THE RESULT: Florida Marlins starting pitcher Alex Sanabia was a 32nd round draft pick in 2006 and entered today's game with 11 2/3 innings pitched this season. Despite his meager pedigree, he and four relievers combined to shut out the Washington Nationals 1-0 before an announced 21,057 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.
The Nats fall to 40-52 and have lost 13 of their last 20 games.
Once again, the story of this game was the Nationals inability to drive runners home from scoring position -- and terrible base running.
As was the case in Saturday night's loss, the Nats could not muster a hit with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-9 on Sunday. The team left nine runners on base total and had two wiped out on the bases.
The Nationals got their leadoff hitter on in five of nine innings on Sunday, including in each of the first three innings, but the results were the same each time.
The middle of the Nats order especially struggled. Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham each left five runners on base, and the two combined with Ryan Zimmerman to go 2-for-10 and one walk with four strikeouts.
The Nationals' best scoring chance against Sanabia came in the third, when they loaded the bases with one out. The rookie then struck out Adam Dunn and got Josh Willingham to tap out.
Also as was the case Saturday night, Adam Kennedy made an egregious base running error, costing his team a chance to tie the game in the ninth inning.
Kennedy hit a one-out single off fist-pumping Marlins closer Leo Nunez, and Michael Morse followed with a clean single to right. Kennedy had designs on going to third, but the ball was too well hit to advance, and he fell returning to second base as the throw came in behind the runner from right fielder Michael Stanton.
Kennedy was called out, and Manager Jim Riggleman came out to discuss the call with the second base umpire -- to no avail.
Adding to his league-leading caught stealing total, Nyjer Morgan was gunned out in the first inning after leading the game off with a walk, one of just two on the day for the Nats.
The Nationals struck out 11 times Sunday for a three-game total of 30. That's the equivalent of one whole game plus one inning of no contact for the Nats in the series.
The offensive ineptitude made a hard-luck loser out of Craig Stammen (2-4). He went six innings and allowed just one run on six hits and three walks, striking out six. The only run of the game came in the fifth inning when Emilio Bonifacio and Gaby Snachez hit consecutive doubles.
THE GOOD: Stammen. Any time your starter allows only one run, he's done his job. Joel Peralta threw two scoreless innings to keep his team in the game.
THE BAD: The lack of hitting with runners in scoring position has reached epidemic proportions. In the back-to-back shutouts, the Nats went 0-for-18 with runners in scoring position.
THE UGLY: The base running errors. These are not physical errors, they are mental errors, and someone needs to be held accountable. It's been going on all season and wishing the problem away isn't working.
NEXT GAME: The Nats travel to Cincinnati to face the red-hot Reds Monday at 7:10 pm. RHP J.D. Martin (1-4) takes on RHP Johnny Cueto (8-2).
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