• Tonight's Top 5:
5. MOAR-GAN!!!!: Nyjer Morgan makes his low OBP seem that much worse by getting picked off after singling to start the first of three in Arizona for DC, but the Nats take advantage of D-Backs' righty Rodrigo Lopez's slow start and Josh Willngham comes through with an RBI line drive to center that scores the first run of the road trip. 1-0 Nats after the first...Moar-GAN!!!!
4. #300 HR's by Pudge!!!...As A Catcher: Congrats, Pudge...Not sure why they're separating these HR's from his pinch hit ones...next number...
3. SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!!!: It wasn't quite as impressive as the HR Adam Dunn hit out of Chase Field and onto the center field concourse last year, it was quite a shot, though, and it almost splashed down in the pool, putting the Nats up 3-1 in the third. SHAKE N BAKE!! Dunn's 26th and second in two days. [Rizzo points to head, gets out checkbook.] The D-Backs fans throw it back, it still counts.
2. Mr. National Himself: Livan Hernandez left the game with two runners on after a pinch-hit single and one out walk to pinch hitter Tony Abreu and Chris Young, respectively, after having held the D-Backs to one-run on 5 hits and the one walk, striking out 5 over 7.1 IP in which the 35-year-old veteran right-hander throws 91 pitches, 58 for strikes in spite of the strike zone home plate Ump Angel Hernandez tries to enforce. But Livo massages the notoriously confrontational ump, and by the end of the game he's getting the strike zone he wants, and a couple called strike threes late before handing the ball to Sean Burnett...
1. Did Kirk Gibson Call For That? Nats' Skipper Jim Riggleman leaves Sean Burnett in to face Justin Upton after the Nationals' reliever had struck out left-hander Kelly Johnson, and Burnett gets behind Upton 3-0 with two on and the Nats' 3-1 lead on jeopardy. Upton swings at a low 3-0 fastball and grounds into a force at second...I really hope the D-Backs' manager called for that...(It wasn't a shot to keep his hit streak going, right?) Sean Burnett returns in the ninth and retires the D-Backs in order to record his first save of the 2010 season and his second career save. Nats win, 3-1 final.
• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...
| Num | Name - Comments |
|---|---|
| 1 | souldrummer - 127 |
| 2 | Doghouse - 59 |
| 3 | MissB - 52 |
| 4 | Jorgath - 39 |
| 5 | Nationalpastime - 36 |
| 6 | bluelineswinger - 28 |
| 7 | G8RB8 - 22 |
| 8 | plebescite - 21 |
| 9 | gannett123 - 16 |
| 10 | RoscoeNats - 16 |
• Final Score: Nats 3, D-Backs 1.
• FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Nyjer Morgan singles to center but gets picked for the first hit and out of the game. D-Backs' right-hander Rodrigo Lopez walks Adam Kennedy in front of Ryan Zimmerman. Lopez walks Zim in front of Adam Dunn. Dunn K's looking at a 1-2 curve. Josh Willingham makes it 1-0 when he lines to center to score Kennedy from second. Roger Bernadina K's swinging to end the top of the first...Chris Young lines one right at Nyjer Morgan. Kelly Johnson drops a single in front of Willingham in left. Livan Hernandez drops the eephus on Justin Upton for a swinging K. Adam LaRoche grounds to first to end the first.
2 - Pudge gets a hanging curve and hits his second HR of the year and it's 2-0 Nats in the top of the second. Ian Desmond gets a hanger but flies out to center. Livan Hernandez grounds out to Stephen Drew at short. Morgan lines there too, 2-0 Nats...Morgan's back on the track when he catches Miguel Montero's fly ball. Mark Reynolds lines to left off Livan. Adam Kennedy dives for a grounder that gets through to right, Mark Reynolds takes third when Roger Bernadina bobbles the ball rushing to throw out Reynolds, and Reynolds scores on a sharp groundout to second by Gerard Parra. 2-1 Nats. Livan gets Rodrigo Lopez swinging.
3 - Adam Kennedy has warning track power, Chris Young makes the catch. Ryan Zimmerman takes a fastball high and outside for a called strike three. Adam Dunn goes DEEEEEEP to right and GONE!!!! 3-1 Nats on Dunn's 26th HR of the year. Josh Willingham flies to right to end the Nats' third...Chris Young lines out to left, Hammer has it, one down. Kelly Johnson flies out to Morgan in center. Justin Upton's grounder to second ends the third.
4 - Roger Bernadina takes a Rodrigo Lopez fastball for a ride, but Chris Young makes an over-the-shoulder catch in center a step in front of the wall. Pudge grounds out. Ian Desmond doubles on a line drive to center. Livo grounds back to the mound to end the Nats' fourth...Adam LaRoche goes down swinging. Miguel Montero flies out and Mark Reynolds pops out, 3-1 Nats after four.
5 - Nyjer Morgan grounds out to short, one down in the Nats' fifth. Adam Kennedy flies out to the track in right, but Justin Upton gets there to grab it. Stephen Drew throws out Zim, 3-1 Nats after four and a half...Stephen Drew reaches on an infield single that bounces off Livan's leg and makes it unplayable for Kennedy in spite of his best effort. Gerard Parra grounds to first, Dunn fields and steps on the bag, but the Nats ruin a rundown when Desmond gets in Zim's way on the throw to second and the ball falls to the ground. Drew safe at second. Two down. Chris Young pops out to Desmond behind second.
6 - Rodrigo Lopez pops Adam Dunn up. Josh Willingham rips a grounder to short, Stephen Drew stabs it and sorta throws Willingham out. (He was safe.) Roger Bernadina pops out to short...Kelly Johnson flies out to Morgan on the track in left center. Justin Upton breaks his bat in half lining to third where Zim makes a leaping grab. Adam Kennedy throws out LaRoche.
7 - Pudge Rodriguez and Ian Desmond hit back-to-back singles to start the seventh and move into scoring position on a sac bunt by Livan Hernandez. Nyjer Morgan grounds to first, Pudge breaks for home and gets thrown out by LaRoche. Morgan's safe at second as Miguel Montero throws to third with Desmond stealing second to try to catch Desmond sleeping. Kennedy grounds to his counterpart at second...Livan gets a fly ball to center from Montero. One down. Mark Reynolds K's looking. Stephen Drew pops out behind the mound, still 3-1 Nats.
8 - Ryan Zimmerman pops out to left. Sam Demel strikes out Adam Dunn with a nasty sinking fastball. Josh Willingham just misses hitting one out, and settles for a double off the wall in left. Roger Bernadina grounds out to second to end the Nats' eighth...Livan Hernandez abuses Gerard Parra, getting a called strike three with a sinking fastball. Tony Abreu singles in a pinch hit appearance, lining to center. Livan walks Chris Young. And he's done. Sean Burnett gets Kelly Johnson swinging and Justin Upton swings and grounds out on a 3-0 pitch to help the Nats out.
9 - Pudge Rodriguez grounds out to short. Ian Desmond flies to deep center but not deep enough. Harris grounds out to Miguel Montero a foot in front of home...Sean Burnett stays on and gets Adam LaRoche swinging for the first out of the frame. Miguel Montero grounds out to short, two down. Ryan Zimmerman throws out Mark Reynolds, 1-2-3 ninth for Burnett and his first save of the year.