The Washington Nationals lost their second game straight yesterday and it was to one of the worst teams in baseball, the Baltimore Orioles. The Nationals lost 5-3. Scott Olsen had a very poor performance, as he only pitched three innings of work. He gave up six hits and four runs, that included a two run home run by Outfielder Adam Jones. Olsen also gave up three walks and was able to get one strikeout. Miguel Batista would pitch the next four innings and didn’t give up a run. Batista allowed two hits and gave up two walks. Batista was also able to provide two strikeouts. Nationals rookie, Drew Storen, entered the eighth inning and allowed a run, as Outfielder Corey Patterson hit a single to center that scored Catcher Craig Tatum. Doug Slaten came into the game and pitched a scoreless and hitless ninth.
The Nationals scored three runs on the day and they came late in the game. The first run came in the bottom of the sixth, in which Catcher Ivan Rodriguez hit into a double play with the bases loaded but it was able to bring in Ryan Zimmerman and make the score 4-1. That was Rodriguez’s 16 RBI of the season. Then in the bottom of the seventh, Willie Harris hit his fourth home run of the year and it was a two run shot, to make the game 4-3. That brought the RBI total to 15 for Harris this year. After that, Washington was unable to find a way to get on the board and would end up losing 5-3.
The Nationals had only five hits on the day. Nyjer Morgan, Cristian Guzman, Batista, Rodriguez and Harris each had a hit for Washington. Morgan hit a double in the game and that was his eighth double on the year. Josh Willingham, Adam Dunn and Zimmerman were each able to reach base twice due to walks and Guzman got on base due to a walk as well.
The night before, The Nationals lost to the New York Mets 10-7. The Nationals were able to get 12 hits on the game. Adam Kennedy, Wil Nieves, Morgan, Guzman, Willingham and Harris each got a hit, while Ian Desmond, Dunn and Rodriguez each provided two. Dunn hit two doubles, giving him 12 on the year, while Nieves and Willingham each hit a double as well. That was Nieves third double of the season and Willingham’s sixth. Rodriguez was able to his first triple of the season.
From the Nationals seven runs, Harris drove in three of them. That gave Harris 13 RBI on the year and the two he had last night makes the total at 15. Roger Bernadina got his eighth RBI in the bottom of the second, as he grounded into a fielder’s choice but he was able to drive in Dunn. Desmond got his RBI in the bottom of the eighth, as he hit a single to right that brought in Nieves, giving Desmond his 19 RBI of the year. Also in the top of the eighth, Guzman hit a single to center and brought in Desmond, giving him his 15 RBI of the year and making the score 10-5. hen, with the bases loaded, Zimmerman was walked and got his 25 RBI of the year. That made the score 10-6. Washington would then go on to get one more run in the bottom of the ninth but it wasn’t enough to make a comeback.
Rookie Pitcher Luis Atilano was only able to last 4 1/3 innings and gave up seven runs in the process of nine hits. Tyler Walker came in and pitched 1 2/3 innings and gave up three runs. Batista and Sean Burnett pitched a combined three scoreless innings. From the two games, Luis Atilano is now 3-1 and Olsen is now 2-2.
The Nationals are now below .500 and stand at a record of 21-22. They are in fourth place in the National League East and are six games back from the Philadelphia Phillies. The Nationals have another home game tonight against the Baltimore Orioles. The game will start at 4:05 p.m. and Craig Stammen (1-2, 5.86 ERA) will face off against Brad Bergesen (3-3, 5.45 ERA).
