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Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER Gio Gonzalez tries to snap the Nationals' three-game losing streak today. |
With lefty Chris Capuano on the mound for Los Angeles, Davey Johnson is going with a right-handed-heavy lineup. He's got only two left-handed batters among his starting eight: Adam LaRoche and ... Bryce Harper. Yep, the kid will make his second start, and this time he'll be in center field.
Tyler Moore, meanwhile, has arrived at the stadium after flying in from Syracuse and will be available to make his big-league debut off the bench. Gio Gonzalez, who hasn't surrendered a run in any of his last three starts, gets the nod for the Nationals.
Plenty of updates and analysis to come live from Chavez Ravine, so please check back often...
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Where: Dodger Stadium
Gametime: 4:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 189
Weather: Sunny, 69 degrees, Wind 8 mph out to CF
NATIONALS (14-7)
SS Ian Desmond
3B Steve Lombardozzi
RF Jayson Werth2B Danny Espinosa
1B Adam LaRoche
RF Xavier Nady
2B Danny EspinosaLF Tyler Moore
CF Bryce Harper
C Jesus Flores
LHP Gio Gonzalez
DODGERS (15-6)
LF Tony Gwynn Jr.
2B Mark Ellis
CF Matt Kemp
RF Andre Ethier
3B Juan Uribe
1B James Loney
SS Justin Sellers
C Matt Treanor
LHP Chris Capuano
UMPIRES
HP Ed Hickox, 1B Ed Rapuano (cc), 2B Angel Hernandez, 3B Mark Carlson
3:31 p.m. -- Whoa, we've got some pretty major lineup changes for the Nats. Tyler Moore has arrived and will start in left field after all, batting sixth. Xavier Nady will move to right field, and Jayson Werth has been scratched (unsure if that's because of an injury or something else). Danny Espinosa will now bat third.
3:42 p.m. -- The official word from the Nationals is that Werth's scratching was a "manager's decision." What exactly does that mean? Your guess is as good as mine, but it would seem to suggest Werth isn't injured.
4:11 p.m. -- And we are underway with a strike from Chris Capuano to Ian Desmond. Seventy-four glorious degrees under clear skies in the City of Angels.
4:18 p.m. -- Nothing doing for the Nats in the top of the first, and it wasn't pretty, either. Ian Desmond struck out on three pitches. Steve Lombardozzi did put some good wood on a Capuano pitch but flied out to left. Danny Espinosa struck out. Again. That's 26 strikeouts for Espinosa in 21 games (plus one inning) this season. That's not good.
4:27 p.m. -- Well that was an interesting bottom of the first for Gio Gonzalez. He faced four batters. None put the ball in play. Tony Gwynn Jr. walked and took second on a wild pitch. Mark Ellis struck out. Matt Kemp struck out (on a 94 mph heater). Andre Ethier struck out. That, my friends, is a BABIP nightmare inning. Scoreless through one.
4:35 p.m. -- If nothing else, we know Tyler Moore can hit a major-league foul ball. Crushed one into the second deck down the left-field line, just out in front of Capuano's 1-1 pitch a bit. Unfortunately, on Capuano's 1-2 pitch, Moore tapped a weak grounder to third. Six up, six down from this lineup so far.
4:41 p.m. -- Moore's first chance in left field goes smoothly. Matt Treanor hit a sinking liner that Moore had to charge in and to his right to corral. Looked pretty smooth doing it. Scoreless through two.
4:48 p.m. -- You've got to give Harper credit for this: The kid goes all-out, all the time. In his first at-bat of the day, he tapped a routine grounder to the right of third base. And nearly beat it out. Capuano, meanwhile, has faced nine batters and retired them all. Not a good start to the afternoon for the Nationals lineup.
4:58 p.m. -- That's 23 consecutive scoreless innings (and counting) for Gio Gonzalez, and that's a new Nationals record. The previous mark was 21 and was held by both John Lannan and Drew Storen.
5:09 p.m. -- Desmond leads off the fourth with a rocket double off the top of the left-field wall, then takes third on Lombardozzi's sac bunt. And then is stranded there. Really poor at-bats from Espinosa (who struck out for the 27th time this season) and Nady (who flailed away at two breaking balls nowhere close to the strike zone). It's still scoreless as we go to the bottom of the fourth.
5:18 p.m. -- Two scary moments in the bottom of the fourth. 1) Matt Kemp almost took Gio's head off with a comebacker. Somehow, Gonzalez got some glove on the ball and recovered to throw to first for the out and escape injury. 2) Bryce Harper made a spectacular catch, slamming into the center-field fence to rob Juan Uribe of extra bases (and preserve Gio's scoreless streak). Harper went down for a moment, and trainer Lee Kuntz rushed out there, but he appears to be fine. What a play.
5:28 p.m. -- Tyler Moore's first career hit is a solid single to right-center. Call me optimistic, but he might just make it after all. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself.) Meanwhile, Bryce Harper has officially struck out in a big-league game for the first time, whiffing at a breaking ball in the dirt from a left-hander. Something tells me that won't be the last time we see that.
6:02 p.m. -- And it all comes crashing down for Gio Gonzalez in the sixth. His control had been excellent all season, but he proceeded to walk three straight batters with one out. Needing to come up big against James Loney, Gio got ahead 1-2 but then surrendered a two-run single to center. That ends his scoreless streak at 25 innings, and it puts the Dodgers up 2-0 after six.
6:15 p.m. -- Harper's second career hit isn't enough for the Nats in the top of the seventh. Don Mattingly pulls Capuano with two outs and 2-0 count on Jesus Flores and brings in Josh Lindblom, who gets Flores to fly out to left to end the inning. Still 2-0 as we go to the stretch, and Gio is done for the day. His line: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 7 K, 88 pitches, 46 strikes. Obviously, command was a problem today.
6:32 p.m. -- Another frustrating inning at the plate for the Nats lineup. Lombardozzi managed a two-out single in the eighth, but that was it against Lindblom. They're down to their last three outs, and they still trail 2-0.
6:41 p.m. -- Last chance for the Nats. Harper is due up fourth in the ninth, down two runs.
6:56 p.m. -- It's over, in more ways than one. The Nats lose this one, 2-0, though LaRoche and Harper each drew walks to set the stage for a possible rally. They were swept in this series. They've lost four in a row. And for the first time since April 11, they're not in sole possession of first place. At 14-8, they're now tied with the Braves atop the NL East.
114 comments:
Wow Center Field? Hmm.. we may have a new ARM!
Mark, so glad you are there!
NJ.. That is GREAT TO HEAR!!!!
Wonder how Ramos's shoulder is
Seems like none of the teams that were going to make the Nats' lives miserable this season - Brave, Phils, Marlins - are setting the world on fire. Could be that bringing up Harper and now Moore is Rizzo's way of telling us he reads Shakespeare:
There is a tide in the affairs of men.
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat,
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
Against a LHP is when the absence of RZim and the Beast becomes most painful.
Then, and against everyone else.
Looking' forward to seeing a little of that Mississippi muscle coming off the bench!
or perhaps he listens to The Call
What's happened to you
You used to look so tired
Now there's a spring in your step
And your words are on fire
Did you hear some great secret
Did the words ring of truth
Did you rise from the ashes
What's happened to you
Maybe just a course adjustment as the best laid plans of Nats and Men at the start of the season did not provide the offense oft hoped for.
Here's to a happy trip back to DC. Go, NATS!!
Seriously hope Werth is just getting a day off, we can't afford to lose anyone else.
Umm.. This lineup change is a bit scary. Mark, I hope they are just giving Werth the day off
Could be interesting. Like I said before, I think Moore played all of 4 games in LF in Syracuse. Did something happen to Werth? Vertigo perhaps? Need to do yard work on this beautiful day but wouldn't miss this for the world.
Good luck, Gio!
From Kilgore:
When asked about the play this morning, Hairston smiled as if he knew he had gotten away with something. But he argued the play was clean.
“I have a right to home plate,” Hairston said. “His glove ran into my hand. I have every right to home plate. I tried to go aggressively hard at home plate. I got a right to home plate. My job is to get my hand at home. When you go hard, stuff happens. But I have every right to go to home plate.”
Ramos said he would have held on to the ball if not for Hairston’s swipe. He believed Hairston had intentionally swatted the ball while in his glove, and also tried to swat it away once it rolled on the dirt.
“I think so,” Hairston said. “With his hand, he touched my glove. And after that, he tried to hit the ball.”
Espi hitting third? Oh, joy.
NJ.. can you switch over to the Braves game? Want them to lose too! ;-)
Hairston's play was heads-up, hard-nosed and perfectly legal. Ramos has to learn to put his bare hand on the ball at that point to avoid from getting it jarred out. And don't even get me started on how Ramos handled MPH Rod in the ninth.
I love the Moose, love his bat and his energy, but he has tons of work to do before he is a reliable receiver. I miss Pudge.
Peric said (earlier today): Moore is a first baseman 222. Not an outfielder. Moore is a bench player.
His average is Derosa like.
Sunshine: I agree re: Hairston's play 100%..good work!
Holy cow. Moore in LF after playing a doubleheader yesterday and a seven hour flight to LA. Good luck kid. Harper's now the veteran.
Our No. 1 stopper couldn't overcome the bad bullpen and weak production from our lineup yesterday. Let's see if our No. 2 stopper can. If not, the No. 3 stopper will be up on Tuesday back home.
Jason Werth = Wally Pipp
at least for today
Sunshine, at least Espi will be hitting right handed today....
Sunshine Bobby - Completely agree on both points. Hairston got HBP, and it hurt. And he didn't charge the mound or glare or bark or nothing. He inflicted pain inreturn the best way a ballplayer can, on the scoreboard.
Oh, and I'm with you about Ramos, particularly his inability to hold on to throws from the outfield. He tried to catch the one a few days ago with one hand.
Sunshie, agree on the handling of HRod. I miss pudge too and wish we could get him as a coach. Just giving some perspective on the Hairston call from last night.
The one question that I have is this: Was Ramos hurt? He seem to take that hit to the shoulder pretty hard.
Candide--Always love hearing Willie the Shake, but Davey better read the end of the play b/c Brutus who utters these wise words in his tent at Sardis, overruling Cassius' advice to hold the high ground, proceeds to lead their legions down from the height to the plain of Phillipi where he panics midst battle and orders Cassius to engage his reinforcements too early! The results aren't good.
But Brutus is no Davey Johnson, and lucky for us. GYFNG
I hope Nady can do something today. He hasn't been that productive lately, has he?
Hell, just put Werth and LaRoche on the DL too, and we can start the 2011-2012 Syracuse roster. They probably wouldn't be any worse than the team so far.
@MicheleS: I think he might be a little nicked. As I recall, he also took a pitch or a foul tip off the shoulder, perhaps in the ninth. By that time, my nerves had tightened so badly, my eyes were 80 percent shut so I wasn't see very well. And, no, it wasn't the bourbon and Maalox.
I know this is WAYYYYYYYYYYYY too much to ask, and I really am loving our start, but would a 5-1 game be too much to ask?
A few thoughts, on yesterday's game:
I got to watch!!! Hooked up with an old bestie, and had a terrific time (even with the hour long drive home, afterwards).
Great to see The Kid get off to a great start! Good eye (did he swing and miss... at all?!), decent contact, GREAT throw to Ramos, and I loved the lingering shot of him, early on, soaking the whole thing in, befor the start of an inning..,
Stras, was OPPRESSIVE! I already find myself reminding that, his normal start is truly special, every time out. Trying hard, not to take him for granted...
Love the Moose, but we've seen these plays bobbled before...catch it, cover it up, and make the tag. Don't let the runner job you like that. Very timely RBI, though. NatsJack ... Should he be back handing as much, to his glove side as he does? I'm ignorant, but it seems like he could make a much better backstop out of his mitt, by staying behind the ball, with it...
And finally, I hope Davey sends Henry out there for the next 3-4 high pressure save opps on a row!!! He's prolly spent the last few years getting yanked, after a few wild minnits.... Maybe if he knows Davey is behind him, he'll start to find the focus he needs to get out of those jams. Last night was the first time he's pooped himself this year... Not only that, it's the first time anybody's made solid contact! Chin up, Henry!!! Come out and smoke them, today!!!!
And the only bone I'll pick with Davey... Shoulda walked Kemp. I agree with wanting Gorzy to pitch two + innings, or until we get a lead, but every once in a while, it's okay to walk the LO batter...
Go Get 'Em, Gio!!!!!!!'
Hey, I just thought of something, apologize if this has been brought up before. 3+ years ago, we signed Smiley Gonzalez, and it turned into a low point for the Nats. And of course, we later found out that Smiley Gonzalez was really Carlos Alvarez Daniel Lugo.
But today, taking the mound is the real, the one and only, Smiley Gonzalez. It took time, some pain, some frustration, but we have our real Smiley Gonzalez.
Umm.. you guys realize we are still in first place?
But yes Sunshine, I would love a 5-1 Game and I am sure Gio would love to as well.
Orioles Magic...yeah baby!!!
If candide weren't real, it would be necessary to invent him.
O's just scored 5 in the 9th..win 5 - 2
I have a feeling that once we have all the people off the DL and anyone that SHOULD be in the minors is actually there, I have a feeling that Nady would be the first one to go.
And Adam is getting a dose of what Werth had to deal with last year.. It's Adam and the Kids!!!
GYFNG!
When is Tyler Moore bobble-head day ?
Lombo for leadoff. He actually takes pitches
So Desmond's slash line for the year is down to .250/.287/.364, and .125/.182/.225 in the last 10 games. How long do you leave him in the leadoff spot? Discuss.
Move him down when Werth and Zimm are back in town.
222: Until Peric says different...but who else do you put in there? Werth? Has a great eye and gets on base...good base runner.
Like how the dodger leadoff doesn't swing at pitches outside and low
Lombo leads off and plays 2nd. Espi back to AAA to learn discipline
Anyone have any idea what the "manager's decision" was all about? Werth doesn't seem like the type to miss curfew or cuss out the manager.
Et tu, Gio?
Somebody probably explained it already, but what's up with that brown smudge on Kemp's left shoulder? Always there.
Anyone have any idea what the "manager's decision" was all about?
Maybe he wanted to let Moore play..could it be that innocent?
Lombo, Harpo,Zimmo, LaRo, Morso, Werth, Desmo, Ramo
Groucho and Zeppo on the bench
I love me some GIO! Isn't it nice to see Kemp and Ethier swing and miss!
It's TIME for TYM
GIO Hits the MARX
Maybe he wanted to let Moore play..could it be that innocent?
Doubt it. Then why Nady in RF instead of Werth?
Joe Seamhead said...
Fear and Ignorance, You are just flat out wrong about LF not being hard to play. A left hander has the same slice on the ball to LF that a right hander has on on late swings to RF. Granted, it's the easiest outfield position because you don't have to make the long throw that a RF'er has to. One can learn to play an okay left field, but like any of the outfield positions, the great players are born with a radar that isn't a learned thing. They just "know" where the ball is going from the crack of the bat. Josh Willingham can play left from now until the cows come home and he will still suck.And trust me, the ball has a way of "finding" the inexperienced outfielder. Ask Cristian Guzman. I've also seen more then a couple of guys hurt their arms from making the long throw that they aren't used to. It always amazes me how people that have never played the game think that anybody can play the OF.
Tyler Moore is a professional baseball player and in good shape. I am sure he can handle the routine plays just fine. He doesn't have to be a gold glover in LF. I was a pitcher through my freshman year of college and have had to play left field in several summer league games. It is not that hard to be average out there. Do you really think Nady and DeRosa are saving us runs out there. Give me a break.
222, because Moore hasn't played Right (only LF in minors)? Has Werth had a day off yet? Maybe it is that simple. I realize we are used to questioning everything (with cause), so Werth could be having major surgery at this point ;-)
Nady and DeRosa are saving us runs...but not on defense
How much worse is Moore gonna be than Nady? Morse? The plan at the beginning fo the year was to have Werth, Morse and Harper in the OF...that is a well below average OF defensively..the idea is they would be able to HIT
Scully reported that Werth was not swinging the bat well in BP so Davy decided to rest him.
Got the short end from MLB extra innings. The game is on two channels, with Dodgers broadcast on both. Scully, you have already these stories this weekend.
Great AB Danny...I see Syracuse in your future.
Espinosa is really starting to disappoint me.
The Nady story was beautiful but he's becoming Matt Stairs. I think if they were not so many injuries you might see Espinosa in AAA. Capuano is really not that good.
Why don't the Nats sign Bobby Abreu? He's got to be better than the garbage we've been trotting out there day after day (DeRosa, Nady, Tracy, Bernadina, etc).
If Espinosa and Nady were producing quality at-bats, it would at least be bearable, but alas...
@ Dave: I think F.P. said the brown smudge on Kemp's shoulder is pine tar.
Anybody else's heart just stop? Thankfully Gio is okay.
good lord that kid is unreal
is the fence ok?
My heart stopped a second time on that Harper catch. Wow!!
Sunshine, I think you need to add a defibrolater to the Bourbon and Maalox.
Okay, do we think Bryce can play CF? Holy crap! Stole a double, tried to go for a DP!
Scully reported that Werth was not swinging the bat well in BP so Davy decided to rest him.
Typical that Scully would have, and convey, info that our own announcers don't have.
Strange route he took to the ball, but gutsy catch and heads-up on the throw to first.
Nice peg to first too. "The Arm, Jr."?
jesus kid land with your knees bent
@DHamm, I figured it was pine tar, but how's it get there? He doesn't rest the bat there, hitting RH. I don't get it.
balk? reloaded with his foot
Bryce is impressing. Did I miss the Moore hit?
Scully commenting on the success of the Dodgers' starters in this series: "No major league team is an off day for a pitcher. They still have to work hard. But Washington, at least for the moment, is not much of an offensive threat."
DWS: He fisted one to right..love the hat..for a throwback they should wear the expos uni
Moore and Harper have 2 hits in about 7 ABs so far. Nady, DeRosa, and Tracy have 13 hits in 111 ABs.
@222, I gotta say, Scully sure seems to be right about Nats offense today.
... look. I have no doubt that JWerth and all the others have every desire to get the job done. But I alo expect that when pressed, they look at the 'big picture', aka it's a long season and the hits will come in due course.
... trouble is, as someone here noted a week or so ago, fans have a job to do too, and we are doing our job by expecting more production from the plate. We are doing our job by maintaining a vision of October baseball in DC. As fans we don't have the luxury of 'taking it one game at a time' when our game is one entire season.
... I think Davey J sees it our way too. Werth sits today; Tyler M is up and at 'em. Sometimes, if you wait until the hits come along, they keep on coming, and going, and miss you altogether.
... we can't negate injuries, of which we have had far too many already. But we can expect more from the guys who are paid to do the job.
Go Nats!!
Yea! Danny took a walk!
This total lack of offense game after game is painful to watch.
Fell asleep...too much offense...too few WB Mason commercials
Scott from Burke..that's my grandson and how his father found that cap is beyond me, I have to get him a Curly W cap.
I agree on the throw back unis, would make a lot of old fans very happy.
DWS,
... by all means, get him a Curly W cap. But don't ever lose the Curly M.
Go Nats!!
Watching on MLB.TV, no commercials to keep me awake. Careful of Mr. Kemp.
throwback caps are easy to find..plenty of malls have stores that sell only baseball caps..reminds me of the SNL skit about the store that sells only scotch tape..the old brewers hats...blue jays...O's...astros...
they are fun to look at
Say good bye to 1st Place. We will not see it again this year. This is a .500 team on the way to 4th place.
I really think Rizzo and Davey should think about sitting Morse out and maybe Zim to heal a 100%, if that means all year, fine. Play Harper, Moore, bring up Brown and let go of the GARBAGE they have now and then we can compete in 2013 for real. Hell, if Rendon is ready in 2013 go with him and let Espinoza go. this team SUCKS at hitting
At least Cy Young candidate Capuano is at 92 pitches, and probably done for the day even though they didn't have to pinch hit for him. The new guys are going to have to do some damage this inning. The rest of our lineup is asleep.
pathetic!! do these clowns have any pride at all?
http://youtu.be/KuStsFW4EmQ
Not tech savvy but worth a look F+I, also I'll guarantee the Nats will have more wins than the O's.
Ankiel is on deck to PH vs. a LHP? Werth must be really hurt.
let me guess, someone out there will say, every pitcher we face is a CY Young winner
Donald Sutherland is great..an Expos fan
Well..I'm glad to see us practicing our sac fly swings...may come in handy someday.
Harper and Moore are going to be exciting. Harper has an arm like Dave Parker and a bat like Mantle
espinosa and desmond in a contest of who can have the worst at bats
I wish it had rained in L.A. the entire weekend.
Desmond may also be a bust, but, I would keep him around a little longer. The future of this team is as follows, for what's worth:
1) Harper
2) Moore
3) Brown
4) Rendon
5) Zim
6) Morse
7) Werth
8) Ramos
9) Lombo
10) LaRouche
11) Flores
I am sure there 1-2 other studs I'm missing
the garbage that must be gone by 2013 are:
Bernadina
Nady
DeRosa
Tracy
Espinoza
Ankiel
Desmond is almost on the garbage heap
wonder what werth was saying there?
Evidently, Vlady Guerrero is working out with the D-backs. Hey, why not come full circle and sign with the Nats? Have bat, will travel.
Nady you can't suck enough!
please no more Nady
someone please post what johnson says about Werth..and if werth says anything..thanks
Flores just has the look of a LOSER. Harper at age 19 has more confidence than the majority of stiffs on this team
omg, is Werth injured too!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF!!!!
IS DC cursed or what? This is riduculous!
... one more freedom that fans enjoy is the one which lets us cry about skies falling, when the reality is nowhere near that bad.
Go Nats!!
natscan... it is bad, we can't hit period
Welcome to the same old same ol gang, my son may win his bet after all that the O's finish with a better record than Nats.
what is Mark's instant analysis? I mean what is there to say... excellent job by Gio and Stammen and with the exception of Harper we may have one of the worst hitting teams in MLB history
excruciating loss. all sorts of streaks came to an end. harder part of schedule begins, without our best players. this is gonna be intense.
out of all struggling hitters, I am worried most about Danny. He has not done anything. His outs are killing us big time, very unproductive. They are not groundouts or flyouts that advance runners or give him a chance of beating out a grounder or making fielders an error. I don't think he struggled this bad in the second half last season.
Gee, I can't wait for mick to comment. His comments are so . . . frequent.
I would just like to point out that I am not Mick. That is all.
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