Tonight's Top 5:
5. SHAKE N BAKE!!!: Dodgers' left-hander Clayton Kershaw had control issues early. The 22-year-old starter struck Nationals' leadoff man Justin Maxwell out in the first, then let Ian Desmond on with a one-out single and Ryan Zimmerman on with a one-out walk in front of the Nats' big middle-of-the-order bat, Adam Dunn. Dunn worked the count full against Kershaw and fouled off a fastball before turning on a 92mph heater up and over the plate and sending it soaring out to right for a three-run HR, his 29th, and a 3-0 Nationals' lead after a half.
4. SHAKE N BAKE!! SHAKE N BAKE!!!: Top of the third. Ian Desmond walks to start the frame. Ryan Zimmerman takes a 2-1 fastball outside to right to put two on in front of the big HR threat. Clayton Kershaw drops a slider across the zone and Dunn lifts it off the low outside corner and deep to right, GONE!!! Dunn's 30th of the year and second 3-run HR of the night off the LA lefty. 6-0 Nationals, all on Dunn's bat.
3. Dodgers Claim Dunn?: Reports out of San Francisco, citing little more than the latest whispered rumors from around the league, had the LA Dodgers claiming Nats' slugger Adam Dunn on waivers in order to prevent teams ahead of LA in the standings from landing a big middle-of-the-order bat, and if the reports are true, the Dodgers' front office must have been patting themselves on the back last night. Still no word out of the Nationals on a new contract or what exactly their plans are with Adam Dunn, but there should be reports by Monday which clear everything up, since it doesn't appear the Dodgers have any interest in actually trading for the first baseman, if, in fact, the rumors out of northern California are true...
2. "[John] Lannan holds the ball like, 'I've got a secret.'" - Vin Scully: This is the legendary Dodgers' announcer describing the way Nats' lefty John Lannan hunches over and hides the ball before beginning his delivery. Lannan makes a mistake with a first-pitch fastball outside to Dodgers' outfielder Andre Ethier in the fourth and surrenders a two-run blast after having held LA off the board through the first three innings pitched. A one-out walk, passed ball and RBI single make it 6-3, but the Nats' 25-year-old lefty escapes the fourth without further damage and retires six of the next seven batters he faces to finish the sixth with the 6-3 lead in tact. Lannan's Line: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's, 1 HR, 92 pitches, 59 strikes, 8 groundouts and 7 flyouts and his third win of 2010.
1. Flat-Brimmed Closer: The Nats' second 1st Round pick of 2009, Drew Storen, was given his first save opportunity last night, and the former Stanford Cardinal closer converted it into his first Major League save. The 22-year-old right-hander barnstormed the Nationals' system last season, pitching his way from Low-A Hagerstown to Double-A Harrisburg where he started the 2010 campaign alongside his fellow 1st Round pick, Stephen Strasburg, and then beat the Nats' phenom to the Majors after a brief stop in Triple-A Syracuse, making his Major League debut on May 17th...33 games and 35.0 innings pitched into his major league career, Storen finally gets a chance to close a game and does just one thing wrong...He doesn't really make it interesting as DC Closers have in the past. A one-out walk to former Expo and Nat Jamey Carroll is about as interesting as it gets. Working with a fastball that's 93-94 tonight, an 84mph slider and low 80's curve, Storen gets a groundout to third from James Loney, a line drive to Ian Desmond by Casey Blake and a ground ball to first baseman Adam Kennedy by another former National Ronnie Belliard after the one-out walk to Carrol, and Storen records his first MLB save. The next Flat-Brimmed closer has arrived.
• Miss The Game: The DC Faithful Were Watching...
| Num | Name - Comments |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mevans12 - 190 |
| 2 | souldrummer - 159 |
| 3 | Doghouse - 141 |
| 4 | grizzy - 119 |
| 5 | OleksiyPecherovsHomeboy - 98 |
| 6 | Nationalpastime9 - 98 |
| 7 | ajk9hy - 63 |
| 8 | RobBobS - 54 |
| 9 | MissB - 50 |
| 10 | brook - 34 |
• Final Score: Nats 6, Dodgers 3.
Nationals now 49-61.
• FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Clayton Kershaw throws a full-count fastball by Justin Maxwell for the first out of the evening. Ian Desmond reaches on an infield hit that bounces off Kershaw's foot and dies in the grass. Ryan Zimmerman takes a 3-0 pitch for a strike but walks on the 3-1 offering. Adam Dunn works the count full, and takes Kershaw deeeeep to right and GONE!! 3-run HR, 3-0 Nats. Josh Willingham grounds out to second. Michael Morse goes down swinging...Nats' lefty John Lannan gives up a bunt single to Scott Podsednik. Ryan Theriot walks to put two on for Andre Ethier. Fly ball to left center, Podsednik takes third. Matt Kemp grounds to short, Ian Desmond to Alberto Gonzalez to Dunn, double play.
2 - Pudge Rodriguez grounds out to James Loney. Alberto Gonzalez shoots a single to right with one down. John Lannan fouls off a two-strike bunt attempt. Justin Maxwell K's swinging through a 2-2 fastball from Kershaw. 3-0 Nats in the second...James Loney almost gets a single through second, not with the General there. Gonzalez throws out Casy Blake, two down. Jamey Carroll grounds out to third, Zim throws to first.
3 - Ian Desmond walks to start the Nats' third. Ryan Zimmerman sends a low liner to right, two on for Dunn. Adam Dunn does it again!!! Three-run HR to right, 6-0 Nats. Josh Willingham goes down swinging. Michael Morse flies out to right. Pudge Rodriguez grounds to second to end Washington's third...Brad Ausmus strikes out when he fouls out into the catcher's mitt. Kershaw grounds out to first. Lannan gets Podsednik swinging.
4 - Alberto Gonzalez grounds out to third to start the fourth. John Lannan K's swinging. Kershaw vs Justin Maxwell, swinging K to end the Nats' fourth...Ryan Theriot hits an opposite field single to right field off John Lannan. Andre Ethier takes advantage of his second AB with a runner on, hitting a HR to right for a two-run blast, 6-2 Nats. Matt Kemp flies out to Maxwell in center. Lannan issues a one-out walk to James Loney. Casey Blake up and he singles to left to score Loney ahead of the throw in from Willingham and then Desmond, 6-3 Nats. Jamey Carroll lines out to Zimmerman at third. Brad Ausmus grounds to third, Zim barehands and throws him out.
5 - Ian Desmond grounds back to Kershaw on the hill. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to Podsednik in left. Dunn K's swinging, Kershaw through five...Kershaw grounds out to Dunn, one down. Scott Podsednik flies out to center and Maxwell. Ryan Theriot hits a one-out single to center. Andre Ethier flies out to center.
6 - Josh Willingham singles off Kershaw in the top of the sixth. Michael Morse singles to center. Pudge Rodriguez gets a sac bunt down. Alberto Gonzalez flies out to right, Hammer can't score, so he stays at third. Lannan K's swinging to end the Nats' half of the inning...John Lannan gets Kemp and Loney to both fly out to Maxwell in center. Casey Blake flies out Morse in right. 6-3 Nats after six.
7 - Kenley Jansen takes over for Clayton Kershaw and walks the first batter he faces. Maxell on. Ian Desmond up when Maxwell steals second. Desi bunts Maxwell over to third. Ryan Zimmerman K's swinging and Dunn gets the intentionals. Josh Willingham grounds into a force at second to end the top of the frame, 6-3 Nats...Tyler Clippard vs Jamey Carroll. Leadoff walk. Brad Ausmus K's swinging for the first out. Sean Burnett vs Garret Anderson. Swinging bunt, Pudge throws to second to cut down Carroll. Scott Podsednik K's swinging to end the seventh.
8 - Morse grounds out to second base. Pudge singles to center in front of Alberto Gonzalez. Gonzalez flies out to Kemp in left-center. Two down. Willie Harris grounds into a force at second that ends the Nats' eighth...Ryan Theriot pops out to Desmond behind second. Andre Ethier grounds back to Burnett, who tosses to Dunn. Justin Maxwell gets to another fly ball from Kemp, 6-3 Nats after eight.
9 - Justin Maxwell K's swinging to start the Nats' ninth, his 4th K of the game. Ian Desmond singles to left off Ramon Troncoso. Desmond steals second and takes third as Ryan Zimmerman K's swinging. Intentional walk to Adam Dunn, and LA lefty George Sherrill comes on to strike out Adam Kennedy...Drew Storen gets a groundout from James Loney. Casey Blake lines out to short. Tw-out walk to Jamy Carroll. Ronnie Belliard grounds to first, Adam Kennedy in for Dunn and he steps on first. Nats win, 6-3 final.