Today's Top 5:
5. Latest News on Strasburg: I'll update this throughout the game. 11:00 am EST: The last reports from the Nats had 22-year-old right-hander Stephen Strasburg completing a light throwing session this morning without pain and the heading back to D.C. where he would undergo an MRI after being lifted from last night's game against Philadelphia with what was initially diagnosed as a strained flexor tendon in his right forearm. The Nats' '09 no.1 overall pick, according to DC GM Mike Rizzo, reportedly suffered a similar issue in college which he was able to pitch through, but no one on the Nationals is taking any chances with their $15.1M dollar ace's arm. In an appearance on Sirius/XM's MLB Network Radio with Holden Kushner and Tom Gordon, SI.com's Will Carroll (@injuryexpert) who said he'd be surprised if Strasburg throws again this season, also noted that the fact that Strasburg threw at all this morning was, "...certainly, I think... a very positive sign, and it gives us some indication that it's not a complete tear. I don't think we had that worry to begin with, but again, the Nationals have rightly been very conservative with [Strasburg] and I think they'll continue down that path." Strasburg was set to have the MRI when he got back to DC, results tomorrow most likely.
4. Bring Morgan Home!!: A leadoff single, stolen base and productive groundout are wasted when both Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman go down swinging, allowing Roy Oswalt to get out of giving up a leadoff single and stolen base to Nyjer Morgan, who moved to third on Ian Desmond's groundout before he was stranded by the two big middle-of-the-order-bat K's.The Phillies, on the other hand, get Jimmy Rollins on with a leadoff double in their first, move him to third on a groundout and score him with a sac fly to make it 1-0 Philly after one. Roger Bernadina bunts his way on in the second, and is stranded there three outs later...
3. OF Arms: There was some heated discussion in today's GameThread about which, if any, of the outfield options outside Roger Bernadina have decent arms in the OF, centering on a Morgan vs Morse disagreement, but both outfielders showed off their lack of arm in the fourth, with Morse overthrowing a play at first trying to throw out Oswalt on a single to right, and Morgan making a weak throw home that's cut by Ian Desmond when Oswalt scores from second on a Placido Polanco single to center. Who has the better arm? Neither?
2. Wilson Valdez?: Scott Olsen allows just 2 runs through five, one on a sac fly in the first and the Phillies' second run on an RBI single in the third that scores the opposing pitcher. Oswalt reaches safely on a grounder through first that could've been an out if Morse made an accurate throw in to Dunn from right. 2-0 Phillies after five and a half. Olsen gives up a one-out infield single to Ryan Howard in the sixth, but gets a force at second on a Jayson Werth grounder for the second out. Shane Victorino lines a 1-1 change inside and high off the wall in left, second and third, two down. The Nats walk Philly catcher Carlos Ruiz to bring Wilson Valdez, (who is 0 for 2, batting .246 in '10) up with the bases loaded. Valdez makes the Nats pay with a two-run single to center that makes it 4-0 Philly and ends Olsen's night once he gets the last out. Olsen's Line: 6.0 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K's, 99 pitches, 64 strikes, 12 groundouts, 3 flyouts.
1. Roy Oswalt Wasn't Talking To You!!: Roy Oswalt was 0-2 in 2 GS and 8.1 IP over which he had an 8.64 ERA (11 H, 9 R, 8 ER allowed) with 4 walks, 7 K's and a 1.80 WHIP against the Nats so far this season. In 7.0 innings on the mound before today's rain delay, the Phillies' 32-year-old right-hander holds the Nats scoreless, giving up 5 hits and 1 walk while recording 8 K's to work his way out of allowing the leadoff runner on in the first four innings. Ian Desmond goes 0 for 4 with 2 K's. Dunn 0 for 4 with 3 K's. Michael Morse 0 for 3, 2 K's. The Nats are a combined 0 for 9 w/ RISP. Oswalt throws 106 pitches, 75 for strikes, and earns the win, (W, 9-13).
• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...
Num | Name - Comments: |
---|---|
1 | Jorgath - 75 |
2 | RobBobS - 70 |
3 | grizzy - 54 |
4 | plebescite - 48 |
5 | rachel216 - 35 |
6 | MissB - 35 |
7 | RoscoeNats - 27 |
8 | HarmonK - 25 |
9 | Blicks - 20 |
10 | Brotato - 6 |
• Final Score: Phillies 6, Nats 0.
Nationals now 53-71.
• FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Philly righty Roy Oswalt gives up a single on a low liner to left by Nyjer Morgan. Morgan swipes second without a throw. Ian Desmond grounds to short through Nyjer Morgan's legs, but Jimmy Rollins makes the play. Adam Dunn takes strike three on a fastball outside from Oswalt. Ryan Zimmerman K's on a diving 2-2 change inside that completely fools Zim...Jimmy Rollins doubles to center on the first pitch from Scott Olsen. Rollins tests and beats Morgan's arm. Raul Ibanez grounds out to Desmond, Rollins moves up. Placido Polanco's sac fly to right scores Rollins from third. 1-0 Philly. Ryan Howard K's swinging to end the first, 1-0 Philly.
2 - Roger Bernadina bunts his way on running out a roller toward third. Michael Morse works an 8-pitch AB, but flies out trying to pull a curve outside. Bernadina steals second. Adam Kennedy flies out to right, two down. Wil Nieves flies out to center to end the frame...Nyjer Morgan catches the first out of the Phillies' second off Jayson Werth's bat. Shane Victorino doubles to right, dropping a fly to right-center and running it out. Olsen walks the Phillies' catcher. Wilson Valdez grounds weakly to second, Kennedy to Desmond to Dunn, double play.
3 - Scott Olsen lines to right for a leadoff single off Oswalt and Nyjer Morgan bunts the pitcher over to second. Ian Desmond strikes out swinging through a high heater. Adam Dunn grounds out to second, a third leadoff runner stranded...Roy Oswalt returns the favor, singling to right and almost getting thrown out by Michael Morse, who overthrows the bag. Oswalt moves up on Jimmy Rollins' groundout. Placido Polanco singles to center, and Oswalt scores. Polanco gets caught between first and second, but makes it back to first. 2-0 Phillies. Howard grounds to short to end the third.
4 - Ryan Zimmerman walks to start the fourth and is out at second on a force when Jimmy Rollins dives to field a Bernadina grounder and makes a toss to Valdez covering the bag. One down. Roger Bernadina steals second, and takes third when Carlos Ruiz's throw gets by the base into center. Adam Kennedy's punched out on a check swing at a fastball outside. Oswalt through four scoreless....Olsen gets Jayson Werth swinging for the first out of the inning. Nieves throws out Victorino. Olsen gives up a two-out single to short that gets stuck in Desmond's glove, but gets a groundout from Wilson Valdez to end the fourth.
5 - Wil Nieves grounds out to Valdez at second. Scott Olsen slices a fly to left and Ibanez slides in to catch it just before it drops. Nyjer Morgan sneaks a two-out single into right to keep the Nats' frame going. Ian Desmond K's swinging to end the top of the fifth, still 2-0 Nats...Roy Oswalt reaches safely on an infield single that Kennedy barely knocks down. Rollins grounds into a force at second, and he's erased too when Ibanez grounds to first, Dunn to Desmond and back to Dunn, double play.
6 - Adam Dunn K's swinging and Ryan Zimmerman pops out foul of third to Polanco, two down. Roger Bernadina flies to left to end a quick 1-2-3 sixth for the Nats...Scott Olsen gets a groundout to third for Zimmerman to handle. Jayson Werth grounds to first, Dunn throws to second for the force. Shane Victorino lines a double off the wall in left, second and third with two down. Carlos Ruiz is walked to load the bases. Wilson Valdez lines to center to score two, 4-0 Philly. Oswalt flies to left to end the sixth.
7 - Oswalt strikes Michael Morse out to start the seventh. Adam Kennedy reaches on a fly ball to left, one on, one out. Wil Nieves grounds toward second, Rollins fields. steps on the bag and throws to first, inning-ending DP...Nats' right-hander Craig Stammen gives up a leadoff single to Jimmy Rollins. Raul Ibanez takes a full-count sinking fastball out to right and over the wall, two-run blast, 6-0 Phillies. Placido Polanco lines to right for a single. Howard lines out to Bernadina in left. One down. Jayson Werth works the count full and walks. Shane Victorino grounds into a force at second, but no DP. Ruiz flies out to right, 6-0 Phillies after seven.
8 - Alberto Gonzalez flies out to Jayson Werth in right. Nyjer Morgan K's swinging and has to run it out. Desmond grounds to short, 1-2-3 eighth for Ryan Madson...Joel Peralta gets a groundout to second from Wilson Valdez. Domonic Brown K's swinging, tipping strike three into Nieves' mitt. Jimmy Rollins flies to right to end the eighth.
9 - Adam Dunn K's swinging to start the ninth. Ryan Zimmerman grounds out to first. Roger Bernadina K's looking at a bender outside. Ballgame.