GBU GAME 79* and NATS GAME DAY, GAME 80*: Nats Rally to Beat Braves 5-3

"I would give back every single home run if we could be whatever our record is, but flip-flopped. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Winning is everything in this game. Period." --Adam Dunn, on the occasion of his 300th career home run, July 4, 2009.

THE RESULT and BOX SCORE

ATTENDANCE: 23,708

RECORD: 23-55-1

THE TAKEAWAY: Dunn started and ended the rally with his mammoth home run, his 22nd of the season, and RBI single that made the score 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth.

But major kudos have to go to starting pitcher John Lannan. He didn't have his best stuff, and put plenty of men on base yesterday, but benefited from four double plays. He kept his team in the game, pitching through the eighth, and he stuck around long enough to earn the victory.

For all the times in his brief career that the offense let him down, finally they came through for him after a gritty performance.

And props to Nyjer Morgan, who executed a perfect sacrifice in the the pivotal eighth inning. Good situational baseball, something that hasn't always been evident in Nationals Park this season.

THE GOOD: Adam Dunn. 2-for-3 with a walk, solo home run and two RBI. I expect him to be named the Nationals all-star representative later today.

THE BAD: Cristian Guzman. 0-for-4 with a called strikeout in the sixth spot in the lineup.

THE UGLY: The bullpen carousel stops for Jesus Colome. Colome was DFA'd after the game, making room for Jason Bergmann's third trip to the bigs this season.

The 31-year old right-hander was 1-1 with an 8.40 ERA in 15 relief appearances with the Nationals this season.

Photos 2009 © Cheryl Nichols. All Rights Reserved.

NEXT GAME: Today, at 1:35 pm, against these same Braves.

ATLANTA BRAVES (39-41, 4th in NL East -- 2.5 games back. One-game losing streak)

McLouth – CF
Prado – 2B
Jones – 3B
McCann – C
Escobar – SS
Anderson – LF
Diaz – RF
Kotchman – 1B
Lowe – P

WASHINGTON NATIONALS (23-55-1, 5th in NL East -- 17.5 games back. One-game winning streak)

Morgan – CF
Johnson – 1B
Zimmerman – 3B
Dunn – LF
Willingham – RF
Guzman – SS
Bard – C
Belliard – 2B
Olsen – P

STARTING PITCHERS

WAS: Scott Olsen (48.0 IP, 1-4, 6.56 ERA, 36 K, 18 BB)
ATL: Derek Lowe (101.1 IP, 7-6, 4.44 ERA, 55 K, 35 BB)

WEATHER

Cloudy, thunderstorms. Chance of rain 40%. High temp 80F.