Former Met Mike Bacsik will be on the mound for the Washington Nationals in the first of four in Queens, NY’s doomed Shea Stadium. Former Expo Moises Alou will makes his return to the New York lineup playing in left behind Mets starter Jorge Sosa.
Former Mets coach Manny Acta is now managing the Nationals, who face a lineup put together by former Expos and now Mets GM Omar Minaya.
Each starter issues one walk a piece in their respective first’s, but neither team plates any runs.

    
Alou gets tested early when DY drops a double in front of the left fielder to lead off the top of the second. Alou fails to make the play, but passes the first test of his injured shoulders and groin. An increasing familiar site next, as Ryan Church lines a double to left and scores DY from second for a 1-0 Nationals lead.
Austin Kearns lines out to Damion Easely at second. Brian Schneider lines to left, Church scores, as Schneider comes in standing at second. 2-0 Nationals. Jorge Sosa’s fastball and slider are getting hammered. Nook Logan hits a ground rule double, one-hop and into the bleechers in left center. Schneider scores. 3-0 Nationals.

    
Moises Alou doubles to the gap in left in his first at bat in sixty-six games to lead off the Mets second. Paul LoDuca lines a single to left advancing Alou to third. Lastings Milledge grounds into a double play, Alou scores from third. 3-1 Nationals.
    
Ryan Ch-Ch-Ch-CHURCH hits another line drive on a fastball down the pipe, and this one has the distance and it is GONE!!! Church’s first homer since June 12th lands .380 ft out in right center. 4-1 Nationals. Mike Bacsik gives up a line-drive single to Carlos Delgado, but works his way through the fourth and holds the 4-1 lead.

     Ryan Zimmerman takes a one-out walk in the fifth, and moves to third on a line drive single to left, DY tries to take second, but Alou nails him trying to take the extra base.
Church pops out to end the scoring chance. Still 4-1 Nationals. Zimmerman jumps and steals a line drive single from Jose Reyes, and dives glove first at the bag trying to double up Shawn Green. Green gets back safely. Damian Easely gets a hold of one and drives it to right to score Green. 4-2 Nationals after five…

     At that point my old friend Runner invited me over to watch the second half of the game on 42 inches of HDtv. Never one to pass up a crystal clear view of the Nationals whipping on Runner’s favorite Mets, I listened to an inning on 660 am on my way over…

     AK!!! Austin Kearns takes Sosa deep to left, "Too High!!" "What does that even mean? Too high?" Kearns bounces it off the netting on the fair side of the foul pole. 5-2 Nationals.
Bacsik lasts 7.0 IP, giving up 8 hits, 2 runs, both earned, and 1 walk. A two out walk in the eigth, puts Austin Kearns in a position to add to the lead. Kearns steals second uncontested, and scores when Brian Schneider singles to through first. 6-2 Nationals. Luis Ayala completes two scoreless for the Nationals win.
Final score 6-2. Two games tomorrow and one on Sunday. Tomorrow night the MLB debut of Joel Hanrahan.

Nationals now 44-58.

It’s XM 185 for the MLB debut of the twenty-two year old left hander John Lannan, who tries to help the Washington Nationals avoid the road sweep in Citizens Bank Ballpark, Philadelphia, PA…Lannan, all 6’5”, 200 lbs of him, will have a 2-0 lead as he takes the hill in the bottom of the first courtesy of RBI singles by DY and Kearns…
Lannan, straight outta Long Beach, New York, features a fastball, curve, and the change, which the Philly announcers say is his specialty, wearing #26 in the road grays, navy blue socks pulled calf-high, the first pitch from Lannan is a ball, and Jimmy Rollins gets the first hit off Lannan singling to start the first…
Lannan gives up his first walk to the next batter, Shane Victorino, and his first run when Chase Utley singles in a run…Lannan is about to get his first visit to the mound…and now Lannan has his first K, getting Ryan Howard swinging…Aaron Rowand grounds into an inning-ending DP, and Lannan has his first complete frame…2-1 Nationals after one…
Nook Logan single to start the second, Lannan fails in his first attempt to sacrifice…Felipe Lopez pops out, Logan caught stealing
…Lannan gives up another single to Chase Utley in the third, and RYAN HOWARD!! BANG ZOOM!!
Straight away center and GONE! 3-2 Phillies, as Lannan surrenders his first HR…
In the fifth…Oops! John Lannan has his first hit batter as Chase Utley takes one on the hand…Ryan Howard…takes one on the hands…
LANNAN’s TOSSED out of his first game by Homeplate Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt….another FIRST!!! Manny Acta, Nationals Manager is out and he is ANGRY!!
Acta’s tossed, this Ump’s an idjut!!! Acta argues for a good five minutes…Chris Schroder on in relief, and two runs score on Pat Burrell’s single…5-2 Phillies…it stays that way until the seventh…
Jesus Flores singles, Nook Logan doubles Flores to third, and Felipe Lopez brings them both home with a two-out single to center…
5-4 Philly…Top of the eigth…Two on, two out for Jesus "Rule 5" Flores…Flores takes the first pitch DEEP to LEFT and GONE!!!
Flores blasts a three-run shot off Philly reliever Mike Zagurski!! 7-5 Nationals lead…
The Tallest Pitcher in MLB History Jon Rauch pitches his second scoreless to hold the lead through the eigth…Wait for it…
Chad Cordero takes the mound in the ninth wearing the Nationals away gray uniforms, navy blue Nationals cap, white cursive "W", brim flat as Ivan Drago’s "flattop" in Rocky IV
…Cordero gives up singles to Rowand and Michael Bourn with one out…Chris Coste grounds out to third to score Rowand from third…Cordero, The Flat-Brimmed Closer…
walks Carlos Ruiz…Two on, two out, 7-6 Nationals lead…Cordero vs Abraham Nunez, Nunez grounds out to second, 1,2,3 Nationals win!
Final score 7-6…AND RUMOR HAS IT DC AND DY are negotiating???
What does a 2-Year deal mean for Nick Johnson?? What does this mean for Cordero and Rauch?? Tune in tomorrow Same Time Same Address…

Nationals now 43-58.

Live from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Citizens Bank Ballpark, it’s the second of three between the Phillies and visiting Washington Nationals. Left-handed change-up specialist Cole Hamels on the mound for the home team opposed by the Nationals twenty-four year old left handed wunderkind Matt Chico.

    
Hamels, also twenty-four and a native of San Diego, California was drafted by the Phils seventeenth overall in the 2002 Amateur draft, struggled through several injury-plagued seasons before finally getting things together on the mound in this, his first full season in the Majors. With a record of (11-5, 3.66 ERA) thus far this season, Hamels features a power change that is the envy of the entire league, and increasingly the bane of the existence of every batter the young lefty faces.

     While Hamels ascent was considered delayed by many, Matt Chico’s presence on a Major League roster has been to most a surprise. Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks, along with right hander Garrett Mock, in the trade that sent Livan Hernandez out west, Chico’s (4-6, 4.61 ERA) ascent is viewed as forced by many, due to the Nationals lack of available Major League arms. Chico’s performance thus far has silenced those whispers though, and he’s beginning to look a bit like a future fixture in the Nationals starting rotation.
     Hamels pumphandle delivery is clearly the source of some obfuscation of the opposing batter’s view of his pitches, but Chico must also create some deception, because his fastball rarely reaches the low nineties, his curve’s effective but not dramatic, and his slider’s the pitch voted most likely to leave. Yet somehow, Chico’s achieved success beyond the expectations for a rookie starter on a destined-to-be last place team.

     According to Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies were the team to beat in the NL East this season, but just past the halfway point they find themselves in a familiar position in third behind the Mets and Braves and ahead of the Marlins and Nationals. “Almost Always Almost There,” go ahead, that’s a free city slogan for you Philadelphia, but with the Cy Young caliber Hamels on the mound you might just mistake the Phillies for a contender.

    
While the Nationals are fairly well out of contention, there is just as much of interest to watch in the second half of the season, as young players like Chico, Ryan Zimmerman and Jesus Flores continue to grow as professionals, not to mention the impending debuts of several pitching prospects including this year’s first round draft pick, lefty Ross Detwiler who has already made his way to Triple-AAA Columbus, and seems destined for a September start to his MLB career, or another left-hander John Lannan who has emerged from the system to become number one in line for a promotion, which came today, and will get Lannan his first Major League start tomorrow at 1:00 pm against these same Philadelphia Phillies.

    
Another player to watch for the Nationals, Nook Logan single handedly scores the first run of the game off Hamels, singling, stealing second, and scoring, when he steals third as Felipe Lopez singles to left, allowing Lopez to walk the distance to home. 1-0 Nationals. Chico gets in deep trouble in the fourth, loading the bases for Aaron Rowand and issuing him a walk to tie the game, before Wes Helms singles and knocks in two for a 3-1 Philly lead.


    
Chico gives up another run and loads the bases with two out in the fifth before Manny Acta, Nationals Manager, makes the move the bullpen and brings out Chris Schroder in the middle of another bases juiced jam. Schroder gets Helms staring at strike three for the third out of the fifth. 4-1 Phils.

    
Hamels is cruising through the sixth when a fastball of his meets the bat of Ronnie Belliard and ends up twenty rows deep in left. 4-2 Phils. Hamels is done after seven, replaced on the mound by Ryan Madson, who works a scoreless frame. Luis Ayala holds it at 4-2 Philly through eight.

    
Antonio Alfonseca gives up a one-out double to Ryan Ch-Ch-Ch-Church in the ninth. Brian Schneider walks. Pinch hitter Tony Batista DOUBLES off the scoreboard in right center. 4-3 Phils. Philly Manager Charlie Manuel pulls Alfonseca for Mike Zagurski. Jesus Flores on to pinch hit. Full count. Flores DOUBLES off the scoreboard. FLORES DOUBLES OFF THE SCOREBOARD!! Two runs score. 5-4 Nationals. Wait for it…

    
Chad Cordero enters the game in the bottom of the ninth. Cordero wears the away gray Nationals uniform, navy blue cap with white cursive “W” stitched above a brim as flat as the fastball Mitch Williams threw to Joe Carter. (Ouch!) The Flat-Brimmed Closer gets the first two outs, bringing up Jimmy Rollins. Rollins goes deep to left, Church and Langerhans almost collide, and the ball falls between them, Rollins heads for third, the throw is off, Rollins heads home, Schneider can’t handle it, Rollins slides in safe. Tie game after nine. Add an extra frame.

    
The Tallest Pitcher in MLB History walks Chase Utley and Ryan Howard to start the tenth. Aaron Rowand pops out on a bunt attempt. Michael Bourn grounds out to first. Jon Rauch will face Chris Coste, who bats for the pitcher. Rauch gets a pop out to end the tenth, and it’s 5-5 headed to the eleventh inning and hour.
     Saul “Sa-ool” Rivera gives up a leadoff walk to Carlos Ruiz, but fields a sac bunt attempt and cuts Ruiz down at second. Jimmy Rollins up again with the bunter Greg Dobbs at first, and Rollins grounds into a force at second. Shane Victorino grounds back to the pitcher. 5-5 after eleven.

     Saul Rivera walks Chase Utley to start the twelfth, and gives up a single to Ryan Howard, to put two on in from of Rowand again. Aaron Rowand flies out to center. Utley advances to third. Rivera walks Bourn to load ‘em up. The Phils have no more pitchers so no pinch hitter for reliever Clay Condrey. Condrey down swinging for the second out. Carlos Ruiz grounds to second. Lucky #13 coming up.
     Who would’ve thunk that Saul Rivera is actually a switch hitter. Batting from the left with two on two out in the thirteenth, Rivera grounds out to second. Bottom of the frame. Leadoff single for Dobbs. J-Roll? Beats out a double play ball, force at second for the first out. One out later, Don’t Run on Schneider! Rollins nailed trying. Fourteen anyone?

    
Chris Booker walks Chase Utley to start the bottom of the fourteenth. Ryan Howard ends it with one swing of the bat. Five hours after it started, Howard hits the second deck in right, and the two run blast gives the Phillies a 7-5 win.

Nationals now 42-58.

At approximately 9:42 am this morning the local Fed Ex delivery driver arrives at my place of employment, “How’s it going?” he asks, “I heard your team’s going after Dunn(Adam of the Cincy Reds).” “Really?” I ask, “I hadn’t heard that, I guess Bowden is trying to move the Reds team he drafted to DC.” “I think you should pick a new team to cheer for, that franchise is just a joke. See ya tomorrow.” “Thanks Fed Ex guy. Thanks a lot,” I mumble as he leaves. What was I gonna say, he’s a Padres fan. He should know about futility.

    
I spent the rest of the morning searching the internet for a confirmation of his rumor-milling, but couldn’t find a report anywhere. ESPN.com and ESPNradio, the Nationals official site, Yahoo Sports, and…nothing. Until I finally find a Trade Deadline article on MLB.com which states that both the Reds and Nationals have shot down the “Dunn rumors,” but the fact that they’re even addressing the stories tends to lend credence to such tales in the “I don’t believe anybody,” days we’re(I’m?) living in. So… Now I think a trade IS in the works.

    
One player Nationals fans now know won’t be traded is Ronnie Belliard, who just signed on for two more years in DC as a result of his consistently excellent hitting and fielding for the Nationals this season. A .303 AVG, 5 HR’s 29 RBI’s, and it looks like the Nationals have second base locked up through 2009. But with Belliard, at second, and Felipe Lopez at short, Cristian Guzman’s place with the team is once again a question mark.

    
With only seven days to go before the Trade Deadline, a few more questions still remain. Will the Nationals award DY with a similarly-earned contract to Belliard’s, or take advantage of what the All-Star, .339 AVG hitting, 9 HR, 52 RBI, power bat can fetch on the open market? Will the Nationals give in to the tempation of trading Chad Cordero and Jon Rauch when they see what prospects the rest of the playoff bound teams are willing to part with? Or will Washington keep their bullpen in tact in light of what many baseball writers nationwide are predicting will be a quiet market, as a result of an increasing commitment for teams to grow from within rather than trading prospects for the playoff boost provided a two-month rental.

    
The problem is that the one team seemingly not committed to “growing from within,” the New York Mets have former Expos GM Omar MInaya at the helm, and much like Bowden plumbing the Reds roster for players he’d chosen, Minaya still appears enamored with his own previous picks, and Chad Cordero in particular. The mere idea of Cordero’s flat brim beneath the orange interlocking NY logo on the Met blue cap, is enough to make DC Daily ill…

    
8:45 pm. My old friend Runner, the Mets fan, checks in via the telephone, “Hey, I heard Minaya’s interested in DY!” he taunts, “Yeah, and Cordero, and Rauch, and Livan,” I respond. “First of all, Livan’s not on the Nationals anymore, secondly, if we add Cordero forget about it,” Runner says in reference to the Mets playoff hopes. (Is it a New York thing to say “we” when referring to a favored team?) Runner continues, “We’ve got some good pitching in the Minors, who were the Nationals looking at?”
    
“Humber, Pelfrey, and one other Double-AA pitcher from what I read, two of the three,” I say. “I’d be alright with that,” Runner says. “Yeah good idea, trade your prospects for rentals, that always works for the Yankees right?” I ask. “Cordero is young, not really a rental, and the Mets don’t want to be the Yankees,” Runner counters, and I can’t really argue with the first part of that sentence.
    
The Nationals play a close one with the Phils in the first of three tonight. Brian Schneider’s base clearing double gives the Nationals a 3-2 lead in the fourth.
Nationals starter Jason Bergmann leaves early with a hamstring issue.
Billy Traber carries the lead into the sixth when the Phils tie it, and Aaron Rowand puts Philadelphia ahead for good in the eigth, with a solo shot to left off Luis Ayala on a cut fastball that ends up inside and hammered for a 4-3 Philly lead. Antonio Alfonseca on to close it in for the Phils in the top of the ninth, and in spite of a leadoff walk, Alfonseca gets the job done.

Nationals now 42-57.

Yesterday’s game was FOX’d out as the Washington/Colorado matchup was originally scheduled for a national broadcast and thus with it’s 3:55 pm was start unavailable on MLB.tv. As usual the Nationals win when DC Daily doesn’t watch. This time it’s a 3-0 shutout win to guarantee a split of this four game series with the Rockies. Mike Bacsik gets the win to improve to (W, 3-6), and Luis Ayala, Saul Rivera and the Flat-Brimmed Closer Chad Cordero combine on the shutout.
Felipe Lopez homers, and pinch-hitter Tony Batista drives in two runs for the win.

Nationals now 41-56.

     Sunday afternoon, the Nationals are wearing their day game reds, with Tim Redding on the hill, as the Nationals look to take three of four from the visiting Rockies. The Nationals have a “Sunday” lineup behind Redding, D’Angelo Jimenez starting at and batting second, Tony Batista at first, Robert Fick in left, and Jesus Flores catching. No coincidence I’m sure that all three have been hot this week, including today’s center fielder Ryan Langerhans whose start is not as rare. Colorado starter Josh Fogg matches Redding’s scoreless first.

     No score in the bottom of the third as Redding lays down a sac bunt to advance Jesus Flores, who had singled, into scoring position for Felipe Lopez. Lopez drops a teardrop into center moving Flores to third. D’Angelo Jimenez with the RBI chance, grounds the first pitch from Fogg into an inning ending double play. Three scoreless for both starters.
     Matt Holliday finds some unoccupied real estate in short right, and places a single in-between the Nationals fielders. Holliday steals second with Todd Helton at bat, just beating out Jesus Flores’ throw. Helton flies out and Redding gets Garrett Atkins to do the same. Holliday stranded. Four scoreless for Redding.

     THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! Leadoff double in the bottom of the fourth. Zimmerman likes the day game heroics. Austin Kearns lines right back at Fogg and into his glove. Tony Batista is quickly down 0-2, but eventually works a walk. Robert Fick comes up with two on, one out. Fick pops one straight up on the first pitch. Ryan Langerhans up next. Fogg walks Langerhans to load the bases. Jesus Flores grounds to third, and Garrett Atkins takes the force there. No score through four.

     Brad Hawpe and Troy Tulowitzki find the gap in right for back to back singles in the fifth. Yorvit Torrealba lines a fastball to left, Fick guesses wrong and has to take it on a hop, Hawpe wasn’t running, so Fick throws in for a force at third. Fogg lays down a successful sac bunt to advance both runners. Willy Taveras grounds one off Redding’s heel, but it doesn’t get far and Redding scoops it underhand to Batista at first to end the top of the fifth.
     Garrett Atkins doubles passed a sprinting Robert Fick in left center to start the top of the seventh. Passed ball with Brad Hawpe moves Atkins to third. Redding’s showing signs of fatigue. 3-0 pitch to Brad Hawpe, but Hawpe swings and pops out to short left. Troy Tulowtizki grounds sharply to short, Felipe Lopez fields and feints towards third holding the runner, then Lopez fires to first in time to get Tulowitzki. Yorvit Torrealba takes a 3-1 pitch for a two-out walk. Fogg is lifted for pinch hitter Ryan Spilborghs. Manny Acta, Nationals Manager, brings on the recently recalled Chris Booker to end the threat. Three straight balls from Booker before he finds the zone, forkball for strike two, strike three swinging at a lazy curve over the heart of
the plate. Six and a half scoreless. Stand up and stretch…
     LaTroy Hawkins issues Robert Fick a leadoff walk in the Nationals seventh. Nook “The Adjective” Logan will run for Fick. Logan’s running as Ryan Langerhans pops a two-strike bunt straight up, the pitcher Hawkins catches it and throws to first for a double play. Flores goes down looking. No score through seven.
    
The Tallest Pitcher in MLB History, Jon Rauch is out for the eigth. Taveras grounds out, Kaz Matsui swings through the heater. Matt Holliday works a walk. Todd Helton singles through second, Holliday to third. Garrett Atkins grounds to second for the third out. Jorge Julio’s on for the Rockies. Ronnie Belliard pinch hits to start the bottom of the eigth. Belliard hits an 0-2 fastball through second for a leadoff single. Felipe Lopez goes down 0-2 trying to bunt, and then grounds into a double play. D’Angelo Jimenez singles through second. Ryan Zimmerman is up next. Passed ball gets by Torrealba, allowing Jimenez to move to second. Zimmerman gets the intentionals. AK takes a low inside fastball….CRACK!!!…DEEEEEP TO LEFT AND GONE!!! AK goes yard, into the rim of seats just below the upper deck, and the Nationals take a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the eigth. Wait for it…

    
Chad Cordero enters the game in the ninth. Cordero wears the day game red jersey and cap with the white interlocking DC logo stitched above a brim as flat as Nationals fans’ hearts will sink if the team trades the Flat-Brimmed Closer this week. Cordero to face Hawpe, Tulowitzki and Torrealba. Scouts league-wide are checking in. (Walk a few, Cordero!) Cordero walks Hawpe. Tulowitzki grounds to Lopez at short, to Jimenez covering for one, but Batista can’t handle the throw from Jimenez, so Tulowitzki’s safe at first. Torrealba finds the gap in right, a diving Nook Logan can’t come up with it. Torrealba’s safe at second Tulowitzki to third. Pinch hitter Jeff Baker stares at strike three at the knees. Willy Taveras watches Cordero paint the corner for two strikes, and Cordero gets Taveras to pop out foul of first for the final out. 1,2,3 Nationals win. Back to back shutouts. Three of four from the Rockies. The Nationals win. Final score 3-0.

Nationals now 42-56.

The name on the tip of all the Trade Rumor tongues?…The Flat-Brimmed Closer Chad Cordero, MLB.com, washingtonnationals.mlb.com, espn.go.com, all reporting that the twenty-five year old corner hittin’ fastballer is coveted by several teams around the league, the Mets and ? chief among them. What could a twenty-five year old lights-out closer bring in return? Is it more than he can provide by staying? Will The Tallest Pitcher in MLB History Jon Rauch leave as well? Will the new Nationals closer ever have as cool a nickname as the Flat-Brimmed Closer? I think not…

    
Billy Traber pitches a scoreless first in this, the second of four the Washington Nationals are playing with the visiting Rockies from Colorado. Aaron Cook, on the mound for the Rockies, allows two on with one out but gets a double play ball up the middle from Ryan Church to end the first inning of play.
    
After a scoreless second for both starters, Billy Traber walks his opponent on the mound to start the third. Willy Taveras deadens a bunt in the dirt in front of home, and Traber just puts it in his glove, as both runners are safe, and returns to the mound. Kaz “Opening Day” Matsui lays down another bunt, and Traber fields and throws wide of first, pulling Belliard off the bag. Bases loaded for Matt Holliday. Traber gets a ground ball to short and a force at second for the first out, one run scores, 1-0 Rockies. Todd Helton hits one deep enough to left to allow Willy Taveras to tag and score. 2-0 Rockies.

    
Ryan Church doubles off the wall in left center, a 400 ft line drive, with one out in the bottom of the fourth, but Aaron Cook strands Church there with his fourth scoreless frame. Chris Schroder replaces Traber for the top of the fifth. Holliday steals second as Todd Helton swings through strike three, Brian Schneider throws toward second, but off-line and into center, allowing Holliday to move to third. Garrett Atkins hammers one to left, Church tracks it and closes his glove on the top of the fifth. 2-0 after four and a half.

     Ryan Spilborghs robs Brian Schneider of a home run to start the fifth, as Spilborghs pulls it back over the wall in right, and shows everyone what he’s done. Fifth scoreless for Cook, and Chris Schroder’s back on the hill. Schroder retires the Rockies in order. Cook walks Felipe Lopez in front of Belliard in the bottom of the sixth. Lopez steals second. Belliard chops one straight down for Rockies catcher Chris Iannetta to field. Ryan Zimmerman swings through a low strike three. Ryan Church hits one to center, 390 ft away, but 20 ft short of the wall. 2-0 Rockies after six.

     Chris Schroder’s putting the “long” in long-relief as he’s back out for his third inning on the mound in the seventh. Schroder gets the opposing pitcher looking at strike three. Willy Taveras lays down a bunt, and beats it out, as Schroder slips fielding the ball and throws wildly. Kaz Matsui up, Taveras steals second, and no one is there to catch Schneider’s throw, Belliard fields it on a hop behind second? Matsui walks. Holliday takes ball four low to load the bases. Manny Acta, Nationals Manager has seen enough. Ray King is called upon to face Helton. King vs Helton. Lefty vs Lefty. Helton hits a sac fly to left to score Taveras. 3-0 Rockies. King out, Saul Rivera is on to face Garrett Atkins, who grounds into a force at second. Stand up and stretch…

     Austin Kearns reaches safely on an error by Atkins, and one out later Kearns moves to second when Brian Schneider singles up the middle of the infield. Cook still on the mound for the Rockies. Ryan Langerhans grounds out to first, bringing Nook Logan up with two on, two out. Logan stares at strike three down the pipe. 3-0 Rockies after seven.

     Two straight singles from Ryan Spilborghs and Troy Tulowitzki, to start the Rockies eigth off Rivera. Chris Iannetta grounds to short, Lopez gets the force at third. Brad “Barbaric” Hawpe goes down looking at an outside fastball. Taveras grounds out to short.
   
Jorge Julio is on in the bottom of the eigth to face the top of the Nationals order. (The Nationals own Jullio, I officially predict a comeback win at 9:30 pm)Felipe Lopez singles through second. Belliard does the same, moving Lopez to third. Zimmer- THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!
Zimmerman lines to center. Lopez scores. Belliard to third. 3-1 Rockies. Pinch-hitting DY is up. DY grounds to first. Belliard stays at third. AK pops to short right. Zimmerman gets caught off second??? Unbelievable.

     The Tallest Pitcher in MLB History, Jon Rauch is on in the ninth. Rauch retires the side. Rauch Rules. Manny Corpas on to close it for Colorado. Fick lines out to first. Schneider flies out to right. Langerhans swings at high heat for strike three. Rockies win. 3-1 final.


Nationals now 40-56.

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.

XM 183 for the rubber match between the Washington Nationals and the visiting Houston Astros. Jason Bergmann vs Jason Jennings
…Scoreless first half for Bergmann…two straight two out walks from Jennings to Ryan Zimmerman and Dmitri Young

…Ryan Church doubles to right, Zimmerman crosses as Church begins to find his mode, 1-0 Nationals…AK lines a double down the third base line, two runs score, 3-0 Nationals

…Mike Lamb leads off the Astros second with a solo shot on a 1-1 fastball from Bergmann, 3-1 Nationals…RBI double for Ronnie Belliard makes it 4-1 Nationals in the second, scoring Jesus Flores from second after today’s Nationals catcher had singled
…Home Run to right for Luke Scott to start the fifth, 4-2 Nationals…DY and AK walk, and Ryan Langerhans comes up with two on and one out in the fifth and Langerhans takes Jennings deeeeeeep to right and GONE! 3-run blast, 7-2 Nationals

…Bergmann lasts 6.0 IP, 2 runs, six hits, Ray King is on in relief in the seventh, after Bergmann allows back to back singles to start the frame…King gives up a double to Eric Munson, one run scores, 7-3…
Saul Rivera replaces King, Craig Biggio hits a sac fly to left, Luke Scott tags and scores, 7-4…Rivera gets Hunter Pence swinging at the high heat…Lance Berkman hits a two-out double to score Munson, 7-5, El Caballo Carlos Lee hits a grounder to third,
Zimmerman fields and throws wide of first, pulling DY off the bag, one runs scores, and Berkman tries to steal a run heading home, DY throws to Flores, play at the plate, "YERRRR OUT!!! Berkman’s nailed…7-6 Nationals after seven…
The Tallest Pitcher in MLB History, Jon Rauch is on to hold the one-run lead, scoreless eigth from Rauch. Rauch Rules…Wait for it…
Chad Cordero is on in the ninth, home whites, red Nationals cap with white cursive "W" stitched above a brim as flat as One-Time Presumptive Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain’s Campaign account…Cordero vs Munson, Zimmerman robs Munson of extra bases, but the throw to first is off, Munson’s safe. Eric Bruntlett on to run for the catcher, pinch hitter Orlando Palmeiro can’t get down a bunt, and grounds to second instead, Belliard to Felipe Lopez covering the bag to Robert Fick at first, double play.
Chris Burke hits a hard grounder at Zimmerman, and Zimm takes it off the wrist, and the throw is off again, Burke moves to second on the throwing error, Pence up again, wild pitch moves Burke to third, Pence hits a line drive…Felipe Lopez stabs it.
Game over. 1,2,3 Nationals win. 7-6 final.

Nationals now 39-55.

Belt high fastball from the Houston Astros starter Chris Sampson, and the red-hot Ronnie Belli-Yard lines it to left and GONE! The Washington Nationals take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
    
Tim Redding on the hill for the home team, trying for two straight tonight. El Caballo Carlos Lee drops a single in front of Austin Kearns in right. Mark “Get Back Home” Loretta chops one to third, Ryan Zimmerman throws to Belliard at second to Dmitri Young at fist, double play. A walk, a double, and the intentionals, and Redding’s loaded the bases, but a ground ball to short ends the the top of the second.

     Ryan Church doubles into the right center gap to start the bottom of the second, but three groundouts later, he’s left standing at third. 1-0 after two. Hunter Pence singles off Redding in the top of the third, moves to second, on Lance Berkman’s ground out, and takes the easy way home when EL CABALLO homers to left, just over the wall and into the visiting bullpen, 2-1 Astros middle of three.

     Redding issues a one-out walk to Luke Scott in the fourth, and Eric Munson singles through short, alliowing the pitcher to lay down the sac bunt, advanciing both runners, and giving Chris Burke an RBI opportunity. Burke grounds to short, Lopez fields and throws, and it’s still 2-…
    
THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! TH E KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! Fastball down the pipe from Sampson, and Zimmerman takes it back the other way, off the wall in left, just beyond the field of play,  a home run for Ryan Zimmerman ties it at 2-2. DY!! DY!! double to right, and Carlos Lee can’t corral it. Three ground outs, and DY’s stranded at third.

    
Hunter Pence reaches down and golfs a shin high breaker over the green in left all the way out of the park as the Astros take the lead right back. 3-2 ‘Stros in the fifth. A scoreless sixth on the mound from Redding brings the Nationals up in the bottom of the frame. All the production thus far has come from the middle of the Nationals order (2-5 are 4 for 8, 6-1 are 0 for 11). Belliard singles to start the frame. Zimmerman grounds into a double play. DY? Single to right. Church? Grounds to first. 3-2 after six.
   

Tim Redding gives up a one-out single to Chris Burke in the seventh, bringing up Pence again with a runner on. Burke’s running…Don’t run on Schneider! Pitch out, and Schneider has Burke by a mile. “Yerrrr OUT!!!” Pence flies to center. Redding’s through seven. Stand up and stretch…Brian Schneider takes a two-out fastball on the elbow, and the Astros will bring Roy Oswalt? On in relief? to get the last out of the seventh. Robert Fick flies out to right.
     Luis Ayala is on in relief in the eigth. Ayala hits Berkman with a curve in the back knee. Carlos Lee, El Caballo meet Ayala! Carlos Lee pops out. Ayala throws seven straight in walking Loretta and Lamb. Bases loaded on one HBP and two BB’s. Manny Acta, Nationals Manager, has seen enough. Billy Traber on to face the pinch-hitting Craig Biggio. Sac fly to center. 4-2 Astros.

    
Dan Wheeler walks Ronnie Belliard with one out in the eigth. Ryan Zimmerman grounds into an inning ending double play. Chris Schroder closed out the eigth, and is back in the top of the ninth. One and a third scoreless for Schroder. The Trade Deadline Spotlight is on Astros closer Brad Lidge, let’s hope it’s brightness doesn’t induce flashbacks(duh dum ch!!). Three outs to get two runs for the Nationals. DY flies out to center. Ryan Church chases a slider. Austin Kearns walks. Felipe Lopez swings at a ball in the dirt. Astros win 4-2.

Nationals now 38-55.

    Houston’s Hunter Pence looks as good as advertised in the first inning, reaching out and pushing a single up the middle off Washington starter Mike Bacsik. The Astros and Nationals begin this three game series in Washington DC’s RFK Stadium after the Nationals quick three game road trip started the second half of the 2007 season. Pence? The 6’4’’ 210, right handed hitting center fielder is sporting a bloated .337 AVG batting average after his first at bat tonight, with 11 HR’s and 43 RBI’s thus far, but Mike Bacsik has a scoreless first to show for his effort.

     Bacsik gets a 9-3 DP to end the top of the second as Eric Bruntlett lines out to Austin Kearns in right, but Bruntlett hits it so hard that Morgan Ensberg, at first after singling, thinks “Hit” and starts running, only to get double up by DY at first, as he heads back to the Astros dugout.

     The Astros starter Woody Williams is pecking away at the strike zone, going to deep counts in most at bats through two, and surrendering only a two-out single to Kearns before retiring the National for the second scoreless frame.
     Kearns gets a 9-4-5 put out for the second crazy out of the night for the Nationals right fielder. Lance Berkman is on second, Carlos Lee at first, as Mark Loretta flies to right, Austin Kearns dives… and can’t come up with it,  Lee tries to advance to second, but Berkman never leaves the bag, so the Nationals take the force at third. No score after three.
    
Ryan Zimmerman singles off Woody Williams to start the fourth. DY lines to left center allowing Zimmerman to move to third with one out in the fourth inning. Ryan Church grounds into a force at second, but it’s good enough to score Zimmerman from third. 1-0 Nationals.

     Felipe Lopez soars a throw over DY’s outstretched glove at first on a Hunter Pence grounder. Pence moves to second on the throwing error, and Berkman is up with a runner in scoring position in the sixth. Berkman drops a tweener into short right, and El Caballo is due up with two on. Carlos Lee singles through first, Pence scores, Berkman to third. 1-1 ballgame. RBI sac fly for Mark Loretta scores Berkman from third. 2-1 Astros. Bacsik out, Saul Rivera gets the last out of the Astros sixth.
    
Two-strike fastball from Woody Williams to Ronnie Belliard with one out in the sixth, Belliard reaches down and grounds a scorcher up the middle of the infield grass. Ryan Zimmer…THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! Zimmerman lays a bunt down in the left side of the infield, and beats it out moving Belliard into scoring position for DY. TUCK THAT LEFT SHOULDER IN TIGHT AS YOU ROUND THE BASES!!! DY has left the building. A hanging curve from Woody, and DY deposits it in the right field bullpen for a three-run home run, and a 4-2 Nationals lead.


     Saul Rivera’s back in the top of the seventh. Craig Biggio beats out a grounder to first, and Manny Acta, Nationals Manager is out to argue what is one of the first calls I’ve seen him question this season. Surprisingly, the Umpire does not reverse his call. Hunter Pence grounds to Lopez at short, to Belliard, covering, to DY at first, double play. Stand up and stretch…

     The Tallest Pitcher in MLB History Jon Rauch is going to do the tossing in the eigth inning, with the Nationals still leading 4-2. Berkman pops out to short. Rauch is not so lucky with Carlos Lee who smokes a line drive on a low fastball into the box seats below the outfield stands. Lordy! 4-3 Nationals. Mark Loretta singles to right. Ensberg flies to center for the second out. Mike Lamb pinch hits for Bruntlett, but goes down swinging. Wait for it…
   
Chad Cordero, The Flat-Brimmed Closer,  enters the game in the top of the ninth. 4-3 Nationals lead. Cordero sports the home whites, red Nationals cap with the white cursive “W” stitched above a brim as flat as the patch of grass in RFK’s centerfield as opposed to the silly-a** hill in Minute Maid Park’s center field in Houston. Brad Ausmus checks a low fastball straight down, Schneider fields and throws to first. 1. Luke Scott stares at strike three outside. 2. Craig Biggio takes strike three on the other side of the plate. 1,2,3 Nationals win.

Trivia Answer…

Nationals now 38-54.