Game 62: Twins at Nats

Photo by the Associated Press

The Nationals blasted the Twins 7-0 in today's first game, the perfect way to kick off a doubleheader. Now they send RHP Nathan Karns (0-1, 6.00) to the mound to try and lock up a series win. Karns is making his third career start, already his second against an American League team after facing the Orioles in his MLB debut. 

Pitching for the Twins is 29 year old Samuel Deduno (2-1, 3.44 ERA). A four-year pro, Deduno has just 103 major league innings under his belt and has yet to face the Nats. He will go up against a Washington lineup fresh off a blowout win just hours earlier. We'll see if their hot bats can carry over into the night.

The updated lineups are below with Denard Span back in the mix and Roger Bernadina batting second. The Twins also have a different look with Joe Mauer and Josh Willingham set to play.

Please check back for updates, and enjoy the game...

MINNESOTA TWINS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500)
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 82 degrees

NATIONALS (30-31)
CF Denard Span
LF Roger Bernadina
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth
1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
2B Anthony Rendon
C Jhonatan Solano
RHP Nathan Karns

TWINS (27-32)
3B Jamey Carroll
C Chris Hermann
1B Joe Mauer
LF Josh Willingham
RF Chris Parmelee
CF Aaron Hicks
2B Eduardo Escobar
SS Pedro Florimon
RHP Samuel Deduno

UMPIRES
HP Chris Conroy
1B David Rackley
2B Scott Barry
3B Tim Welke (cc)

7:20 p.m. -- Things got very interesting for Karns very early in this one, but he managed to get out of the inning with no runs across. After getting the leadoff hitter out, Karns allowed back-to-back singles and then hit Willingham to load the bases. He then induced two flyouts, one to Denard Span who held the runner with a perfect throw home, and another an infield popout by Hicks. 22 pitches for Karns through one.

7:37 p.m. -- The Nats continued their offensive surge of earlier today in the bottom of the first, seeing three men get on base and a run come across. It's 1-0 Washington after a Werth single scored Roger Bernadina from second. He had reached on a single to left field and was joined on base by Zimmerman who walked. Deduno threw 28 pitches in the first (16 strikes).

7:55 p.m. -- The Nats' lead in this one would not last long as the Twins put two on the board in the second. Karns walked each of the first two batters before Deduno bunted them into scoring position. Herrmann then crushed a double off the wall in right-center field to score the runners. Karns is at 55 pitches (29 strikes) after two innings.

8:02 p.m. -- Not much to report on for the Nats' offense in the second inning. They saw one guy get on base as Solano recorded an infield single, and Karns bunted him to second, but that was as close as they got. Deduno has thrown 38 pitches (23 strikes) so far.

8:12 p.m. -- The Twins added to their lead in the third with some two-out hitting off Karns. Escobar singled up the middle and Florimon then hit a two-run homer to right field to give Minnesota a 4-1 lead. Karns has labored through three with 74 pitches (43 strikes) already.

8:27 p.m. -- Washington got another run across to chip away at the Twins' lead off another RBI single by Werth to bring home Bernadina. The Nats are now down 4-2 as Craig Stammen replaces Karns. The rookie is done after throwing 74 pitches through three innings, allowing four earned runs.

8:33 p.m. -- Stammen cruised through the top of the Twins' order in the fourth, getting Carroll, Herrmann, and Mauer all to ground out. He needed just ten pitches to exit the frame. Rendon, Solano, and Stammen are due up next.

8:37 p.m. -- A quick three outs for Deduno who retired the bottom of the Nats' lineup in order. The Twins right-hander has thrown 70 through four including just ten in that inning. 20 total pitches between both teams in the fourth.

8:47 p.m. -- Another 1-2-3 inning for Stammen who is pretty good at this long relief thing. The third out was on a Hicks grounder to third that Zimmerman grabbed bare handed and fired to first on the run. A high degree of difficulty, yet he made it look easy. Stammen at 27 pitches through two innings of work after the top of the fifth.

8:59 p.m. -- A brief rain delay here at Nats Park as the sky all of a sudden opened up and it just started pouring. Tarp came out, but was removed within ten minutes. We're about to get started again here.

9:15 p.m. -- The Nats added another run to cut the lead to 4-3, but could have scored more with the bases loaded and one out. LaRoche brought Span home from third with a long sac fly to right field before Desmond struck out to end the inning. Erik Davis now in to pitch.

9:29 p.m. -- Davis allowed a leadoff triple to Escobar, but the Nats were able to escape thanks to some timely pitching and a terrific defensive play by Rendon. Abad replaced Davis to get the last two outs of the inning and got Morneau to pop up and Carroll to line out. Rendon made a leaping grab to retire Carroll who was inches away from having an RBI double into the gap. 4-3 Twins as we move to the bottom of the sixth.

9:46 p.m. -- Two hours and 40 minutes into this thing and we have a whole new ballgame. The Nats tied it up at 4-4 off an RBI triple by Span to score Rendon. Rendon led the inning off with a single to left field after making the run-saving catch in the top of the inning. This kid is pretty legit.

10:08 p.m. -- The Nats completed their comeback by taking the lead off a Desmond RBI double to score LaRoche. That's 12 straight games Desmond has recorded a hit. Drew Storen in to work the eighth.

10:18 p.m. -- Storen gets through the eighth, even with a two-out error by Rendon. Rendon let a fairly routine grounder sneak through his legs to extend the inning. He's still learning. Nats still up 5-4 as we go to the bottom of the eighth.

10:26 p.m. -- Three up, three down for the Nats who will send Rafael Soriano out looking for his 16th save of the season.

10:37 p.m. -- Soriano shuts it down, untuck. 16th save. Nats win 5-4 and are back at .500 with a record of 31-31.