7/19/07 And Now...The Triumphant Return of “All The Little Things!!!”

It’s a cloudy day at RFK as the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies take the field at five minutes after seven. Nationals starter Matt Chico walks the leadoff hitter Willy Taveras, and then hangs an 0-2 curve to Troy Tulowitzki, and Tulowitzki hits a towering drive to left, and into the stands above the outfield wall. 2-0 before an out is recorded. Chico issues his second walk to Matt Holliday. Lefty Todd Helton lines a single to right. Garrett Atkins flies out to center, Yorvit Torrealba grounds to Ryan Zimmerman to Ronnie Belliard at second, to DY at first base, double play to end the first inning. 2-0 ColdCoors.
    Ubaldo Jimenez on the hill for the Rockies, a fastball/slider pitcher, the twenty-three year old hurler makes his first start of the season for the big club. Ronnie Belliard takes a one-out walk from the right-hander who is consistently in the mid-90’s and above with his fastball early. Ryan Zimmer...THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! Zimmerman takes a 95 mph fastball down the left field line and into the corner, Belliard scores, Zimmerman safe at second, 2-1 MileHighs after one, as Jimenez settles in.
     Matt Chico retires the Rockies in order in the third for his second straight scoreless. In the Nationals third, Felipe Lopez reaches first on a grounder up the middle that even Jamey “All the Little Things” Carroll can’t get in time. Lopez steals second easily. Ronnie Belliard is issued a free pass. Zimmerman flies out to center. Lopez moves to third. DY? Down swinging at a cut fastball inside. DY explodes on the Ump, who looks all too happy to toss DY out of the game. WHY DY? WHY? Church grounds out to end the potential rally. 2-1 Elways.
    Matt Chico walks Todd Helton to start the top of the fourth. Garrett Atkins takes a low fastball and pulls it to right, high, Church tracks it to the wall, and watches it sail over for a two-run HR. 4-1 Goldinthemhillsers. Jimenez is starting to use magic on the mound, creating an unearthly break-back on his two-seam, to go with a 96 mph heater, and a nasty curve, which he can’t seem to throw over, but doesn’t seem to need to. Jimenez has an easy fourth, and fifth, and it’s 4-1 A-I-Mello’s after five.
     Robert Fick, who replaced DY at first, doubles to start the bottom of the sixth. That’s all for U. Jimenez in an impressive outing. Church flies out moving Fick to third. Austin Kearns walks followed by Brian Schneider whose walk loads the bases with one out. Rockies reliever Tom Martin is in and out quicker than Nook Logan running down a fly. Matt Herges replaces Martin. Langerhans up. Langerhans grounds to first, Helton throws to second, Tulowitzki covering, back to first, not in time, Langerhans beats it, Fick scores from third. 4-2 JohnDenvers after six.
     Luis Ayala will work the top of the seventh. Three up, three down. Stand up and stretch...Herges comes back and pitches a scoreless eigth to hold the lead. Luis Ayala is back in the eigth. Three more up, three more down as Zimmerman stabs a deep grounder on the backhand and fires flat-footed to Fick at first for the final out of the frame.
     Jeremy Affeldt takes the ball in the bottom of the eigth. Fick stares at a bender for strike three. Ryan Church lines a single to right center. AK takes a curve on the toe. Schneider lines out to left. Jesus Flores will pinch hit for Langerhans? (Yeah, Acta! Yeah Flores!) FLORES lines to right, Church scores, Brad Hawpe misplays it, Kearns scores. Tie game. 4-4 in the eigth. Flores safe at third. The DC Faithful are bouncing!!! Nook “The Adjective” Logan will face a new reliever...LaTroy Hawkins...Logan grounds the first pitch to short. 4-4 after eight.
     The Flat-Brimmed Closer is on in the top o’ the ninth. Chad Cordero’s throwing hot fire, and burning up the outside edges of the plate. Hawpe chases one out for the zone for strike three. “All the Little Things” grounds to third, Zimmerman’s got it. Kaz “Opening Day” Matsui flies out to left. The Nationals look to walk off.
     Felipe Lopez drills one but not deep enough. Ronnie Belliard takes four straight. Zimmerman flies to right. Fick works a walk, Belliard to second. Ryan Church can win it. Church grounds back to the pitcher. Add an inning.
     The Tallest Pitcher in MLB History is on in the tenth. Jon Rauch puts them down in order for a scoreless frame. LaTroy Hawkins is back in the tenth. AK singles to start it. Schneider gets down the sac bunt. D’Angelo Jimenez pinch hits, passed ball moves AK to third. D'Angelo Jimenez lines up the middle, THE NATIONALS GET THE WALK-OFF WIN!!! JIMENEZ IS MOBBED!!!! 5-4 Nationals beat the Rent-a-Bourques!

Nationals now 40-55.