• Livan Hernandez had a smile on his face when he struck Atlanta's rookie right fielder Jason Heyward out for the second out of the Braves' first. The 35-year-old right-hander started the 20-year-old left-handed bat with two sinking fastballs, one that Heyward missed, and one Livan missed with, then the veteran starter missed with a 1-1 curve low and inside, got a called strike with a forkball in on Heyward's fists and after backing Heyward up with a "fast"ball way in on the hitter, Hernandez dropped a curve 11 to 5 across the plate inside at 67mph to get a swinging strike three from Heyward.
• Michael Morse and Willie Harris started the Nats' third with back to back singles into right, but Nats' right-hander Livan Hernandez failed to advance the runners when he fouled off an 0-2 bunt attempt for the first out of the inning. Roger Bernadina came through with an RBI single though, and Ian Desmond walked with two down to get Ryan Zimmerman up so the Nats' FOF could make it 2-0 when he lined to left to score Harris from third.
• Chipper Jones on Ian Desmond: Chipper Jones, four days out of knee surgery, walked (w/out crutches) into the Fox Sports South broadcast booth to join Atlanta announcers Chip Caray and Joe Simpson for an inning or two during tonight's game, and when Ian Desmond came up to the plate, the Braves' future Hall of Fame third baseman had this to say about the Nats' 24-year-old rookie shortstop...
Chipper Jones: "I love this kid [Ian Desmond]. I think he has got a world of talent. I know that people are a little down on him defensively, from what I've seen of him offensively this year, he's been tremendous, he's absolutely killed us. I think he's got some deceptive pop, going to hit you more homers than you think in the course of a season, I think he's hitting in the perfect spot tonight, right in front of Zim and Dunner, I think if they just keep throwing him out there, let him kinda go through his growing pains, I think this kid can be an All-Star one day, no doubt."
• Willie Harris runs through walls: Harris starts back at a full sprint in left when Martin Prado sends a line drive soaring over his head and to the wall, and Harris never slows down, crashing full-speed into wall as the ball bounces by him. Prado reaches second before it's recovered, and scores from third on Melky Cabrera's bases-loaded double play grounder to make it 2-1 Nats. Alex Gonzalez pops out to short rig--Adam Kennedy and Michael Morse let it drop in for a single and the tying run scores. 2-2 after four.
• Double Plays Rule The Day: Pudge Rodriguez hits a one-out single off Braves' right-hander Tim Hudson in the second. Adam Kennedy grounds to Omar Infante at second to Alex Gonzalez, to Eric Hinske, inning-ending DP...Adam Kennedy and Michael Morse hits back-to-back one-out singles in the fourth. Willie Harris grounds into the 4-6-3 DP...Ryan Zimmerman singles to right, Adam Dunn? Adam Dunn? Double play grounder to Gonzalez, Infante and Hinske...Adam Kennedy walks to start the seventh. Michael Morse, DP grounder...Tim Hudson's Line: 7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's, 90 pitches, 60 strikes.
• Roger Bernadina!! Martin Prado lines to right to start Atlanta's sixth. Brian McCann crushes a 1-0 change that sails to deep center. Bernadina gets there and makes a catch on the track and then makes a throw in to second to nail Prado trying to tag and advance himself from first. 8-4 DP!!!
• Zim Tossed?: Ryan Zimmerman thinks he's walked on a 3-1 pitch low and away, so he's already frustrated when he K's on the next pitch, tipping strike three into Brian McCann's mitt to end the Nats' eighth. Zimmerman tosses his helmet, slams his bat and gets tossed by home plate Ump Scott Barry. What? Jim Riggleman's had enough after the Pudge ejection last night and he lets the Ump know before getting tossed himself by the thin-skinned home plate umpire. The first ejection of Zim's career.
• Peaches: Tyler Clippard's called upon with one on and one out in the bottom of the ninth of a 2-2 game in Turner Field after a Rick Ankiel single chases Nats' left-hander Sean Burnett. Clippard walks Braves' backstop David Ross, strikes out Omar Infante after starting the infielder with two balls, and then goes to a 3-0 count with Jason Heyward, who gets the green light and the fastball he's looking for, lining up the middle to score the winning run for Atlanta.
• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...
| Num | Name - Comments |
|---|---|
| 1 | grizzy - 110 |
| 2 | souldrummer - 89 |
| 3 | RoscoeNats - 80 |
| 4 | MissB - 70 |
| 5 | Doghouse - 68 |
| 6 | RobBobS - 68 |
| 7 | HarmonK - 40 |
| 8 | Jorgath - 36 |
| 9 | Doncosmic - 34 |
| 10 | Dave from NNN - 32 |
• Final Score: Braves 3, Nats 2.
• FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Braves' right-hander Tim Hudson gets a fly ball to center from Roger Bernadina for the first out of the game. Ian Desmond sends a grounder to second, two down. Ryan Zimmerman flies to Rick Ankiel in center to give Hudson a quick 1-2-3...Michael Morse has to hustle to catch up with an opposite field liner by Omar Infante. Livan Hernandez drops a 67 mph two-strike curve on Jason Heyward, who K's swinging. Martin Prado goes the other way with a line drive, but Morse gets to this one too.
2 - Adam Dunn grounds to first, Hudson covers on Eric Hinske's toss. Pudge Rodriguez pushes a weak liner out to right field for a one-out single. Adam Kennedy grounds to Omar Infante, Alex Gonzalez, Eric Hinske, inning-ending DP...Adam Kennedy's waiting on the outfield grass for Brian McCann's groundout. Eric Hinske pops out to second. Melky Cabrera lines to right and over Michael Morse's head for a two-out double. Adam Dunn gets over to the dugout fence and pulls a pop up from Alex Gonzalez back into play.
3 - Michael Morse lines to right to start the Nats' third. Willie Harris sneaks a single through second. Two on for Livan Hernandez. Livan K's trying to bunt in an 0-2 count when he fouls it off. Roger Bernadina rips a 3-1 grounder through second to score Morse, but he gets tied up between first and second and tagged out. 1-0 Nats. Ian Desmond takes a two-out walk in front of Ryan Zimmerman. Zim lines to left to score Harris, 2-0 Nats. Adam Dunn K's swinging over a low slider from Hudson, 2-0 Nats after two and a half...Rick Ankiel grounds weakly to first for Adam Dunn. Livan gets a fly ball to center from Tim Hudson. Omar Infante drops a two-out single into center. Heyward grounds back to the mound.
4 - Pudge grounds out to second, one down. Adam Kennedy drops a one-out single into left. Michael Morse lines to right, Kennedy to second. Willie Harris grounds into another inning-ending DP, Infante to Gonzalez to Hinske...Willie Harris crashes hard going after a fly ball to left from Martin Prado. Livan pitches around Brian McCann. Eric Hinske walks to load the bases. Melky Cabrera grounds into a 4-6-3 DP but a run crosses, 2-1 Nats. Alex Gonzalez pops out to right, or he would have if Morse and Kennedy didn't let it drop. 2-2 game. Ankiel grounds to Dunn.
5 - Livan Hernandez grounds weakly to short to start the fifth. Roger Bernadina tries to bunt his way on, Hudson nails him at first. Ian Desmond grounds out to short, 1-2-3 fifth for Hudson...Tim Hudson lines the first pitch he sees to right. Omar Infante grounds weakly to second, Kennedy to Desmond to Dunn, double play. Jason Heyward grounds out to second to end the fifth.
6 - Ryan Zimmerman works the count full and lines to right on a pitch high and inside from Hudson. Adam Dunn grounds to Alex Gonzalez in the shift, Gonzalez tags Zim and throws to first, double play. Pudge grounds back to the mound....Martin Prado lines to right and it drops in front of Morse. Brian McCann flies out to deep center. Prado tags and gets thrown out by Bernadina. Double play. Ian Desmond catches a pop to short left by Hinske.
7 - Leadoff walk to Adam Kennedy. Michael Morse grounds to Alex Gonzalez at short, to Omar Infante and on to Hinske. Willie Harris flies out to right and it's still tied...Melky Cabrera flies out to Michael Morse in right. Alex Gonzalez rips a single through short. Rick Ankiel grounds sharply to second and off Adam Kennedy's glove. First and second for pinch hitter Brooks Conrad. Conrad pops to right and it drops in. Bases loaded, one down. Omar Infante lines right into Livan's glove. Two down. Jason Heyward flies out to right.
8 - Justin Maxwell leads off against Jonny Venters. Swinging K. Roger Bernadina grounds to first, Hinske fields and slides into first for the out. Ian Desmond grounds up the middle, Infante gets there and throws a little high to let Desi on. Ryan Zimmerman fouls strike three into the catcher's mitt and gets tossed for tossing his helmet and bat in frustration...Sean Burnett walks Martin Prado. Brian McCann grounds to second, Kennedy to Desmond, who sails the throw to first. Runner on first, one down. Hinske pops out to Pudge. Two down. Melky Cabrera K's swinging to end the eight.
9 - Adam Dunn vs Billy Wagner. Dunn K's swinging through a high fastball. Pudge Rodriguez K's chasing a nasty slider outside. Adam Kennedy K's swinging to end the inning...Sean Burnett vs Alex Gonzalez. Groundout to second, one down. Rick Ankiel lines a single to right. Tyler Clippard vs David Ross. One out walk. Omar Infante K's swinging. Clippard gets behind Heyward, 3-0, and gives up a game-winning line drive to center, 3-2 Braves.