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Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER Gio Gonzalez faces Tim Hudson tonight at Turner Field. |
Erik Davis takes Harper's spot on the roster, adding another right-hander to a bullpen that was taxed last night because of Strasburg's early exit with an oblique strain. Neither Craig Stammen nor Tyler Clippard are expected to be available tonight, so the pressure's on Gio Gonzalez to churn out a quality start and not force Davey Johnson to turn to his bullpen early again.
It would also help if the Nationals can get something going at the plate against Tim Hudson, never an easy task. Though he's 4-4 with a 5.37 ERA overall this season, he's 2-0 with a 1.27 ERA against the Nats (16-5, 2.55 ERA in his career against the franchise).
A friendly reminder that tonight's game is on Fox. Dick Stockton and Tom Verducci have the call. Here's the coverage map (and note that parts of Virginia will not be getting this game).
Updates to come...
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Turner Field
Gametime: 7:15 p.m. EDT
TV: Fox (coverage map)
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 89
Weather: Partly cloudy, 84 degrees, Wind 7 mph out to LF
NATIONALS (28-27)
CF Denard Span
LF Steve Lombardozzi
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
RF Roger Bernadina
2B Danny Espinosa
C Kurt Suzuki
LHP Gio Gonzalez
BRAVES (32-22)
SS Andrelton Simmons
RF Jason Heyward
LF Justin Upton
1B Freddie Freeman
C Evan Gattis
3B Chris Johnson
2B Dan Uggla
CF B.J. Upton
RHP Tim Hudson
UMPIRES
HP Larry Vanover
1B Brian Gorman (cc)
2B Manny Gonzalez
3B Tony Randazzo
7:17 p.m. — And we're underway as Tim Hudson fires strike one to Denard Span. Both clubs are wearing some pretty sweeo Negro League throwback uniforms tonight. Though I suppose they look better on some than others.
7:22 p.m. — A 1-2-3 top of the first for Hudson, though Ryan Zimmerman did smoke a line drive to right field to end the inning. Only 13 pitches for Hudson, 10 of them strikes.
7:30 p.m. — And a 1-2-3 bottom of the first for Gio Gonzalez, who struck out Jason Heyward on a 94 mph fastball and Justin Upton on an 81 mph curveball. Good stuff from the lefty, who threw 10 of 16 pitches for strikes. Scoreless after one.
7:44 p.m. — Hudson: 6 up, 6 down. Gonzalez: 6 up, 6 down. Suffice it to say, we've got a nice little pitchers' duel brewing here. Scoreless through two.
7:49 p.m. — Who else but Gio Gonzalez would you expect to record the first hit tonight for either team? He's now 5-for-17 this season, a cool .294 batting average! Unfortunately, nobody else in the Nats lineup has been able to touch Hudson. So it remains scoreless as we move to the bottom of the third.
8:04 p.m. — Oh, those leadoff walks. They'll get you every time. And one got Gio in the bottom of the third. He put Dan Uggla on to begin the inning, and the set in motion a chain of events in which Uggla ultimately scored from third on Andrelton Simmons' slow roller to short. So the Braves take a 1-0 lead, moving into the fourth.
8:13 p.m. — And Fredi Gonzalez's night will last only three innings. The Braves manager just got the heave-ho from plate umpire Larry Vanover after arguing balls and strikes with Zimmerman at the plate. Can't do that, Fredi.
8:21 p.m. — And the Nats get the run right back in the top of the fourth. Steve Lombardozzi reached on Freeman's throwing error, then put on a fantastic display of hustle going first to third on Zimmerman's slow chopper to short. That set the stage for Ian Desmond, who hit a slow roller down the third-base line that looked like a sure hit only to make an abrupt left turn at the last second. Would that freak roll cost the Nats a run? No, because Desmond followed by roping a base hit to center, scoring Lombardozzi. It's 1-1 heading to the bottom of the fourth.
8:31 p.m. — Impressive stuff from Gio so far tonight. The Braves' Nos. 2-5 hitters (Heyward, Upton, Freeman and Gattis) are now 0-for-8 with five strikeouts. Still 1-1 after four.
8:49 p.m. — Gio had to battle his way to escape the fifth unscathed after Chris Johnson led off with a double. He managed to keep Uggla in the ballpark (barely) and then got B.J. Upton to pop out (drawing boos from the crowd) and Hudson to ground out to third (with a pretty good throw from Zimmerman to end the inning). Still 1-1, moving to the sixth.
9:00 p.m. — A chance for the Nats in the top of the sixth after Zim beat out a grounder to third and LaRoche drew a two-out walk. But Desmond went after Hudson's first pitch and lined out to right. So this remains a 1-1 game. Something's got to give eventually.
9:12 p.m. — Big-time performance from Gio tonight. Now, if somebody else could just push a run across... Onto the seventh.
9:20 p.m. — So, there have been nine total baserunners allowed by Hudson and Gonzalez tonight. What a duel. Seventh-inning stretch now.
9:27 p.m. — Another dominant inning from Gio, who retires the side and has now completed seven innings of one-run, three-hit ball on 105 pitches. That'll be it forhim, with Jeff Kobernus pinch-hitting to lead off the eighth in what still remains a 1-1 game.
9:38 p.m. — The good news: Hudson is out of the game. The bad news: The Nats still can't get anything going against the Braves bullpen. Luis Avilan gets Span and Lombardozzi to end the top of the eighth. Drew Storen in, trying to keep this a tiegame.
9:47 p.m. — A really impressive bottom of the eighth from Storen, who struck out a pair and got a groundout. He's been really sharp his last couple of times out and seems to have turned a corner. So it's onto the ninth, and here's Craig Kimbrel to face the heart of the Nats lineup in a 1-1 game.
9:52 p.m. — Golden opportunity for the Nats in the top of the ninth. Zimmerman led off with a broken-bat single. LaRoche followed with a double. So, second and third, nobody out ... and they still didn't score. Desmond struck out looking. Bernadina grounded into a 5-2 fielder's choice. And Espinosa flied out on the first pitch he saw. Unbelievable. It's still 1-1 as Fernando Abad enters for the bottom of the ninth.
10:06 p.m. — Holy moly, Abad strikes out Justin Upton and then gets Freeman to rope a liner right at Espinosa, who starts a 4-3 double play and send this game to extra innings.
10:12 p.m. — Bottom of the 10th now. It's Henry Rodriguez time, folks.
10:24 p.m. — Nats lose. Rodriguez issues two walks, allows a stolen base without a throw and then B.J. Upton(?!) delivers the game-winning single to right. It's a 2-1, 10-inning loss as the Nats fall back to the .500 mark and back to 5 1/2 games behind Atlanta.
315 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 315 of 315 Newer› Newest»OMG.. Thank god I have DVRd this game.. LET's TAKE IT TO KIMBREL.. PLEASE
Enough taking strike. Just ridiculous.
yeah, you gotta let the bat go there Desi
Damn it Desi just tap it foul you don' t like. charlie Lau was so ani K with less than 2 outs and man on third.
Said k is a selfish play by the batter.
Less Platu:
Everyone likes Lombo's scrappiness, but he demonstrably does not hit when he plays.
He has a .231 batting average and heading into tonight his on base percentage was just .254.
He just doesn't reach base enough. Rendon will be a huge upgrade.
Of course it comes down to Espinosa...
They officially deserve to lose that game.
Where is Lombo when you need him. 0-3 tonight with men on 3rd and less then 2 outs and the net result is no RBIs
Wow.
are you kidding me? What an absolute disgrace. IAN DESMOND IS GUTLESS. Ump gave you an extra strike. GUTLESS
gotta admit, some small ball there would have been nice
Bollocks.
haha horrible horrible horrible management.
with 2nd and 3rd none out in a tie game -- its up to the manager to manufacture that run.
totally and utterly disgraceful.
So what the hell is Johnson's objection to a squeeze play? Stubborn old fart in the dugout!
Great clutch hitting!
Braves would never miss a chance like that. By the way, I was really excited it came down to espi
UGH.. at least we got through kimbrel.. Let's take it to Extra's boys.. come on... we can still win this
Yep, waste the pitch there Desi. Unlucky BABIP by Bernadina. At least he made contact.
Pathetic effort.
desi just needed to fly to the outfield, and he doesnt even botger to swing.
Shark needs a suiside squeeze and Davey is an idiot and not call it. Big cat and I were furious at Davey.
The Espi is worthless.
That is the definition of Epic Fail.
Keep putting your faith in Danny management and he will have to eventually come thru, right?
Every time this team had a chance to turn he corner the mediocrity just raises its head.
This is Abad sign.
Expose remains you said it. What a pathetic approach. DESI no confidence. And Espinosa. OMG for the love of GOD get rid of this stiff.
Ian should've swung, but he didn't refrain because he's gutless. It's because he, you know, got fooled.
Want to bet the Braves go small ball here?
Bet the Braves scores
Wow. Our hitting is just unwatchable at times. To have Lombo come up twice last night and execute properly, then to see that tonight. Desi: 2 strike plan? Apparently not. Just look at the third one.
Espi: take the first pitch (especially if you have not see Kimbrel yet?). No.
Poor plan = poor results.
Drew: Disagree. When Lombo played 5 straight games and thinking it might be a lot more, he hit .300 and made a difference in at least 3 of those games and single handedly won one of them.
Playing a guy sporadically, moving him around position to position, never knowing when he's playing, and getting pinch hit for in the late innings, is not "Playing" regularly in anyone's book. When he played a little regularly, he hit.
I'm not saying Lombo is the second coming -- don't get me wrong here. Only he's superior to Espi who doesn't belong in the Bigs at all
Espy had a chance to be a hero. Not be there. Maybe next inning.
Espinosa is an automatic out at this point. Bring anyone else in. This lineup is one of the weakest in the majors right now and the need for a .150 hitter who strikes out 170 times and swings wildly at the first pitch he sees would not seem to be there.
I'll take that back, forgot J Up was coming to bat. My bad!
Don't want to hear about all the injuries anymore. Ump given you extra strikes. Zimm gets a gift and IAN stands there like a dead tree. That's got nothing to do with guys being hurt. I am disgusted
Abad dont be a bad
Whyyyyyyyy is Espi playing? He is killing us.
Why didn't Davey pinch hit Tracy for Espi
Why didn't we try a squeeze?
Manassas: I bet they do too. The momentum had shifted to the Braves when Davey failed to man up and squeeze that run home.
Not squeezing that run home is bordering on Incompetence!
There was not a single ball on the MLB pitch track in that AB.
I think Abad is going to be sticking around as a lefty. I like him.
WOOT.. Extra innings.. HAPPY THOUGHTS PEOPLE!!!!
luck counts too
Im shock the Braves didn't score. Seriously.
Extras! Nats have a second chance! Who wants to be the hero!
Abad gets it done!
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando
Davey's goatee will be down to his knees by September because this team is never going to hit.
I lost, but still right Shark and a suiside squeeze was the obvious call and Davey refused to win that way.
As usual, I'm with MicheleS. Fredi's backup genius already has burned through Kimbrel. Meanwhile, we've got a stocked 'pen. Heck, Stammen is probably looking around for his glove. Only went four last night.
Desmond is just not a smart hitter and never will be. With him and Automatic Out Espinosa in the lineup, this team better figure on a lot of shutouts if we are going to be a contender. I like Abad as a good LH in this kind of situation. Actually the Braves have the same problems; a lot of guys who have no plate discipline and strike out repeatedly.
In order for the Nats to win 95 games this year, they'll have to play .628 from here on.
In order for the Nats to win 90 games and have any hope for the playoffs, they'll have to play .579.
They better get going
Desmond should have swung at the Strike that was called a ball. Now we got to wait 5 more batters to have any chance with Zimm and ALR. everybody else just take a knee.
I think you go to Espi and ask if he is hurt, reassuring him that we love his toughness but he is doing us n good with his one meaningless hit a series season he is having. If he says no, he's ok, then you send him down.
I tell you one thing this team will go nowhere with this many automatic outs playing every night. Look how well Gio pitched tonight. You can't have he worst offense in baseball and hope it comes around with time.
LESS, What is there to get going? we now pinch hit a guy whos batting .157. YOU CANT POLISH A TURD.
I'm with other posters: I'm liking Abad. that was quite a spot the rookie was in just now -- and he came through! He just may be a Keeper!! and we need him!
Im growing a goat tee and not gonna shave until Davey does something other than the standard. Take a chance you old decrepit fart!!!!
no verducci, the first couple were 95, not that soft...
The announcer said 3 times what a great fastball hitter Tracy is. HAHAHHAHA put down the pipe.
Season average .231 today even worse 5 for 36.
Since Clippard threw 100 pitches last, he's probably unavailable. This game will be lost the moment Hrod or Duke has to come in.
Secret: Yep not much to get going is there? Management hurt this team over the winter: Davey had a too laid back Spring with the regulars not getting enough Ab's and ground balls -- now with the injuries? Well, we see the results
BIGCAT.. HAHAHAHAHAHA 1 unearned run thru 10 innings.
I'll say it again......whyyyyyyyy is Espi playing?
I'll say it again.......whyyyyyyy is Espi playing?
Insane Bolt would have scored on Shark's chopper
Henry. OK. Lets see you do it with pressure.
MPH Rod on for the 10th. Somebody excuse me for a minute. I've got to run out and double up on my supply of bourbon and Maalox.
I know Tracy had a decent year last year, but never did I ever consider him 'important." And he's not impressing at all this year. Davey's mistakes both in personnel management and basic game strategy are into the high double digits for this young year already
Judging from the first pitch from hrod. This game is done
102 doesn't mean a damn thing if it's 2 feet off the plate
better than a homer there
4 straight balls...
What was that? An intentional walk?
Davey has been just awful. I wish he would step down. Too continue to play Danny night after night is just ridiculous.
haha Henry has no idea where its going. Another weakness in this team. Let this guy go!!! He cannot throw strikes -- and gets nervous in tough games.
He losses it right here
Bad Henry came in
C'mon henry, let's be PFB tonite, OK?
Braves have no problem with small ball -- when its needed -- henry cant hold runners on, Suzuki cant throw runners out -- Henry cant throw strikes
Perfect for the Braves
That's my cue to find a movie.
Harry Truman said "The buck stops here."
Bad Henry says "The backstop's here."
They dont need to bunt, you can steal a bag on hrod at will
haha Wow. They're as bad as we are!
that would be why you don't run
just put us out of our misery please.
never would have bunted if I was Fredi. Let Henry implode.
"Less Platu said...
haha Henry has no idea where its going. Another weakness in this team. Let this guy go!!! He cannot throw strikes -- and gets nervous in tough games.
He losses it right here"
How can you say that. He has a fan club here that make up excuses for him all the time.
I wouldn't even swing eventually Henry will walk a run in or wild pitch it around
Couldn't pinch-hit for Espi there because they'd already used Kobernus early in the game, and Tyler would've been the anti-defensive-replacement.
Henry in a tied game! Yayyy.
The slowest runner could steal 2nd.
What did I say, he never even look at him. Why does Rizzo keeps this guy on this team. What a joke
SURRENDER DAVEY.
Easy steal -- how embarrassing.
a pitcher who cant hold runners on
ah I give up
Might as well walk Uggla here to set up the DP. Oh, wait. Henry's pitching. The walk will take care of itself.
Why. henry cannot hold anyone be stupid enough to walk sone one to start an inning.
Just poor preparation
Steve, agreed but Freddi got throw out.
Nats128: fan club or not -- Henry is what he is!
MLB pitch track shows forst4 pitches to uggla were clearly strikes
Way to go, Henry -- walk em all. bounce it up there.
Right now, henry is freaking out. His control will get worse
wild pitch coming
for God's sake, bring in the ballboy to pitch. Anything but this.
Much rather see Davis here than uselessRod
Double steal here -- score on the wild pitch
Uggla a k machine he walks
DFA Hrod. Please.
Ladies and Gentleman: We could manage better than this Washington crowd.
Disgraceful
Ugh.
This is year 3 of the Henry experiment and it always ends up the same. This guy can't pitch under pressure and Davey keeps using him Davey deserved to lose, the dumb bell.
If Henry fails here I suspect this is the last time we see him in a Nats ni
surprise.
Bernadina, Espinosa, and Rodrigues are worthless. Anyone in Syracuse could do better than this.
Think about making a deal for a bat right now.
And theres Henry Rodriguez with the slightest bit of stress added. How can some of you keep protecting this guy. I dont get it.
Nats Lady, Can you find some way to blame this loss on Michael Morse? I am sure you can.
Henry was the white flag, I think. With the short bench and taxed bullpen, we couldn't afford a marathon.
HRod is not a major league pitcher. This whole "stick with the status quo" thing isn't working. There need to be changes now before the season is gone. This team is hitting .230.
EmDash, how can you be serious. He is a professional pitcher that last week one ^(%*$ tried to say was better then Storen.
Walk leadoff guys you deserve to lose. Hrod is just capable of throwing strikes in close games
But the real reason lost because of Desi, Shark and Espi.
Man on 3rd no outs and these 3 dont botger to make smart plays.
Desi takes a strike 3 Davey not smart enough to call suiside squeeze and Shark not smart enough to hit a fkyball swinging at first pitch.
Espi just is espi and i blame Rizzo for refusing to do what has to be done.
Ugh..this team is really bad right now
A stolen base is just as much a part of small ball as a sacrifice bunt or a squeeze. Let the record show that with runners on second and third with no out the Nats manager played as if he was going for a big inning and got nothing. Lets also point out that the bottom of the lineup was coming up for the Nats. With a runner on first, no outs, the Braves played for one run and got it. Draw your own conclusions, I have mine and it isn't pretty.
We are going to be battling the Braves for the division. Davey should have pulled Henry after the first batter. I think we all knew how that would end.
This team won't be battling the Braves for the division. They'll be battling Philadelphia for third place. They are not good enough to make it to the playoffs. Davey and Rizzo created this mediocrity. Next year, one or both will not be around to do anything about it.
Here is what I hope. Rodriguez is Rizzo's guy and Davey ran him out there to prove a point. Tracy is my around until Rendon comes up because he can play 3rd and Chris M at AAA can't. When Rendon comes and Danny is DL'd, Tracy is DFA'd and Marrero comes up. Rizzo's already said help is coming from within, not outside. If it were coming from outside, perhaps someone else believes in Henry's 102, and will take him and Tracy for some organizational depth for Potomac. The Morse trade is looking pretty foolish right now, but from a team spirit standpoint and a super-sub standpoint. I am hoping Rizzo's shares Davey's WS or bust thoughts but I am not convinced he is set on success this year. We will see.
Emdash you are right. Oh Henry going in was just throwing in the towel. Short on pitching, Stammen unavailable, it almost made sense. I agree with everyone else-anytime you get 2 runners on 2nd and 3rd you have to push at least one across. I don't get it.
And really, what is more annoying? The Orioles desecration of the National Anthem or that damn Tomahawk chop. What pisses me off more is unless this team starts shutting up their opponents, their fans will be pulling that crap in our house.
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