end the fifth.
6 - Cody Ross grounds out to Livan. One down. Mike Stanton pops out to third. Livan gets a high fly to left from Donnie Murphy for the third and final out of the Marlins' sixth...Ryan Zimmerman chases strike three out of the zone and into the dirt. Michael Morse grounds out to third. Two down. Adam Kennedy grounds out to first to end the sixth.
7 - Brett Hayes pops out to center where Bernadina makes the catch. Livan walks Nolasco. Hanley Ramirez grounds sharply to short and Desmond comes up empty. No E though. Sean Burnett replaces Livan and strikes out Logan Morrison before Craig Stammen comes on to strike out Gaby Sanchez, still 3-0 Fish....Ivan Rodriguez and Willie Harris hit back-to-back singles to chase Nolasco. Jose Veras gets a DP grounder from Alberto Gonzalez and pops up Roger Bernadina to end the seventh scoreless for Florida.
8 - Uggla singles to start the Marlins' eighth. Cody Ross shoots a grounder behind a running Uggla for a hit and run single. Craig Stammen walks Mike Stanton to load the bases. Craig Stammen bounces a pitch to Brett Hayes that gets by Pudge, Uggla scores. 4-0 Marlins. Stammen strikes Hayes out, two down. Chad Tracy K's swinging...Clay Hensley vs Ian Desmond. Swinging K from Desi. Adam Dunn grounds sharply into the shift. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to right, 4-0 Fish after eight.
9 - Craig Stammen walks Hanley Ramirez. Logan Morrison grounds back to Stammen for the first out. Gaby Sanchez takes a one-out walk. Dan Uggla singles into left-center, Ramirez scores, 5-0 Marlins. Tyler Clippard takes over for Stammen and pops up Cody Ross. Mike Stanton goes down swinging....Morse vs Burke Badenhop. Morse grounds to short. Pinch hitter Kevin Mench grounds out to third. Pudge grounds to second to mercifully end it.