ZIMMERMANN'S FIRST CAREER COMPLETE GAME GOES FOR NAUGHT

As the shadows crept across the outfield grass at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, it became tougher and tougher for both teams to bat against the elite level starters their opposition sent out to face them.  Fortunately for the Los Angeles Angels, they caught a break in the fourth inning.  Unfortunately for Jordan Zimmermann and the Washington Nationals, a simple mistake broke them.

Gold Glove third baseman Ryan Zimmerman's throwing error on a slow roller advanced Bobby Abreu to third base with no outs, which allowed him to score on a double play grounder by the next batter.  That was the sole run in the Angels' 1-0 victory, sweeping the Nats in Davey Johnson's first three games as the Nationals skipper.

The story of this game was the two starting pitchers, Zimmermann and the Angels' Dan Haren, who matched each other pitch-for-pitch in the mid-afternoon sun and shadows.  Zimmermann (5-7, 2.85) allowed the single, unearned run on four hits and one walk, striking out four in the eight-inning complete game effort.  Zimmermann threw just 93 pitches in his eight innings, 60 for strikes.  The Nats ever-impressing righty recorded 10 ground outs versus six fly balls.

Haren was equally impressive.  He went 7 1/3 innings, giving up just two hits -- a Brian Bixler bunt single in the fourth and Pudge Rodriguez' single to center in the eighth.  Haren struck out three of his first four batters, and recorded six for the game, allowing one walk.

Zimmerman's (the third baseman) bad throw was certainly one he wished he had back.  With Abreu on first, Vernon Wells hit a slow roller that Zim had to come in on.  It was a tough play at second regardless, and once he looks at the reply Zim will probably say he should have just gone to first with it.  But his throw was into the runner, and it looked like Danny Espinosa either short-armed the catch, or maybe lost it temporarily coming out of the stands.  Either way, I'm sure both players will take responsibility for the miscue.

Though the Nats fell because of a defensive breakdown, they also benefited from a pair of terrific plays in the outfield.  Both Bixler, who played right field to give Jayson Werth at least part of a day off, and Roger Bernadina in center gunned down Angels trying to take an extra base at second.

So the Davey Era has gotten off to something of a slow start.  It's not like this team was going to continue to win 13 out of every 15 games.  But four losses in their last five games now certainly gives one pause and lowers their record to 40-41. 

After an off-day tomorrow, the Nationals return home to start an 11-game homestand, featuring the improving Pittsburgh Pirates (40-39), struggling Chicago Cubs (32-48) and disappointing Colorado Rockies (39-40), who expected to contend this season.  It should be a good test for these Nationals coming into the All-Star break.

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THE GOOD:  Zimmermann.  Though his innings limit for the season rapidly approaches, the 25-year old is showing just how dominant he can be.

THE BAD:  Jayson Werth, who pinch-hit for Alex Cora lat in the game, struck out looking in his only at bat.  He's struck out 13 times in his last six games.

THE UGLY:  Matt Stairs, at DH and hitting cleanup, went 0-for-4 with two Ks, lowering his average to .132.

THE STATS:  Three hits, one walk, eight strikeouts.  0-for-6 with RISP, five LOB, zero GIDP.  E: Zimmerman (5).

NEXT GAME:  Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:05 from Nationals Park.  Tom Gorzelanny (2-6, 4.18) faces Charlie Morton (7-4, 3.77).

NATS NOTES:  Jerry Hairston left the game after getting hit in the right wrist area with a Haren fastball.  The team described the injury as a "contusion" and listed him day-to-day.

The Nationals signed free agent LHP J.C.Romero, formerly of the Philadelphia Phillies and assigned him to AAA-Syracuse.  Romero is a lefty-killer and after getting a few appearances at Syracuse to re-build his arm strength could join the Nats to give them a second lefty out of the bullpen.  Romero was part of the Phillies World Series winner.

Washington, DC-In the microcosm, it was just another loss in a season that has been full of them, and will, in all likelihood, continue. In the grand scheme of things, however, this loss could prove more costly in significance if this was the end of Shawn Hill on the mound for the Washington Nationals for the foreseeable future.

Hill (L, 1-5, 5.83) was hammered by the Angels for eight runs -- six earned -- on eight hits and a walk in just three innings of work, as the Washington Nationals lost to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 8-3 Tuesday night before 28,531 at Nationals Park. He gave up six in the first and another two in the third inning.

The bigger news, however, in what has become a lost season for the reluctant ace, was when after the game Manager Manny Acta announced Hill was likely headed to the disabled list and on his way very soon to see specialists at the Mayo clinic to re-examine his elbow and forearm, the source of Hill's pain and frustration this season. Hill was despondent in his post-game interview, stoic and brutally honest as always with the gathered press. "I'm just not right." he said. "Not a whole lot of guys throw through this for as long as I have…[M]aybe two weeks off, a week off, a month off, whatever it may be, I have no idea. I might come back and feel like a new guy, or [the rest] might do absolutely nothing. I have no idea."

His performance on Tuesday night was described as "flat" by Acta and his location "suffering" by pitching coach Randy St. Claire.

Hill started the season on the DL and has struggled every start since his return. In the beginning, the pain forced him to give up throwing between starts, something he's acknowledged as being important for him to maintain his control and consistency. He recently had returned to throwing side sessions, but the pain has worsened and left him in a reduced capacity during games. Tuesday's fiasco was, apparently, the final straw. Hill is no longer able to pitch through the pain, and the incredible effort he's been putting forth just to get on the mound for the Nats is not enough when the results were as bad a they were last night, effectively ending any chance the team had to be competitive in the first inning.

The lack of any consistent offensive production from this patchwork line-up of discarded veterans and untested youngsters places an extra premium on pitching, especially the starters, and trailing 6-0 after the top of the first is a death sentence for a squad hitting .238 as a team, last in all of Major League Baseball.

Jon Garland got the win for the Angels, leaders of the American League West. He went seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk, including solo home runs by Wily Mo Pena (2) and Elijah Dukes (3).

Adding insult to Hill's injury, the defense was atrocious again Tuesday, as the Nats committed four errors, two in that fateful first inning. Paul LoDuca, starting in left field for the first time since 2004, threw away the first ball hit to him, allowing a runner to advance an extra base. Dmitri Young booted two grounders at first base, and Willie Harris kicked one away at second, starting once again for Felipe Lopez. To their credit, the Nats did complete three double plays, including a strike-em-out, throw-em-out by Jesus Flores.

The Nats conclude their three-game series with the Halos Wednesday night, as Tim Redding (6-3, 4.12) takes the mound against Ervin Santana (9-3. 3.17) for the Angels.

NATS NOTES: The loss lowers the Nationals record to 30-49, last in the NL East, twelve and one-half games behind Philadelphia. The Nats have lost four straight, and are 2-7 in their last ten games.

LoDuca summoned the trainer in the top of the second inning during Vlad Guerrero's at bat. He experienced dizziness and nausea and was removed from the game. He was taken to a hospital for observation. He was given IVs and was reported to be feeling better later in the evening. No further word from the team has been released at this writing.

Redding appeared at the ESPN Zone downtown Tuesday at lunchtime for a Q&A with Nats fans. Radio play-by-lay Charlie Slowes emceed the event, attended by roughly 75 Nats fans.