Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Game 73: Mariners at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER
Ichiro Suzuki and the Mariners make their first-ever appearance at Nationals Park.
The Mariners have made only one trip to Washington before: In June 2005, during the Nationals' club-record 10-game winning streak. Actually, win No. 10 came on Sunday, June 12, against Seattle, with Chad Cordero (who sadly announced his retirement from baseball yesterday) recording the save.

The only Mariner of significance from that previous visit still with the club is the great Ichiro Suzuki, who even at age 37 remains one of the most-exciting players in baseball to watch. Enjoy these next three nights, because the star right fielder is indeed one-of-a-kind. There's at least one other familiar face in Seattle's lineup tonight: Adam Kennedy, who never panned out here last season but tonight is batting third for the Mariners (who obviously have some offensive issues).

Livan Hernandez takes the mound for the Nationals, once again batting eighth. Ian Desmond returns to the lineup after missing Sunday's game with a sore thigh muscle.

Updates to come...

MARINERS at NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 188
Weather: Chance of storms, 82 degrees, Wind 5 mph out to LF
STARTING LINEUPS
NATIONALS (35-37)
RF Jayson Werth
CF Roger Bernadina
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Laynce Nix
1B Michael Morse
2B Danny Espinosa
C Wilson Ramos
P Livan Hernandez
SS Ian Desmond

MARINERS (37-35)
RF Ichiro Suzuki
SS Brendan Ryan
3B Adam Kennedy
1B Justin Smoak
2B Dustin Ackley
LF Carlos Peguero
CF Franklin Gutierrez
C Chris Gimenez
P Doug Fister
7:08 p.m. -- And away we go with a strike from Livan Hernandez from Ichiro Suzuki. Remember those big crowds from the weekend? Yeah, not tonight. I'll be surprised if they announce more than 20,000 for this one.

7:20 p.m. -- Well, that didn't go quite as well as the Nats hoped. Four of the first five batters to face Hernandez produced singles, with RBI coming from Adam Kennedy (he now has 22 for the season, only nine fewer than he had all last year in D.C.) and Dustin Ackley. Fortunately, an incredibly heads-up play from Ryan Zimmerman and Livo produced an inning-ending, 5-1 double play. With runners on the corners, Carlos Peguero hit a pop-foul behind third base. Zim made the routine catch, then immediately fired back to Livo, who stormed over to cover third. Justin Smoak, for some reason, took a step off the bag and couldn't get back in time. Bizarre ending to the inning, which ends with the Mariners up 2-0.

7:30 p.m. -- Better stuff from Hernandez in the top of the second. Despite a leadoff single to Franklin Gutierrez, he escaped without further damage, getting Ichiro to ground out to end the inning. By the way, how often do you see the highest-paid player on each team (Werth, Ichiro) both leading off? Weird.

7:37 p.m. -- Not much going on at the plate for the Nats through two innings. Werth led off the first with a single but was erased on a double play from Zimmerman. And then Doug Fister retired the side in the second, striking out Danny Espinosa to end it. Still 2-0 M's after two.

7:48 p.m. -- Another run for Seattle in the third after Brendan Ryan smokes a leadoff double and scores later on a fielder's choice (with a nice play by Morse at first base to at least get one out on the play). Livo just does not look sharp at all tonight. He's working very deliberately, and the Mariners are squaring everything up. It's now 3-0 in the middle of the third.

8:05 p.m. -- Livo can't even get the opposing, American League pitcher out. Doug Fister picks up his first career hit and RBI with a single to right, scoring Franklin Gutierrez and making it 4-0 in the fourth. Then again, Livo isn't alone in this department. That's four hits surrendered to AL pitchers in the last four games. That's not good.

8:10 p.m. -- So not only did Werth shave his beard, he also just walked up to the plate to a new song. No Guns 'n' Roses. I don't know what the song was he walked up to, or who performs it, but it was definitely different. The end result, of course, was the same: A rolled-over groundball to short.

8:17 p.m. -- Still not much going on offensively for the Nats. Zim had a swinging bunt for a single, but that was it for the bottom of the fourth. They've produced two singles off Fister and no runs. Still 4-0.

8:23 p.m. -- Wow, Livo's done two batters into the top of the fifth. Ten hits allowed, five runs (so far). He wasn't exactly helped by Werth, who tried to bare-hand Brendan Ryan's base hit, dropped the ball and allowed Ryan to take an extra base (and eventually score on Kennedy's second RBI single of the night). That's now five errors for Werth this season, the same number Espinosa has committed at second base despite a lot more chances. Ryan Mattheus out of the bullpen to replace Livan in what is now a 5-0 game and getting uglier by the minute.

8:44 p.m. -- Nice job by Mattheus, retiring all six batters he's faced and not letting a ball out of the infield. Now, if the Nats could just get anything going at the plate...

8:56 p.m. -- On the bright side, they finally scored. Bernadina singled home Desmond with one out in the sixth. But moments later, Zimmerman grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, his second inning-ending double play of the game. Zim wasn't happy about it; he slammed his helmet to the turf. It's now 5-1 after six.

9:02 p.m. -- Tonight's paid attendance: 21,502. Better than I thought it would be when the game began.

9:10 p.m. -- There's a big-time storm fast-approaching from the west. You can see some lightning off in the distance. Can they finish this game before it hits?

9:16 p.m. -- Elsewhere in the majors ... Wily Mo Pena (yes, Wily Mo Pena) was called up by the Diamondbacks today after crushing the ball at Class AAA. And he proceeded to crush the ball now that he's back in the majors. Just homered in the top of the fifth at Kansas City.

9:32 p.m. -- That's one run and three hits in eight innings now against Doug Fister. Or is it Don Drysdale? I can't tell the difference.

9:37 p.m. -- Laynce Nix, by the way, left tonight's game with a sore left Achilles' tendon. He's listed as day-to-day.

9:42 p.m. -- Fister has never pitched more than eight innings in 52 career starts, and he's not going to get a chance here. Closer Brandon League is on to pitch the ninth for the Mariners, who still lead 5-1.

9:59 p.m. -- Well, this just got interesting at last. The Nats have rallied to make it 5-2, and with two on and two out, Espinosa is stepping to the plate representing the tying run. And League has just been pulled from the game after taking a comebacker from Morse in the leg. It'll be David Pauley to try to record the final out, and he's got as much time as he needs to get warm. Could be a while.

10:03 p.m. -- Espinosa singles on the first pitch he sees, scoring Hairston. Its' 5-3, and now Wilson Ramos is at the plate representing the winning run. What a tuern of events.

10:04 p.m. -- Holy cow. Wilson Ramos: 3-run homer. Nats win, 6-5. Holy cow.

115 comments:

UNTERP said...

Nats, let's play this one like it's the last game to ever be played, one game at a time...

UNTERP said...

Wow, can't believe Adam Kennedy is batting 3rd...

JaneB said...

UNTERP, I am going to take that batting order as a sign that Kennedy got a lot better out there, AND that we will be winning this game on offense, not just defense. So looking forward to the game tonight, out of proportion to the entire event. Maybe it's those dollar dogs they have on sale. I'm glad we get Laynce back today, too, though Hairston did well for us in the Oriole's series. It's going to fun to see Ackley, too.

FS said...

What happened to Franklin? He was one of their best hitters in 2009. Smoak and Ackley will stick around long term. I don't even know anyone except Kennedy in that lineup. Anyways, once Hultzen joins that rotation in a season or two. That is one scary rotation with Felix, Pineda, and Danny. That's about year or two away. They have to get creative with their hitting. If they can borrow TARDIS to bring back young Junior in this lineup, that could help too.

The Black Magic Guy said...

If true that Kennedy was a negative force in the clubhouse last year, and spent the 2010 campaign hazing Desi, then I think that I shall have to put a hex on him tonight!

Tim said...

Time to start another streak!

Nats Outsider said...

@FS--

Lessee. There's a ball club out there with some pretty good pitching, but once they get their potentially best pitcher, it will be "one scary rotation." Hitting remains a question mark, but basically, they are a team that is likely to be much improved in a year or two.

Where have I heard this before? It all sounds SO familiar.

P. Cole said...

Nats win, Oakland wins, Washington moves into 3rd place!

Anonymous said...

Ummm earth to Zuckerman and fellow Nats fans...Adam Kennedy is hitting better than most Nats so not sure what's up with the tweet about this being a week lineup because of Kennedy!

FS said...

Nats Outsider, if you meant that my description sounded like Nats, I don't see the similarity. Their offense is much worse than ours was in recent years. OTOH, their pitching is definitely better than ours and will continue to be better (if Danny is as good as advertised).

Let's aim for that .500 this series.

FS said...

Anon 5:04, AK is doing well with Mariners no doubt, but having him hit 3rd still makes your lineup weak. You guys will be better off with Olivo or Smoak in that spot. Ichiro (lead-off hitter)in his worst year since coming to US, is hitting better than Kennedy with men on or RISP and has same number of RBIs than Adam. So yeah, Kennedy does make your lineup weaker if he hits 3rd.

MicheleS said...

Mark.. Did Werth shave the beard? Word on MLB Network is that it is gone... guess he is trying to bust the slump.. maybe he should get a BEAST MODE shirt.

Sad about the Chief.. Brought much joy to Nats Town, was treated like dirt by Bowdwen. I still have the bobble head!

Grandstander said...

He's actually not hitting better than most Nats. Werth, Bernadina, Zim, Morse, Nix and Espinosa all have a higher OPS and he's only 7 points above Ramos. And that's taking into account how terrible they were all season.

AK isn't on some crazy hot streak either, he's hitting career averages almost on the money with a slightly higher OBP and slightly less SLG. He just sucked for us last season.

Typically, you bat your best overall hitter 3rd. If your best overall hitter isn't better than 6 players on a team that until last week, could barely score 2 runs a game, I'd say it's fair to call your lineup weak.

natsfan1a said...

Black Magic, do you have a source that you'd like to share re. Kennedy so that we can read about it from the actual source, in context? Regardless, here's hoping that he won't be tossing his chaw down near first base (which would mean that he's getting hits). If he does end up doing so, here's hoping that he gets stranded, along with other Mariners runners. (No offense, AK, but we want those curly w's.)

Re. Chief, I always liked him and have lots of good memories from his days here (and JimBo was an a** to announce the non-tendering on the airwaves without having spoken to him).

Let the Beast Mode countdown begin, and go NATS!

The Black Magic Guy said...

@ natsfan1a

One previous post on Nats Insider, some 1-2 weeks ago suggested that AK was a negative force in the club house. It came from a clubhouse informant to the poster. I can sort of recollect who wrote the post, but I don't want to be wrong.

More recently someone posted that Adam Kennedy verbally hazed Desmond most of the time that he was with the Nats. This was later denied by another post, which suggested that they were good friends.

Obviously, some people know more about the situation than I do. Kennedy is a guy that has some problems off the field, as witnessed by his DUI in the Seattle area last winter.

Tim said...

Michele... I still have Chief's bobblehead, too!

I still have gray hairs from his save opportunities, too. ;-)

UnkyD said...

I got my Chief bobblehead as a gift, from my biggest O's fan friend! He works inna thrift shop, and grabbed it for me. It was awhile ago... Must've been new..(

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessmistic_For_Me said...

I keep hearing and reading that the Mariners are so improved this year...and then I see "Adam Kennedy" penciled in the No. 3 spot.

They can't be THAT improved with this turkey in the lineup.

We are so much stronger this year at 2B with Danny making the pivot.

GYFNG!

UnkyD said...

GOOOO NATS!!!!!!!

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessmistic_For_Me said...

Greatest words ever on the television machine:

"Bob Carpenter is taking a few days off."

Enjoy the broadcast and GYFNG!

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessmistic_For_Me said...

It was only a matter of time!

¶ KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The Arizona Diamondbacks have promoted Pacific Coast League home run leader Wily Mo Pena from Triple-A.
¶ The 29-year-old Pena was put into the starting lineup Tuesday night at Kansas City as the designated hitter. It was his first major league game since 2008.
¶ Pena topped the PCL with 21 homers and a .726 slugging percentage at Reno. He was hitting .363.

NatsJack in Florida said...

Rumor has it that his fielding percentage was slightly higher than his slugging percentage.

Jim Webster said...

Delighted to see that Werth has stopped auditioning to do Geico cave man commercials.

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessmistic_For_Me said...

Nice, NatsJack, nice...

Have I said lately how much I despite Adam "0.12 Blood Alcohol Content" Kennedy?

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessmistic_For_Me said...

New Nats Promotion Idea:

Next time Wilson Ramos catches a throw cleanly, free chicken wings on the house.

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessmistic_For_Me said...

Just die, Adam Kennedy, die.

Anonymous said...

I know Ramos has dropped at least 3 balls that allowed runs to score. Not Good. I thought he was a great fielder?

CBinDC said...

So is this now the fall after such a great run ??? Sorry I can not believe the culture of losing is behind us until they stop the losing and tonight well ........

Sec3MySofa said...

We get it, Sunshine.
See that line behind you?

Sec3MySofa said...

Fredie, you mean the one-hop throws on plays at the plate? Mark asked about that, was it last week? and Pudge is going to be working with him on that. It is a weakness in his otherwise strong D.

Sec3MySofa said...

But speaking of defense, whose idea was it to have Espinosa start taking the throw behind the bag? That just ain't working.

Angie W said...

Please make F.P. stop saying, "Itchy-ro"...

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessmistic_For_Me said...

Is this Doug Fister or Don Drysdale?

Exposremains said...

Please, please not those kind of games again, after the winning streak I can't bare to see this again.

CBinDC said...

I think it is more Itch-a-rue

FS said...

I am an anonymous poster and I call for Riggs firing, demotion of desmond, and while we are at it, relocation of this team to greenland. I can build a nice ballpark over there.

CBinDC said...

Wow so the pumpkin returns ......really hoped this type of game was in the rear view ......

Jim Webster said...

So Nats pitchers have given up 52 runs in the last four games. Given the tone and tenor of persistent commenters here, shouldn't we now expect a chorus of demands for McCatty's firing?

Jim Webster said...

Ooops... make that 52 hits.

Exposremains said...

Kennedy another one of those not very good guys that comes back to beat up on the Nats. I can also think of bonifacio, F. lopez am I missing other ones?

Sunshine_Bobby_Carpenter_Is_Too_Pessmistic_For_Me said...

RAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GYFNG!

Anonymous said...

wow.

CBinDC said...

Is that the stake in the heart of the culture of losing !!!!!!!!!

WOW !!!!

RickH said...

WHOA, NELLIE!!! NATS WIN!!!!!

FS said...

OMG I thought Mark was joking. I can not seriously believe this. OMG this is great. I love this team.

FS said...

OMG I am so excited right now. I can't even type properly.

Anonymous said...

Riggleman is a genius

Exposremains said...

I'm sorry about everything I said tonight they looked like they were conceding the game and then BAM!!!WOW!

Big Oil said...

NATS WIN!

TimDz said...

Holy Crap....
that's about all I can say...

Big Oil said...

Was listening to the Mariners broadcast - they couldn't believe it! Like they'd been shot!

"...Here is a...high...fly ball....goingg.....and it's gone, Nationals hit a 3R HR and the game is over."

MicheleS said...

SWEET!!!!! What a come back and the first walk off for WILSON!!!

natsfan1a said...

I don't believe what I just saw! Who are these guys? Never mind. My Nats. I think I'll keep 'em.

(and the Captcha is "toolow")

FS said...

I just saw the highlight. He absolutely crushed that one. I think I am going to hear this horn in my sleep as well. Just a great ball club right now. OMG, this is how you pick up your pitcher on his off day.

Anonymous said...

WOO HOOO this is the best YET! Keep on keepin' on Nats!! That's what I'm talkin' about!

Yeah Baybee!

And yes I am here and I am watching!

~Peric

Sec3MySofa said...

"A stake in the heart of the vampire of losing..."

I like it!

natsfan1a said...

Yes, FS, they definitely picked him up. Also, nice work on the post below:

FS said...

I am an anonymous poster and I call for Riggs firing, demotion of desmond, and while we are at it, relocation of this team to greenland. I can build a nice ballpark over there.
June 21, 2011 9:17 PM

MicheleS said...

Ramos ?.. Remember over the weekend when he took one off the glove hand? I think it hit him on the wrist.. could that be impacting him catching - obviously, it's not impacting the hitting!

Anonymous said...

Must be some semi-clad female manikin in the Nats clubhouse? Ha!

natsfan1a said...

I think his issue with outfield throws predated that, MicheleS, but it sounds like he's working on it.

(And an unksl Captcha.)

Sec3MySofa said...

Did I hear someone in the Riggleman Q&A say that this was the biggest 9th inning comeback in Nationals history? Pretty good, down 4, two outs, one on, good closer ...

Anonymous said...

I am an anonymous poster and I call for Riggs firing, demotion of desmond, and while we are at it, relocation of this team to greenland. I can build a nice ballpark over there.

Great Party-pooping there 1A ... or are you Poopy McPoop in disguise? But then you always have something to pick at ... something that nags at you. Some people were born to be eeyore.

LoveDaNats said...

OMG! I have no idea who these guys are but I am LOVING it! Last year this would have been a roll-over-and-die but these guys don't give up! I'm so pumped, how can I sleep now?

Anonymous said...

Did I hear someone in the Riggleman Q&A say that this was the biggest 9th inning comeback in Nationals history?

Its definitely HUGE. But not as big as that surprising series win over the Phillies. That's what really turned the tide ... that and the new lineup.

This could turn into another long win streak and that is exactly what they need at this point in the season.

Sec3MySofa said...

Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo!
No, they really do.

Anonymous said...

OK, here's my story. Yes, I was at the game. In the fifth inning I decided I would rather go to Hard Times Cafe and cash in one of my tickets from last week for free wings. Went there, had a good dinner listening to Charlie and Dave on my HD radio and watching the futility on the big screen. Drove home listening in the car. Got home as Bernadina was coming to bat in the ninth. Sat in the driveway and listened to him work the walk. Looked at my ticket and realized that if the Nats win I get more free wings. Decided in a moment of perverse logic to carefully throw the ticket in the trashcan before going into the house, so as not to jinx the Nats by saving it in the presumption they might score five runs in the bottom of the ninth to win it.

It worked.

Remind me to dig the ticket out of the trash tomorrow morning.

natsfan1a said...

If I was in the habit of responding to trolls, I'd have a comeback here, but I'm not, so I don't.

Anonymous said...

"A stake in the heart of the vampire of losing..."

NICE! But if you watch the movies it always seems to take more than one stake, the sun rise and a silver bullet or two. Definitely more than one stake has been hammered into the heart of losing by these Nats since the last Phillies series.

natsfan1a said...

In other news, reports from a recent team meeting have a veteran player saying "There's only one thing left to do. Win the whole GYFNG thing."

Anonymous said...

Must be some semi-clad female manikin in the Nats clubhouse? Ha!
June 21, 2011 10:27 PM

Sec3MySofa said...

OK, Danger Boy, for one thing, that was FS, not 1a. She was just laughing at it (and was far from alone there).
And calling 1a "eeyore" is just bizarro world. Calling someone a poopy-face is just bizarre.

Anonymous said...

If I was in the habit of responding to trolls, I'd have a comeback here, but I'm not, so I don't.

Every party has a "pooper" and you like to get in that line ... I have no clue why you seem to feel you have to be the soul of haughtiness ... but then nobody is perfect. That is all. Ahhhhoooogahhhh!

HHover said...

According to the win expectancy chart on fangraphs, the Nats had a 1/2 of one percent chance of winning that game with 2 outs in the top of the ninth.

Take that, probability gods!

LoveDaNats said...

Yeah. That's us! All alone in third place!!!!

UnkyD said...

"You start winning games like that, good things are coming, Trust me!"... From the booth call....

WOOT!!!!!

natsfan1a said...

Thanks, sec3. Missed the postgame, but did record it. Did they actually chant buffalo?

HHover said...

Oops - bottom of the ninth.

That round goes to you, typo gods!

Anonymous said...

OK, Danger Boy, for one thing, that was FS, not 1a. She was just laughing at it (and was far from alone there).
And calling 1a "eeyore" is just bizarro world. Calling someone a poopy-face is just bizarre.


Its called context dim bulb. Context? The Nats just have a big win and there are many and sundry here who weren't going to be all warm and fuzzy about it? It was funny earlier perhaps ... but not now.

There was no reason to bring that up. Now was there? So, as Prez HST used to like to say if its too hot in the kitchen you should get out.

Drew8 said...

Show a little faith
there's magic in the night.....

WILSON!!!!!!!

WOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!!

(And big time props to Mattheus, Balester and Coffey).

FS said...

And if kind Anon posters did not get it, it was an attempt at humor by yours truly. I am in too good of a mood right now, to be bothered by any negativity surrounding me.

dryw said...

Just got home from the park, and I'll I've got to say is....

GYFNG!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

And if kind Anon posters did not get it, it was an attempt at humor by yours truly. I am in too good of a mood right now, to be bothered by any negativity surrounding me.

Actually I did. And it was perfectly fine when you said it. Again, context. Wicked humor is one thing haughtiness is quite another.

natsfan1a said...

Yes, I got it, FS. I laughed when I read it just now. No worries.

N. Cognito said...

CBinDC said...
"So is this now the fall after such a great run ??? Sorry I can not believe the culture of losing is behind us until they stop the losing and tonight well ........"

Don't fear. I have this feeling that the Nats will come back and win the game on a walk-off homerun by Ramos...while I'm in my car on I-295, headed home.

baseballswami said...

The Mets lost, THE METS LOST!!!!!!! That ending was just sweet. I can remember not too long ago whining that we had no walk-offs this year. Morse has one, Espi has one -- RAMOS has one!!!!

Anonymous said...

MLB commentators calling this the comeback of the year!

UnkyD said...

Confession: I fell asleep, before the 5th... Was Matheus as lights-out as the box indicates? Great 'pen, tonite!!!

N. Cognito said...

Anonymous said...
"OK, here's my story. Yes, I was at the game. In the fifth inning I decided I would rather go to Hard Times Cafe and cash in one of my tickets from last week for free wings. Went there, had a good dinner"

WHOA!
Hard Times Cafe! Good Dinner?
No wonder the Nats won. The universe has been turned upside-down.

Anonymous said...

Write. In. RAMOS!

A DC Wonk said...

Cruising MLB.com I saw two different videos of the Ramos winner -- one from DC and one from Seattle. The Seattle one starts with (and I am transcribing verbatum): "for one out . . . [I think he was finishing saying that they needed only one out] . . . one-one . [pitch, smack] . . no way, NO WAY, NO WAY!!"

Cool to hear it from the other point of view.

Ok, stat-research heads -- when was the last time the Nats scored five in the bottom of the ninth? (And when was the last time the Nats scored four with two out in the bottom of the ninth?)

Other comment -- from the few clips that I saw, it looked like Fister had some major-nasty stuff going on. I was impressed. Facing only 27 batters in 8 innings. And Zim, 3 HIDP's? Yikes! (Yet somehow managed to continue his 10-game hitting streak).

Nothing like getting outhit 13-7, but still winning, eh?

wetbehind the ears said...

What is GYFNG?

Navy Nats Fan said...

You must not have seen Zimmerman's hit to extend the streak - an excuse-me swinging bunt down the third-base line. But it looks like a scorching line drive in the box score....

Navy Nats Fan said...

WBTE: GYFNG = Go You Freaking Nats Go

A DC Wonk said...

You must not have seen Zimmerman's hit to extend the streak - an excuse-me swinging bunt down the third-base line. But it looks like a scorching line drive in the box score....

That cracks me up. But, all I think of is: the baseball gods owe us, so we'll take it!

Anonymous said...

Is anyone else besides me getting tired of Jayson Werth's "too cool for school" persona? It shows up in absolutely the wrong moments, like his playing a single into an extra base that put the runner in scoring position, and sure enough, scored with the next batter. Absolutely no reason to barehand that ball.

FS said...

Defying expectations (According to Fangraphs' Win Expectancy formula, #Nats had a 0.5% chance of winning tonight's game after Zim double play in 9th.)? EXPECT IT!!!

Someone please stop me from watching that home run again and again.

Anonymous said...

Was at the game. Knew Ramos had done it the second it left the bat. Livo was off, but the rest of the guys didn't allow a run. Yeah, Zim hit into 3 DPs, but at least one of them was really smoked. It looked like a lot of bad luck--all their grounders got through and ours didn't. Then our luck changed with the error in the 9th, and the park came alive. When Danny got his hit, you just knew Ramos was going to do something. Pudge was on deck, and I was hoping Ramos would double in 2 runs so Pudge could get the walkoff. But I'm not complaining.
Here's what impresses me: 3 walkoff homers in the last few weeks by 3 different guys! Good stuff.

masnstinks said...

FS - I won't even try to stop you from watching that home run again - I am wearing it out! And --- I just can't stop smiling. Johnny Holiday just lost his cool completely doing the play by play tonight - I will hear it in my dreams tonight. I kind of wish I was hearing Charlie and Dave - I bet their call was great. This is good stuff. Who are these guys?

HHover said...

So Mark...

Was that tweet the sincerest form of flattery, or two great minds thinking alike? Or both?

JaneB said...

I tied to post from the stadium about werth's new music...it got him on base at the top of the game. But the darn iPhone wouldn't load, even with that few people in the stadium.

Livo's play at third base was awesome.

Here's what I noticed. Last year, the stands would have started to empty out after that double play Zimm hit into in the 6th, and it would have been a ghost town by the 8th. But people STAYED! Not just me, but thousands an thousands of people. That means that LOTS of people now believe the Nats could win in the 9th! And how cool is that. Really. I even texted a friend, before Wilson came up,,"expect it." because I did

GYFNG! See you tomorrow for game two of the sweep.

Mark Zuckerman said...

HHover: Both. I had been thinking to myself to look that Fangraphs Win Expectancy stat up, then saw your comment. Pretty amazing.

Drew8 said...

Farm report:


As we savor a great night, there's an interesting development in the search for a leadoff hitter. The Nats have promoted Lombardozzi to Syracuse, where he led off tonight, played second base and went one for four.

At Harrisburg, Derek Norris continues to put together a most unusual season. Tonight he swatted his 10th homer in 47 games. He's only hitting .221, but he's walked 36 times. Here's a catcher with a stunning on base percentage of .382.

To put that in perspective, red hot Michael Morse has an on base percentage of .357.

P.S. The Post reports that Harper had an RBI groundout in one of his two ABs at the Sally League ASG.

Exposremains said...

So happy I'm mot a Mariners fan I would be so pissed. Yet this has been done to us before I can remember 2 games a few years back one in Atlanta and a Francoeur homer against Codero and one in San Diego grand slam against Codero I think.

Dan! said...

Get in on the ground floor now. It has been a long couple of years, but patience (which was tough) is paying off. This team is JUST about to explode.

1989 Orioles = 2011 Nationals. Expect it.

A DC Wonk said...

It looked like a lot of bad luck--all their grounders got through and ours didn't.

Interesting . . . watching MLB.com highlights, that's what I noticed, too. It seemed as though a lot of the singles off of Livo, including the pitcher's single which drove in a run, were grounders through the infield.

A DC Wonk said...

.. and one more thing -- don't you gotta love when the relief pitchers throw five shut-out innings (with a combined WHIP of 0.80) -- and that was without using HRod, Clip or Stor?!?

FS said...

Mark Z, if you could ask one question to Ryan Z for me, is he convinced yet that this is where he wants to stay or not?

I finally heard it Mariners call that walk-off as well. Their version is better because the way he said it, gives justice to the unexpectedness of that HR.

Dave said...

Never. Leave. Early.

I didn't. I can say I was at one of the most dramatic wins in Nats history.

@Dan!, I have been in on the ground floor since the second year of RFK. Some years I felt like a bit of a chump for shelling out for season tickets, but I have my seats right in front of the pressbox. I'll be sitting there for the pennant race.

SonnyG10 said...

I was at the game tonight and had invited my son along for the first time this year. I was thinking about apologizing to him for the lousy game, when a miracle happened. OMG! What a fantastic win! GYFNG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drew8 said...

Click on this "Must C" clip from MLB.com to get Charlie Slowes' radio call right after Johhny Holliday's TV call.

"Bang. Zoom. Un-be-lievable!!!!"

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_06_21_seamlb_wasmlb_1&mode=recap_home&c_id=was

sjm308 said...

Had tickets to Wicked at the Kennedy Center but knew I also had to change hats after Sundays loss. Went with the 1926 white hat, red brim and blue block W and while it didn't match my sport coat, I still know in my heart that it played a small part in this win. Got to hear Charlie (or Dave's) call on XM driving home and I was more excited about that then the damn play (which actually was pretty good). Lets just keep winning series Boys and see where things are when the All-Star break comes around.
GYFNG!!

JaneB said...

My face hurts from smiling so much. I am officially pathetic.

Andrew said...

Just got back from the SAL All Star game in Salisbury but did track the game on my cellphone. WOW WOW WOW.

The 2 rookies now both have Walk Off HR winners this season (Espinosa and Ramos).

So happy for these guys!!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm anon @10:33. Now going to dig ticket out of trash...

Arlington BigFish said...

JaneB, I have to admit I was one of those folks who turned off the TV after Zim hit into his 2nd DP. Didn't find out about the win until I picked up the Post this morning. O ye of little faith! But I'm still bothered by Zim's propensity to GIDP. Luck notwithstanding, there seems to be some flaw that gets him to swing at the type of pitches that cause grounders.

m20832 said...

I didn't turn off the tv. And had that sinking feeling after Zimm's GIDP. Were these going to be the Nats that would roll over and lose like the 2011 April-May Nats? But I had to stick with it through the ninth. Win or lose, the Nats are still my team.
Then miracle upon miracle, the DC boys of summer did it! What a team!
Third place in standings and one game under .500, I believe the Nats have the rest of the division right where we want them.
Did we give up when the germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Heck NO!
Will we give up on our Boys of Summer? HECK NO!!!!

GYFNG!!!!!!

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