Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Game 113: Braves at Nats

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER
The last time Gio Gonzalez took the mound for the Nationals, the results were ... well, they weren't pretty. Gonzalez became only the second pitcher in Nats history to give up 10 runs in a start, matching the illustrious Jason Simontacchi for that dubious mark. Was that a mere blip on the radar or cause for action concern? We'll find out this evening.

We'll also find out if the Nationals can produce at least a little bit in key situations at the plate. They went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position last night, the latest frustrating offensive showing in a season chock-full of them, but Davey Johnson has a new twist tonight: Ryan Zimmerman is batting second for the first time in his career, with Bryce Harper leading off and Jayson Werth hitting third. As Davey put it: "I was throwing things up against the wall, and this one stuck."

Julio Teheran starts for the Braves, seeking their 12th straight win and a 14 1/2-game lead in the NL East. The Nats have had some success against the right-hander this season, scoring nine runs on 23 hits in 18 innings over three head-to-head encounters.

There is a threat of rain later this evening, but the forecast shows it should stay dry until about 9 p.m. Check back for updates...

ATLANTA BRAVES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB Network (outside D.C. market), MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 89
Weather: Chance of storms, 75 degrees, Wind 9 mph RF to LF
NATIONALS (54-58)
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth
1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
C Wilson Ramos
CF Denard Span
2B Anthony Rendon
LHP Gio Gonzalez

BRAVES (68-45)
RF Jason Heyward
LF Justin Upton
1B Freddie Freeman
C Brian McCann
3B Chris Johnson
2B Dan Uggla
CF B.J. Upton
SS Andrelton Simmons
RHP Julio Teheran

UMPIRES
HP Joe West (cc)
1B Sam Holbrook
2B Adam Hamari
3B Rob Drake

7:07 p.m. — We are underway. Gio Gonzalez starts off Jason Heyward with a fastball, which Heyward fouls off for strike one.

7:14 p.m. — And Gio cruises through the top of the first on 12 pitches (nine strikes), despite a brief interruption when Heyward had to be looked at by a trainer after only two pitches. Not sure what exactly happened, but Heyward appeared to perhaps have done something to his neck. He stayed in and popped out to short, but then he didn't take the field for the bottom of the first. Justin Upton has shifted to right field, with Evan Gattis taking over in left field.

7:28 p.m. — So much for that new-look lineup paying dividends. Bryce Harper struck out and Ryan Zimmerman flied out on a 2-0 pitch. Which stung more after Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche each drew two-out walks. Ian Desmond then stranded both with a grounder to short. So the Nats are 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position. Scoreless after one.

7:42 p.m. — Two innings in the books, and we're still waiting for the first hit of this game. By either team.

7:49 p.m. — So of course the first hit of this game is a double off the bat of Julio Teheran. Of course. Otherwise, Gio continues to deal. He's through three scoreless innings with three strikeouts, including some devastating curveballs to B.J. Upton and Andrelton Simmons in the top of the third.

7:58 p.m. — Bryce Harper to the rescue. He absolutely crushed a first-pitch fastball from Teheran over the center-field fence in the bottom of the third. That's Harper's 17th homer of the season, and it gives the Nats a 1-0 lead on their only hit of the game so far.

8:16 p.m. — Some more solid contact from the Nats in the fourth, but they didn't have anything to show for it. Ramos crushed a ball to center field, just not deep enough. Span also lined a ball to center, but it was caught to end the inning. Still 1-0 after four.

8:30 p.m. — And the Braves rally to take the lead in the top of the fifth. With two on and two out, Evan Gattis (who replaced Heyward after the latter departed the game with a strained neck) poked an opposite-field, 2-run single to right. Gonzalez gave up another hit after that, putting himself in more of a jam. He got out of it, but after a dominant first trip through the Atlanta lineup, he's struggled the second and third times around. The Nats now trail 2-1 heading to the bottom of the fifth.

8:41 p.m. — Well, we just had some excitement in the bottom of the fifth. To say the least. With a man on second and one out, Harper stepped to the plate for the first time since his towering homer in the bottom of the third. And Teheran's very first pitch plunked Harper in the hip, prompting Bryce to take a couple of steps toward the mound and say something at the right-hander. Which prompted both benches and bullpens to empty. Order was quickly restored, and there were no actual punches or shoving, but the incident certainly fired everyone up. Obviously the Braves thought Harper watched his home run a bit too much. Honestly, I don't think his reaction was any worse than just about anyone else who homers these days. We'll see what, if anything, comes out of this. It's still 2-1 Braves, by the way, after five. The Nats are 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

9:00 p.m. — Things have definitely settled down now (unless you're talking about the Braves and Nats' official Twitter accounts, which are showing some real maturity in going after each other right now). The Nationals still can't push across another run and still trail 2-1 as we head to the seventh.

9:07 p.m. — Gio gets through the seventh, having kept the Braves to just those two runs. Now it's up to the Nats lineup to do something. They'll get their hacks against the Atlanta bullpen now, with Luis Avilan entering for the bottom of the seventh. Harper is due up third.

9:25 p.m. — A golden opportunity for the Nats in the bottom of the seventh, after Chris Johnson's error put runners on first and second with two out. Werth came up in a big spot, but Luis Avilan walked him on five pitches, loading the bases for LaRoche. You have to think the Braves preferred that matchup. And rightfully so, because LaRoche grounded a 2-0 pitch to first base to end the inning and leave the Nats 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position tonight. They still trail 2-1.

9:31 p.m. — Ian Krol gets through the top of the eighth, with some help from a 4-6-3 double play in which Justin Upton went in really hard at second base, knocking Desmond over. No harm, though.

9:41 p.m. — Nothing doing in the eighth. Jordan Walden strikes out the side, keeping this a 2-1 game entering the ninth. We will, however, get a Bryce Harper/Craig Kimbrel showdown in the bottom of the inning.

9:51 p.m. — Here we go. It's Rendon, a pinch-hitter (Chad Tracy) and Harper in the bottom of the ninth against Kimbrel.

10:00 p.m. — And that's your ballgame. Kimbrel finishes it off, the Nats lose 2-1, their second-straight 1-run loss to the Braves. They're 5 games under .500 and now a staggering 14 1/2 games out of first place.

253 comments:

«Oldest   ‹Older   201 – 253 of 253   Newer›   Newest»
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 253 of 253 Newer› Newest»
Secret wasian man said...

CANDIDE the answer is CHOKERS>

Holden Baroque said...

It's not selfish. It's a bad decision, but it's the opposite of selfish. He's trying to help the team SO HARD that he's thinking like Captain Kirk (which is a bad idea).

You can't play this game better by trying harder.

Candide said...

SWM, I didn't want to use that word.

Holden Baroque said...

Just like you can't make people understand you by posting in boldface.

BigCat said...

Who is the Braves GM?

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

I disagree. He is thinking I have to win it. He doesnt have to win it. It is responsibilty to move the line.

Swinging at a pitch way inside that you cannot possibly elivateis not doing a thing for the team.

SCNatsFan said...

Well at least we know Eck wasn't the problem.

Time to look at little higher. Does anyone on this team even look like they are trying anymore? Werth? Harper?

Joe Seamhead said...

Frank Wren, Cat.

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

Frank Wren

MrsB loves the Nats said...

I don't think Adam was being selfish.,. Think he was trying to be a hero...

But I don't like any batter swinging on a 2-0 pitch...

MrsB loves the Nats said...

And I think McCann is a testicle... Talking trash behind the ump is so hilarious to me... He waited for Joe West to get in front of him before he started talking trash to Bryce...

Joe Seamhead said...

Desmond now has 5 RBI's over the last 32 games. Everybody on this team is pressing with poor results, every one of them at different times.Can't get a string of hits against a good team.Period.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Span swings at Ball 4. He hates walking. (sarcasm)

MrsB loves the Nats said...

The next manager to come in will have some major work to do.... Gotta get rid of the hitting mentality that we have...

Its a shame becuz DJ can't seem to get nothing from his players....

I mean they look like they don't know the fundamentals sometimes....

Holden Baroque said...

I have hated the Braves since at least 1982, for exactly this. It never gets easier.

I hate these guys.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

At least Davey made no mistakes tonight unless you question his lineup.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Kimbrel for the 9th. Wonderful.

Unknown said...

Tired of the umps tilting the game in the Braves favor.

MrsB loves the Nats said...

Team is totally pressing....

Holden Baroque said...

Well. at least we know Eck wasn't the problem.

Most of us knew that all along.

MrsB loves the Nats said...

If we lose tonight, it will be becuz Gio couldn't bunt...

BigCat said...

Fp wants to keep his job. He has been shilling for the Nats all year. He knows terrible AB's when he sees them

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Their balls find that 5.5

Secret wasian man said...

I expect to lose every time we play. But I can't believe we are gonna let them plunk our future and do nothing about it. I really have zero respect for this team anymore

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

Davey clean tonight.

Span refuses to walk so he K on ball 4.

Nats 129 pitches 34 batters. 3.79

Joe Seamhead said...

The umps always blow calls in every game, but we beat ourselves tonight.

MrsB loves the Nats said...

Eck may not have been the problem but he wasn't the solution either...

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

Our pitchers are too wimpy to retaliate.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

MrsB loves the Nats said...
If we lose tonight, it will be becuz Gio couldn't bunt...


It's never one play but that was huge. I think not making Gattis expand the zone with 1st base open and men on 3rd and 2nd was the big play.

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

I changed my mind. Davey has made a major error.

No pitcher has plunked Upton yet

BigCat said...

Stammen ain't the old Stammen.

Secret wasian man said...

Span swing at 3 balls. There was not one strike in the whole AB. Can't wait to here Rays excuses.

MrsB loves the Nats said...

BJ Upton looks sick.... I swear he looked like Master Splinter....

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

Braves 120 pitches 35 batters 3.43

Secret wasian man said...

Will Ray roast ALR or blame Gios bad bunt? Ridiculous

SCNatsFan said...

Stammen needed to hit someone that inning. Amazed at how this team has no fight.

Secret wasian man said...

If there is any justice in the world Bryce will walk it off with a 2 run shot.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

It's all OK. Chad Tracy on deck people!

Secret wasian man said...

Uptown will be plunked tomorrow.

MrsB loves the Nats said...

I'd rather have no luck than the bad luck we seem to have... This is a humbling season regardless of the outcome for each person in this organization....

Man, I hope we get Girardi as our next manager.... I'm not interested in not 1 person on the current staff as the manager...

Secret wasian man said...

Ghost. Hahahahahahaahahaha. Bad Chad

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

All I have to say is the crowd is a good one. They have been in it all game. Have to like that.

MrsB loves the Nats said...

The beat retaliation we could have given them was when we had true bases loaded... Or when we scored runs...

That would have hurt them more...

MrsB loves the Nats said...

Tracy is purposeless....

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

How awful is Chad Tracy. Did you even throw a baseball in the K zone to him?

Secret wasian man said...

Chad Tracy. WhAts the point???? Hahahahahahaahahaha. How does this guy look Rizzo in the eye when he hands him his paycheck????m. Hahahaha Put in Helen Keller.

Holden Baroque said...

Ghost, indeed. Nobody can blame the fans for this one.

Secret wasian man said...

Hahahaha ha. I have officially gone crazy. Luv how everybody is just drilling Chad. Hahahahaha

Secret wasian man said...

Time for Daveys post game. " HUN GET THE VALIUM and the vodka. Hahahaha. Ahhhhhhhhhhh. 54 and 59. World Series or bust?? Hahahahaha

Anonymous said...

This is why I thought it was really funny last night when folks were actually arguing that Davey screwed up by not pinch hitting Tracy for Hairston--like it matters one bit which of our crappy bench players pinch hits or whether they are left or right handed facing a lefty or a righty.

BigCat said...

We are done with the division hunt. Wild card is possible but slim it's a dead team that needs new direction

ExposedinDC said...

Maybe Fredi will rest some regulars and give us a chance tomorrow

ExposedinDC said...

My god Ray is such a Davey apologist... FP better watch out or he might get Dibbled

«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 253 of 253 Newer› Newest» «Oldest ‹Older   201 – 253 of 253   Newer› Newest»

Post a Comment