Friday, June 17, 2011

Game 70: Orioles at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER
The Battle of the Beltways resumes tonight at Nationals Park.
With a win tonight -- their seventh straight -- the Nationals would match their longest winning streak since the final week of the 2009 season. And who better to attempt to do that against than their interleague rivals from just up the road? Yes, it's part two of the Battle of the Beltways, and this time there's a little more on the line than in previous years, with both clubs trying to reach the elusive .500 mark.

Jason Marquis returns to the mound tonight after completing his five-game MLB suspension. He's in search of his team-leading eighth victory, and he'll be opposed by rookie left-hander Zach Britton, making his first career appearance against the Nats.

The hottest lineup in baseball -- 25 runs scored in three days -- is pretty much intact. Only the usual tweakings for a left-handed starter, which means Ian Desmond and Roger Bernadina swap spots and Jerry Hairston starts in left field over Laynce Nix.

Plenty of updates to come...

ORIOLES at NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN, MASN2
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), WTEM (980 AM), XM 187
Weather: Chance of storms, 82 degrees, Wind 6 mph out to RF
STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (33-36)
RF Jayson Werth
SS Ian Desmond
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Michael Morse
2B Danny Espinosa
C Wilson Ramos
LF Jerry Hairston
P Jason Marquis
CF Roger Bernadina

ORIOLES (31-35)
SS J.J. Hardy
RF Nick Markakis
CF Adam Jones
C Matt Wieters
LF Luke Scott
1B Derrek Lee
3B Mark Reynolds
2B Robert Andino
P Zach Britton
6:55 p.m. -- Weather update: It's begun raining here, and there's the threat of more significant rain coming. So the tarp is on the field and this game will officially begin in a delay.

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER
Rainbow over the Nationals Park right field stands.
7:20 p.m. -- The rain has stopped, the tarp is being removed and we're looking at an 8 p.m. start to this game.

7:46 p.m. -- I think it's safe to say John Wall chose the right sport. The Wizards rookie just threw out the ceremonial first pitch and came nowhere close to throwing it the full 60 feet, 6 inches. Credit to Drew Storen for snagging it on a hop and making it look better than it was.

8:01 p.m. -- And we are finally underway with a strike from Jason Marquis to J.J. Hardy. Officially a 56-minute rain delay. The one advantage: The stadium is actually near-full at first pitch for a change. Really big crowd on hand for this one, gotta be well north of 30,000.

8:06 p.m. -- Top of the first could have been dicey for Marquis, but he narrowly averted disaster after Nick Markakis singled and Adam Jones hit a sharp chopper to short that ate up Ian Desmond. It could have been Desmond's first error since May 4 but the official scorer gave Jones a base hit, citing the bad hop. Call probably could have gone either way. Anyways, it didn't come back to haunt Marquis, because he got Matt Wieters to fly out to right and Luke Scott to ground out to second.

8:24 p.m. -- Marquis again pitches his way out of trouble in the second. Back-to-back singles by Derrek Lee and Mark Reynolds, but Marquis got Robert Andino to ground into a 4-6-3 double play. Four hits allowed in two innings, but no runs so far.

8:36 p.m. -- Ryan Zimmerman has been working on a new throwing motion, and, well ... he hasn't exactly mastered it yet. Just one-hopped a throw to first, with Michael Morse making a nice scoop. Zim just looks really, really awkward and uncomfortable right now.

8:46 p.m. -- Pretty impressive stuff so far from Zach Britton, who I'd never watched in person before. He made Bernadina look downright silly on a strikeout to open the bottom of the third. Jerry Hairston has the lone base hit of the night so far, a second-inning double down the left-field line. Otherwise, Britton has been fantastic. Scoreless after three.

8:55 p.m. -- Wilson Ramos is a really good young catcher, and he's only going to get better. But he has GOT to work on receiving throws from the outfield. The Orioles have taken a 2-0 lead in the fourth because Ramos was unable to hang onto Jerry Hairston's throw from left field that would have nailed Derrek Lee and ended the inning scoreless. Ramos, though, never got a hold of it off the hop, and this wasn't the first time he's done this. That not only allowed Lee to score but prolonged the inning for Britton to record his first career hit (an RBI double). Nats now trail 2-0 in the middle of the fourth.

9:13 p.m. -- The bad: Jason Marquis has surrendered 10 base hits through five innings. The good: Somehow, he's only allowed those two runs to score. Another nifty double play from Espinosa and Desmond in the top of the fifth helped out. The Nats have now turned 62 double plays this season, fourth-most in the NL.

9:23 p.m. -- And just like that, the Nats have taken the lead. Singles from Ramos, Hairston and Desmond, and an RBI groundout from Bernadina in the bottom of the fifth. But the key to it all was Mark Reynolds' throwing error on Marquis' sac bunt attempt. The third baseman (and former UVA teammate of Zimmerman) was way wild with his throw after scooping up Marquis' bunt. That allowed one run to score and set up the rest of the inning. The Nats will take it. They now lead 3-2 after five.

9:31 p.m. -- Make it 4-2 after Zimmerman smokes an RBI single up the middle to score Desmond (who had stolen second). Zim had been 0-for-2 tonight and 3-for-17 since coming off the DL, but he had hit two balls hard to center field earlier in this game, and you just had the sense he was going to break through soon. Turns out he did.

9:43 p.m. -- Marquis puts two of the first three batters he faces in the sixth on, and with Vladimir Guerrero pinch-hitting for Britton, Riggleman makes his move. Marquis is done, and here comes Todd Coffey bursting out of the bullpen! Tonight's sprint time: 12.75 seconds.

9:49 p.m. -- And this game is tied again after Coffey allows both inherited runners to score. Guerrero singles in one, Hardy sac flies in the other. It's 4-4, and Marquis' final line is: 5.1 ip, 12 h, 4 er, 0 bb, 3 k.

10:08 p.m. -- So, how many of you out there predicted the Nats would re-take the lead on a hit-and-run double from Hairston, scoring Ramos all the way from first? And then, that Sean Burnett would be allowed to hit for himself and draw a four-pitch walk? Liars!

10:16 p.m. -- And now Werth adds to the lead with a clutch RBI single to left-center. Even more impressive was Burnett going first-to-third and finishing with a nice pop-up slide! And then Sean scores on Desmond's sac fly. It's now 7-4 in the bottom of the sixth, and there's still a LONG way to go before this one's over.

10:30 p.m. -- The Orioles have now amassed 16 hits over seven innings, at least one in every frame. Adam Jones and Derrek Lee each have already recorded four hits. Yet the Nats somehow hold a 7-4 lead. They've simply made pitches when they needed to, including Henry Rodriguez getting out of the seventh by striking out Reynolds and inducing a groundball from Andino.

10:56 p.m. -- One night after allowing a homer to Albert Pujols, Tyler Clippard gets back on track. Allowed a two-out single to Markakis (who becomes the third different Oriole with four hits tonight) but recorded a pair of strikeouts. Still 7-4 heading to the bottom of the eighth.

11:12 p.m. -- Roger Bernadina with the rare homer off a lefty (only the third of his career). Makes it 8-4 and erases the save opportunity. So Drew Storen (who had been warming up) takes a seat and Ryan Mattheus will now pitch the ninth.

11:21 p.m. -- That's it. Nats win again. Final score: 8-4. Winning streak at 7. They're now two games under .500 and tied with the Mets for third place in the NL East. It's the first time they've been in third place this late in the season since September 28, 2005.

87 comments:

BallstonNat said...

Go Nats! Stay hot! And go Teddy, this is the night.

Don said...

I believe this is a huge game for us, maybe one of the biggest of this season so far. All season long, and especially the last 15 games, we've played to the level of our competition.

Will we do that again tonight or will we play to the level we've been comnpeting at for the last three weeks?

I'll be there cheering them on...GO NATS!

UnkyD said...

Let's keep this Party Rockin'!!!

GO NATS!!!!!!!!!!!

Laying down the hack 'em and smack 'em said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jinz8LXOZXc&feature=related

Anonymous said...

Was at the P-Nats last night. Saw one pitcher who might come along and also a pretty good second baseman. That spot is taken, however. Got back to my car in time to hear Charlie call Danny's walk-off. Will be in my regular seat this evening. This is the same team that was in Baltimore weeks ago--only different! Now let's catch the Mets.

dale said...

Why is Desmond second and Bernardina ninth in the order? My only rationalization is that Bernardina's hamstring is keeping him from running the bases, but then we have been hearing about Desmond's quad limiting him as well.

Manassas Nats Fan said...

Lets win another series.

Go Teddy

Navy Nats Fan said...

This post is in response to the many "submarine horn" comments on the Series Preview post, but I am cross-posting it here since that thread is probably close to petering out.

The "submarine horn" is most commonly referred to as a Klaxon by those of us who have served on submarines. Its actual name is the Diving Alarm and it is sounded twice when submerging the submarine (The Chief of the Watch announces "Dive, Dive," sounds two blasts on the Diving Alarm, and then repeats "Dive, Dive"). The other time it is sounded is during an Emergency Surfacing procedure, when the submarine releases high pressure air into the ballast tanks, expelling the water (ballast), and causing the submarine to rapidly ascend to the surface. In this case, it is sounded three times. I believe this is the event the Nats PR staff is trying to evoke. You may remember the USS DALLAS executing an emergency surface in Hunt for Red October (Tim Curry saying the submarine was being scared out of the water). Here's a short video showing what it looks like at the end.

The name Klaxon is from the company that made the horns for early automobiles and submarines. The wikipedia article suggests that the name originally came from the ancient Greek word "klazo" which means "shriek." Here's a video of an actual Klaxon being sounded.

For those looking to install ringtones, the best .wav file I could find is located here, but it's only two blasts vice three.

I have a klaxon I bought off Ebay, installed it in my garage, and use it for a dinner bell when our kids are playing outside. Perhaps I'll start sounding it for home runs and victories when I'm watching the game at home.

I love the Nats.

My neighbors love me.

HHover said...

dale

Britton is a lefty; top of the order is stacked with righties, most of the lefties are sitting, and Bernadina goes to the bottom.

natsfan1a said...

Very cool NNF! Thanks for the info, and for your service.

Grandstander said...

Our Pythagorean W-L now stands at 35-34! I guess that's what happens you play a bunch of one-run games and then have a 25-10 series.

Fun stats are fun!

This past series, the Nats as a team slashed .336/.380/.619 and had 16 XBH including 8(!) HR. To quote our favorite color man, "Stay Hot, Washington Nationals!"

FlapJacks in Olney said...

Navy Nats Fan, best post of all time.

JaneB said...

Navy Nats, thanks so much!

From what I can see (and recall; one day I'll figure out how and where to look up the stats sine people come up with) Nix does okay these days no matter which hand that ball flies out of. He should always be in the line up.

I hope we can tske advantage of the O's falling performance and get another sweep. Go Jayson! Go Nats! Bring us another curlie W!

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessimistic_For_Me said...

GO YOU FREAKING NATS GO

GYFNG...

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessimistic_For_Me said...

@JaneB: BaseballReference.com.

What it doesn't have isn't worth having.

FlapJacks in Olney said...

True Dat.

Steady Eddie said...

One thing I'm really looking forward to seeing tonight is Jason Marquis continuing to pitch with the huge chip he's had on his shoulder ever since that BS ejection in SD. Especially as this is his first game back from his BS suspension.

I see another one like his CG SO of the Giants coming.

JaneB, r u gonna be there tonight?

SCNatsFan said...

Navy Nats Fan, very cool post. Especially since I live states away!

Thanks for your service to the Country.

natsfan1a said...

Let's go NATS!! hmmm...I think I'd like some Toasted O's for breakfast tomorrow.

JaneB said...

Steady Eddie, my husband just got a cast put on his leg today so we will see it on TV. Tomorrow, he will have enough juice to wheelchair into the stadium...finally, some in person baseball!

Sunshine, gonna check out that site while I wait for Jayson's first 1-2-3 inning of the evening, Thanks!

Grandstander said...

Marquis has pitched with that intensity since Riggleman took him out of that 17-run laugher against... the Os!

You don't think he's going to be playing a little vengeance ball tonight?

Steady Eddie said...

Grandstander -- There's that too. No doubt.

natsfan1a said...

Beautiful pic. Hope there's a curly w at the end of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FgWA5Ez-aU&feature=related

natsfan1a said...

Oh wait, that's a downer song. Try this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JwzvRTaxhc

MIcheleS said...

Navy Nats Fan.. thanks for the info and for your service!!! I love that horn!!!!

MicheleS said...

Mark... sweet pic of the Rainbow.. hopefully the Pot of Gold is in our bullpen!!!!

Anonymous said...

What’s going on at NatsTown? I'm 4 miles away in DC. We saw 5 minutes of gentle rain 3 hours ago.

Anonymous said...

Yes I am looking forward to exorcizing the Oriole fan out of
Oriole85. Go Danny Klaxonosa! Becoming the superstar 2nd
bagged!

CBinDC said...

Hi what is up with FP tonight ....I could care less if Vlaid plays or not ......and BTW FP you mean to tel me you think there are 35K baltimore fans in the stands tonight .....what happen Angelos get to you after the last series ??
Sory had to rant

Eugene in Oregon said...

@ CBinDC

My thought was: If 'fans' want to see Vlad bat, let him play outfield and get his ABs honestly.

Wally said...

Zim sure looks bad throwing the ball. I think it is just trying new mechanics, not injury, but it doesn't look good.

Desmond, on the other hand, continues to be that defensive liability. He had the nerve to range way to the left, spin around and if that wasn't bad enough, chest high throw to Morse. Get rid of the bum.

JaneB said...

Eugene is exactly right.

Dave said...

Quick question, as my wife is asking all sorts of questions, since I am watching tons of Nats games (she is actually becoming a fan!!). Do most of the players have to pay for the bats they use or are they purchased by the team. I always assumed that the players paid for their wood, but i am probably wrong?

SonnyG10 said...

We need somebody to play left field.

UnkyD said...

With ya, Sonny... Seems that we are trotting too many IF out there?

UnkyD said...

There's JRs bat though!

SonnyG10 said...

Well, OK, I sorta forgive Hairston. He's got two hits now and we got one run back.

JaneB said...

Dave! I always assumed that the team pays for them, since they need to players to use them. But you know what they say about when you assume... So, anyone know? And if the players buy their own bats, who pays for the balls?

SonnyG10 said...

@Dave, I've wondered that myself, whether the players pay for their own bats. I assumed the team paid for them. Maybe Mark or someone could find the answer for us.

Hot Dang!! 3 to 2 now.

UnkyD said...

I guess, if they ever drop Stairs, they can bring somebody up. Right now, Harper and Brown are the only other OF on the 40...one's not ready, and the others not getting it done. I wonder who NatsJack would promote...

11 game hitting streak, for The Defensive Liability... Another SB... manufacturing another run.

Attaboy, Desi!!!

Eugene in Oregon said...

@ Dave - I am about 80% certain the team pays for the bats. If you're interested in bats, NYTimes.com has had two recent articles you should read -- one on the continued epidemic of broken bats and the other on how Carlos Beltran decides which bats to use in games vs. which to use in batting practice.

Waddu eye no said...

Wally
I'm with you on desmond. Who needs a bum on an 11 game hitting streak

UnkyD said...

I read something, a few of years ago, about different types of wood going into bats. The players buy them, and there's a pecking order: I think they said they had to send hundreds of bats to Wade Boggs, so that he could select 20-30 or so... Picky so and so....

Waddu eye no said...

Favorite coffey moment was when he sprinted to the mound to tell frodo, " I can't carry the ring, but I can carry you."
Get em Todd !

Exposremains said...

Why do you pitch to Guerrero?

Gonat said...

Bingo. Set up the double play with bases loaded.

Gonat said...

The good news is Vlad Guerrero is done for the night.

Exposremains said...

I thought they would learn something from their previous series with Orioles, Guerrero can hit.

Gonat said...

That will help Burnett's record with inherited runners. 3 stranded there!!!

JaneB said...

Matt does not equal Vlad. Put in Laynce!

JaneB said...

Oh wait. That would mean pulling Jerry. Never mind,

SonnyG10 said...

OK, OK. I take your point, Hairston. Nice hitting.

NattyNation said...

Props to Hairston coming through tonight. I know there are a lot of haters out there but the fact is he did a good job filling in for Zim. You can't expect to replace a silver slugger/gold glover with a carbon copy, so his defense and somewhat decent hitting is commendable considering the circumstances. Does he deserve to start as much as he does now? probably not, but good for him for contributing

Smatt1001 said...

Let's keep this going guys!!

Golfersal said...

All of us together on this site, this blog and as National fans should be on the doorsteps of MASN protesting these spit telecasts.
Sorry but they are so Orioles bias, with O's promos, O's announcers and basically the look and feel of a O's game.

Sorry you don't see this in New York or Los Angeles or San Francisco. It's a way to save money on MASN and we shouldn't allow this.

Mark a question to you, does Nationals management like this???
Do they like to be shortchanged by coverage that shows bias toward the Orioles on a Nationals Home game.

For those on this site, any suggestions on whole do we protest too? We can't allow this to happen any more

Soul Possession, PFB Sofa said...

I'm starting to spell windge with a curly W.

Gonat said...

Golfersal, it is the worst telecast. All the diplomatic fakeness between them all instead of saying it like it is.

FS said...

Espinosa has not done anything yet. :(

Gonat said...

Dave said...
Quick question, as my wife is asking all sorts of questions, since I am watching tons of Nats games (she is actually becoming a fan!!). Do most of the players have to pay for the bats they use or are they purchased by the team. I always assumed that the players paid for their wood, but i am probably wrong?

June 17, 2011 8:50 PM
--------------------------------

The short answer is the team generally pays for the bats. The more complicated answer is that some players like Barry Bonds paid for their own bats so he could definitively take each bat with him from the stadium.

Exposremains said...

Nats could be in 3rd place tonight..

SonnyG10 said...

Golfersal, I agree with you. I don't like mixing the broadcasters and having to tiptoe around afraid of offending the other team. I like my Nats broadcasters backing the Nats all the way!!! The O's, in this case, are the enemy...take no prisoners.

Exposremains said...

The Orioles bias is there because they have more Orioles fans watching not that I agree with it

Nats Outsider said...

Unkyd and anyone else--When I was a kid, I remember that pro bats were made out of ash wood. Now, I keep hearing about maple being used. Maybe that's partly why there are more split bats these days.

Golfersal said...

Guys,
there is a MASN Network and a MASN 2.
Why can't the Nats have there own telecast.

I miss Bob Carpenter, this is our home game.

Mark, we need help on this and have to ask some Nats management why they allow this to happen.

Any suggestions from other posters????

dryw said...

"It's not like we're going to start scoring ten runs a game just because I'm back."

Well, he wasn't wrong....

Waddu eye no said...

Thank heaven for TiVo, pause buttons, MLB at bat on my phone, and charlie an dave. I'm with you all about masn.
Great job shark!

dj in Fl. said...

@Nats Outsider

Ash bats became a rare commodity due to a bore that pretty well destroyed the ash trees in the US.
And yes MASN needs to go, thanks Bud for one lousy situation.

sjm308 said...

My suggestion is to listen to Charlie and Dave. Unfortunately the synch with the action on TV is a little early from the radio but it sure beats listening to the stuff the Oriole announcers are putting out there. One of the biggest jokes was one game, the O's were getting killed by the Yankees but they do this "player of the game" vote and even though it was like 11-2 an O (can't remember his name) won that poll. I seem to remember that this was one of many consessions given to Angelos when there was still doubt about whether we would even get a franchise.

I am thinking with an 11 game hitting streak, two hits, two stolen bases and several nice plays in the field our defensive liability has earned at least another start or two. I guess everyone here realizes as soon as he goes into a slump the neganons will jump out of the woods to demand a trade or sending him back to the minors so we can play Bixler or Cora.

My Red Hat is getting a little sweaty but it looks like it will be on tomorrow at the Park as we get set to win our 8th in a row. Hope grandstander is comfortable in his same seat.

go Nats!!

Andrew said...

WOW, the Nats are now tied for 3rd place after this win!!! What an accomplishment made by this team and the winning streak goes to 7 games!!!!!!!

SonnyG10 said...

Fantastic...7 game winning streak...Go Nats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drew8 said...

Crank it up LOUD and cue the Bang! Zoom!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDTbuoCd3ho

Grandstander said...

Anyone tired of their free wings can give them to me. I have no shame...

JaneB said...

Now, "expect it" doesn't seem so stupid.

SonnyG10 said...

Starting another errorless streak!!!

FS said...

Oh my God! this is so unbelievable. We are in third place. That is insane. Wish Danny had contributed more.

Anonymous said...

Love you Nats!!! Keep it going!

natsfan1a said...

Toasted O's for breakfast. Yeah, baby!

Re. the broadcast, yeah, it's pretty annoying. I was ready to put out an APB on Bob around the 6th, but then they finally let him back in the booth. Actually, I must say that I think FP and Mike are kinda funny together. I liked when Mike said he saw FP do a headfirst slide through the lunch room after FP had been talking about how he missed getting his uni dirty.

natsfan1a said...

Oh, and props to JerHair, Desi, Burney, and Mattheus. I was going to vote in the Player of the Game poll but I got confused and instead was trying to figure just out when Guerrero had joined the Nats. AFLAC? :-)

natsfan1a said...

Wait, make that Lee on the poll, but you get the point. (curly w)hinge...

Manassas Nats Fan said...

Caught the Mets now.

Anonymous said...

Oriole85: wrong, wrong, wrong again!

Anonymous said...

Get ready for Mattheus, he is an elite pitcher with a great repertoire
who never panics dies not get flustered. Yep he could be competition
for any reliever including Drew Storen. Give Rizzo kudos for this
guy.

UnkyD said...

Darn it!! Fell asleep, after Burnett's AB!!! Another great win, Attaboy, Desi!! Jr's bat was money,, tonite, but I'm still looking forward to another OF, when we get rid of Stairs... Who do you bring up, NatsJack? Definitely shorthanded out there, since Beast went to 1st...

And... How long does the *#%^+€ MASN deal last? Could MLB have put this team any further behind the 8 ball, in transitioning from Montreal? God Bless the Learners, for jumping in, anyway!!! I just couldnt hate Angelos any more if he stepped on my ice cream sandwich!!!!!

NationalsFanatic said...

Unkyd; in case you forgot, Ankiel is still on the 25 man roster and no one was sent down or cut when R Zimm returned. As of right now, there are 25 men on the active roster and only 4 of them are starting pitchers. So this Sunday when Gorzelanny is activated to pitch that day, somebody will need to be DFA or Ankiel will have to go on the DL. If they don't put Ankiel on the DL, it will probably come down to either Stairs or Bixler (has options). My guess is that Stairs stays (I perish that thought) since there a six games at the end of this month played in AL parks and Stairs would be the likely DH.

Their best alternative is if they really insist on making Stairs the DH (I perish that thought), is to put Ankiel on the DL and that would take them through the Inter league games and then DFA Stairs when Ankiel returns. So to answer your question, no one comes up from the minors unless they cut Stairs and Ankiel.

Here is also an item of intrigue. In about 10 days or so Kimball is due back from the DL. Does Collin Balester get sent back down or will Coffey be traded to the Rangers per the rumors going around?

UnkyD said...

I DID forget, Neal! Thanks... Hmmm... Let's see.... Gorzy up on Sunday, DL Ankiel (or send Bix down, if Ankiels ready to play), then let Stairs go in a couple of weeks... THEN bring up an OF. Dropping Stairs clears a space on the 40 man... that's what I'm tryna facilitate, here... make someone, other than Harper or Brown available to call up.

Still haven't had any Joe, yet... Did that make any sense?

Free Bob and FP said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugR-Iyp-e1k&feature=related

Slidell said...

Again, I heave a sigh when Stairs is anointed as the DH. There ARE at least 4 or 5 better alternatives on the bench, not counting Marquis.
There must be some tactical reason Matt is still around, apart from the fact that he's a very nice guy personally. Hmmm, maybe that's IT.

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