5/22/07 "When It's Time From Work To Go, And In My Boat I Row, 'Cross The Muddy Ohio, When The Evening Light Is Falling..." -Bonnie "Prince" Billy "Ohio River Boat Song."

Kirk Saarloos retires the Washington batters in order in the first inning of tonight’s game between the Nationals and Saarloos’ Cincinnati Reds. Matt Chico, the Nationals left handed starter, almost gives up the second home run to Ken Griffey Jr. in two days, but Chico has the slugger off balance here, so it’s a fly ball to right for the third out instead. Scoreless first.
   Matt Chico puts the Reds down in order in the second. Still 0-0. Nook Logan singles to center in the top of the third, and two outs later, Felipe Lopez hits an RBI double off Saarloos that scores Logan and gives Matt Chico a one run lead to work with. Chico retires the side in the bottom of the third.
   Ken Griffey Jr makes a diving play to rob Austin Kearns of a single. Dmitri Young has to hustle back to first base, where he is stranded after Brian Schneider grounds out to end the top of the fourth inning. Still 1-0 Nationals.
   Chico walks Alex Gonzalez with one out in the bottom of the fourth to give the Reds their first base runner. The first hit of the game for the Reds is from Griffey, Jr. and it’s a big one, TWO RUN HR...just over the glove of the leaping Austin Kearns in right, one row deep, 2-1 lead, Reds. GRIFFEY!!!
   Ryan Langerhans, who has not been nearly as bad as his numbers would lead you to believe since joining the Nationals, takes Saarloos the other way for a one out double in the fifth. Chico drops a bloop single into short center to move Langerhans to third. Felipe Lopez grounds to Jeff Conine at first, and Langerhans crosses as Conine tags the first base bag. 2-2 ballgame. Cristian Guzman squeezes a grounder between Conine, the first base bag and the first base Ump and into right for an RBI single. 3-2 Nationals.
   Matt Chico walks the leadoff hitter in the fifth, and Reds Catcher David Ross makes him pay with a two-run blast to the upper deck in left on a fastball over the meaty part of the plate. 4-3 Reds.
   Saarloos is done after giving up a single to Brian Schneider in the top of the sixth, and "The Man Who Brings Prospects" two-time Nationals reliever Mike Stanton emerges from the Reds bullpen to try to hold the lead. Nook Logan batting from the right side against the lefty Stanton, flies out in foul territory for the second out. Stanton strikes out Langerhans. Reds hold the lead. 4-3 middle of the sixth.
   Ken Griffey Jr beats the dramatic shift, smoking a single through the right side of the infield. Brandon Phillips hits a sharp grounder to Felipe Lopez, who picks it, pivots and throws to second, but Cristian Guzman mishandles it, and both runners are safe. Chico deals to Jeff Conine. Fastball, outside corner, Conine stares at strike three. That’s it for Chico. Adam Dunn will face a lefty, Ray Ray King. Dunn is done. King king.
   Felipe Lopez puts an outside fastball into the right field corner with one out in the seventh. Guzman from the right side, hit and run, Lopez scores, after Guzman pokes it through second. 4-4 ballgame. Thanks again, Stanton. Todd Coffey on to face DY. Line drive to center. Guzman moves to third. Church on to run for DY. Kearns grounds out weakly to end the inning. 4-4.
   Jesus Colome pitches a scoreless seventh for the Nationals. Reds reliever Jon Coutlangus cuts down Brian Schneider as he slides into second, trying to advance on Nook Logan’s sac bunt in the eigth. Logan safe at first, beating out the DP attempt. Ronnie Belliard hits a pinch hit single to move Logan to second. Robert Fick drops one in front of a layed-out Ryan Freel in center. Bases loaded. One out. Felipe Lopez...”GET OUT?” Grand SLAM! GRAND SLAM!! 8-4 Nationals. Just left of center. Lopez gives the Nationals a big lead late.
   Jesus Colome issues a two-out walk to Griffey, Jr. in the eigth, but pops up Brandon Phillips to end the inning. Jared Burton throws some serious heat in an inning of relief for the Reds in the ninth. Scoreless ninth for Burton, and Chad Cordero is out to the mound to end the game, though not close it. Jeff Conine...singles to center. Adam Dunn stares at strike three at the knees. Edwin Encarnacion singles to left. Scott Hatterberg stares at strike, three outside corner. Two down. Javier "Late Night" Valentin flies out to Logan in center. Nationals win. 8-4 final. Coutlangis loses. Nationals.