GAME 96 REVIEW: Livo Cruises in Complete Game Over Reds, 7-1

THE RESULT:  A night after the Washington Nationals youngest starting pitcher held the high-scoring Cincinnati Reds in check, their oldest starter did the same, perhaps more impressively, as Livan Hernandez threw a seven-hit, no walk complete game, shutting down the Reds 7-1, before 23,115 at Great American Ballpark.

The series split moves the Nats record for the season to 42-54.

The Nationals won back-to-back road games for the first time since May 12-13 -- the high point of the season -- when their record was 20-15. They've gone 8-26 on the road since then.

Hernandez was in control the entire way today, as he needed just 102 pitches in his second complete game of the season.  He struck out five and allowed no extra-base hits among the seven he scattered.

He even drove in a run, with a bases loaded single in the second inning.

Washington got all the offense they needed early on in this one against Reds starter Edinson Volquez, making his second start of the year following reconstructive elbow surgery.  The Nats got one in the first, two in the second and three in the third, giving Hernandez plenty of breathing room.

The Nats got out of the box quickly, as Nyjer Morgan walked to lead off the game, stole second, moved up to third on Rgoer Bernadina's flyout to center, and scored on Ryan Zimmerman's ground out to first.

Morgan had a good day overall, going 2-for-4 with a walk, and RBI and three stolen bases.

In the second, Volquez had more trouble, as he walked the bases loaded with one out.  Hernandez' base hit plated Willie Harris and Morgan beat out the back end of a potential double play, allowing Adam Kennedy to get home with the third out of the game.

Washington drove Volquez out of the game in the third inning.  Zimmerman singeld to lead off and came home ahead of Adam Dunn's 23rd home run of the year.  Harris later hit a ball to the top of the right field wall in front of the Nats bullpen, and after review the play stood as a triple.  No worry, as Kennedy (2-for-3, run, RBI) drove him in with a single.

Bernadina added a solo home run off lefty releiver Bill Bray in the seventh to close the scoring.

THE GOOD:  Livo!  The bullpen needed a rest, and Livo came through once again.  He lowered his season ERA to 3.12 and upped his record to 7-6. He has both of the Nats complete games this season.  Willei Harris (2-for-3) and Adam Kennedy provided much-needed offense from bottom of the lineup.

THE BAD:  Cristian Guzman was 0-for-4 with 2 Ks, the only Nats starter to not reach base.  Despite the homer, Dunn struck out in each of his other four at bats.

THE UGLY:  They won 7-1, but it could have been much worse.  The nats only went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

THE STATS:  The Nats struck out 10 times, walked four times and left six men on base.

NEXT GAME:  Friday at 8:10 pm in Milwaukee.  Craig Stammen (2-4) takes on Chris Narveson (8-6).

NATS NOTES:  RHP Luis Atilano will probably go on the 15-day DL after complaining of a sore elbow after his 8-7 loss to the Reds on Tuesday.  The team confirmed he has "loose chips" in his pitching elbow.  There is no word as of this posting who might take Atilano's start on Sunday.