THE RESULT: Once again, the Washington Nationals could get nothing done at the plate, as Roy Oswalt and the Philadelphia Phillies shut out the Nats 6-0, before 44,539 at Citizen's Bank Park.
The Nats managed just six base runners for the afternoon, gathering five hits and walking just once in the contest.
The loss drops the Nats record to 53-71 on the season.
Oswalt (W, 9-13, 3.22) had a masterful day, illustrating the reason the Phillies acquired him before the July 31 trade deadline. He went seven dominant innings, allowing five hits and one walk, striking out eight in the process. At no time did the Nats even threaten to score.
Ryan Madson and J.C. Romero both pitched perfect innings to secure the victory.
On the other side, Scott Olsen (L, 3-6, 5.21) had base runners on the entire afternoon, as he gave up nine hits and walked two in his six innings. He gave up four earned runs and struck out three, but continued a pattern of getting hit around.
Craig Stammen provided little relief, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk in his inning.
The big culpits though were the bats. Adam Dunn, hitting in the three-hole again, went hitless in four at bats, striking out three times.
For the day, the Nats went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, and left five runners on total.
THE GOOD: Nyjer Morgan went 2-for-3 from the leadoff spot.
THE BAD: Michael Morse. 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
THE UGLY: Adam Dunn. 0-for-4 with three Ks on the day. He's hitting .203/.304/.536 in 79 plate appearances in August and has just six hits in his last 52 plate appearances his last 13 games.
THE STATS: 11 Ks, 1 BB, 0-for-9 with RISP, 5 LOB, 1 DP.
NEXT GAME: The Nats start a seven-game homestand Monday at 7:05 pm against the Chiacgo Cubs. Livan Hernandez (8-7) hosts Casey Coleman (0-1). The Cubs announced Manager Lou Pinella would step down after their game Sunday instead of at the end of the season as previously planned. Third base coach Mike Quade will assume the duties on an interim basis.
NATS NOTES: Yunesky Maya, signed as a free agent upon his defection from Cuba earlier this summer, pitched for the Class-A Potomac Nationals Sunday. He went four innings plus two batters, and surrendered six earned runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out three.
Maya cruised throught the first three innings, getting ground balls and strikeouts seemingly at will. But in the fourth inning, his blister started to flare up and he lost his command, allowing six straight batters to reach base. leading to fiver earned runs. After allowing a homer and base on balls in the fifth, he was lifted by P-Nats manager Terry Cathcart.
Maya will make his next start for Triple-A Syracuse after his blister settles down.
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