GB&U GAME 104: Remaining Pirates Beat Up On Nats 11-6

THE RESULT: Andrew McCutcheon hit three home runs, Lastings Milledge had two more RBIs, and the rest of the new-look Pirates continued to make the team with the worst record in the majors look even worse, beating the Nats 11-6 before a healthy crowd in western Pennsylvania.

The Nationals are now 32-72 for the season, have lost four in a row, and are 6-11 under interim manager Jim Riggleman.

The ridiculously slow internet connection in our hotel in Pittsburgh will keep me from doing a complete story, but I'll offer these tidbits as a recap of last night's game, bullet-point style.

• PNC Park actually brands itself as the "Best Ballpark in America," and they might actually be right.
• Mmm, Primanti Bros.
• Nats fans were presently well-represented, sprinkled in amongst the black and gold. And according to my highly scientific study, I saw only two Red Sox hats and just one Yankees cap.
• Craig Stammen, despite having dozens of family members in town for the game, all proudly wearing "Stammen 35" red t-shirts (but without a Washington Nationals logo), struggled again last night. He threw very few curveballs, and his sinker was not getting the good action on it yet again.
• Ryan Zimmerman seems to have really picked up his contact at the plate in the last few days, but Adam Dunn has lost all semblance of it.
• Although, Dunn put on an exhibition during batting practice, at one point launching bomb after bomb OVER the grandstand in right field, sending a couple shots into the river beyond the fence.
• Nyjer Morgan was THISCLOSE to making several highlight reel catches, but the ball just seemed to elude him all night long. He also went 3-for-4 again.
• Josh Bard's leg injury continues to reduce his capacity and is a liability in the field. On one specific play, a throw from Morgan was well up the line, and a healthy catcher would have had plenty of time to go get it and keep it from going to the backstop. Alas, Bard stood firm, unable to get up from his crouch, and the run not only scored, but the batter advanced on the throw.
• The string of errorless games ended at six, the longest this season and longest for the Nats since 2005.
• Elijah Dukes went 0-for-3 with a walk, sacrifice fly and strikeout in his return from minor league exile.
• Logan Kensing may not be a major league pitcher.
• The Pirates batting order featured seven players to have played extensively int he minor leagues this season, and still pounded Nats pitching for 16 hits and 11 runs.
• To the contrary, the Nats got 12 hits and six walks, but left 11 men on base.

Game Three of the four-game set is today at 1:35 pm. Let's see if the Nats can muster the energy to come out and beat these new Pirates, because neither game so far has been remarkably competitive.