The Washington Nationals just sent out a press release announcing they have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher J.D. Martin, catcher Carlos Maldonado and first baseman Kevin Barker on minor-league contracts with invitations to Spring Training.

Additionally, the Nationals extended Spring Training invitations to right-handed pitcher Josh Wilkie, left-handed pitcher Matt Chico and catchers Derek Norris and Jhonatan Solano.

(C.Nichols/Nats News Network)

Martin went 1-5 and posted a 4.13 ERA in nine starts for the Nationals last season and is 6-9 with a 4.32 ERA in 24 career starts during two seasons (2009-10) with Washington. The 28-year-old went 2-2 with a 3.51 ERA in seven starts with Syracuse in 2010.

Maldonado, 32, hit .233/.293/.314 in 63 games with Syracuse in 2010 and Barker, 35, went .291/.416/.510 playing for Veracruz, an independent affiliation in the Triple-A Mexican League.  Both have had cups of coffee thoughout their extensive minor league career, and were signed primarily to fill out the roster in Syracuse this summer.

The "news" out of all of this is the invitation to Norris to spring training.  The soon to be 22-year old doesn't have enough service time to have to be protected on the Nats 40-man roster yet, and he's steadily working his way up through the minor leagues. 

We shouldn't read too much into this though.  Since the Nats only have three catchers on the 40-man (Ivan Rodriguez, Jesus Flores and Wilson Ramos), they needed a few more catchers in camp to handle all the pitchers.

Norris hit .235/.419/.419 in 399 plate appearances last season for Single-A Potomac.  He hit 12 home runs and drove in 49, while throwing out 51 percent (29-of-57) of runners attempting to steal against him.  He possesses a .414 OBP in 327 career minor league games.

Fan-favorite Josh Wilkie went undrafted out of George Washington Univeristy and has toiled in the Nats system for the last five seasons, reaching Syracuse last year, where he went 4-4 with eight saves and a 2.45 ERA and 1.134 WHIP (8.0 K/9, 2.8 BB/9) in 53 games.

Lefty Matt Chico made one spot start for the Nats last year, giving up two earned runs in five innings, and went 6-7 with a 3.73 ERA in Syracuse.  The 27-year old led the Nats in innings pitched in 2007 as a rookie before surgery robbed him of a year of service.

The Nats are expected to recall OF Kevin Mench from Triple-A Syracuse today to take the roster spot of Nyjer Morgan, who was placed -- apparently against his wishes -- on the 15-day D.L. due to soreness in his right hip.

Mench, 32, is a seven year MLB veteran who has not played in the bigs since 2008 with Toronto.  He spent 2009 in Japan, and has toiled at Syracuse this season, posting a slash line of .249/.331/.338 with three homers and 40 RBIs in 326 plate appearances. 

Mench, who arguably has the biggest head in baseball, will mostly provide a right-handed bat off the bench.

The Nationals transferred J.D. Martin to the 60-day D.L. to open up a spot on the 40-man roster for Mench.  The move effectively ends Martin's season.  The pitcher is on the D.L. with back spasms.

With Morgan on the D.L., Roger Bernadina will move over to center and Michael Morse will get the bulk of the playing time in right field.

INF Danny Espinosa was moved up from Double-A Harrisburg to Syracuse after tearing up AA the last couple of weeks, including a three-home run game earlier this week.  Espinosa is hitting .262 with 18 homers and 54 RBI this season, with a .798 OPS.

I didn't watch this game.  Haven't even seen the highlights.  We went out for dinner and saw Inception.  I'm not a huge fan of realistic fantasy, and even less into action flicks.  But it was interesting enough.  And the theatre was nice and cool.

Anyway, the Nats found new and interesting ways to lose another game, as Ryan Braun hit a walk-off against Drew Storen, after the Nats tied things up in the top of the ninth.  From multiple accounts, here are some bullet point "highlights":

• 
  
  Alberto Gonzalez started at first base, the first time in his career he'd played the position.
• 
  
  Collin Balester was recalled to bolster the bullpen, and was expected to just be on the roster one day, until Ross Detwiler was activate to start Sunday's game, until...
• 
  
  ...J.D. Martin's balky back acted up on him and he'll hit the D.L.  Balester will stick around for now.
• 
  
  Before both Martin and Balester had exited, they both had given up a home run.
• 
  
  Manager Jim Riggleman acted like an All-Star manager (not in a good way), and used up his entire bench by the top of the ninth.
• 
  
  Michael Morse went 2-for-3 a night after hitting two home runs.  He also made a critical base-running error, getting doubled up after Jim Edmonds made a terrific catch and throw behind the play.
• 
  
  Nyjer Morgan, pinch-hitting for Morse, bunted for a single to load the bases in the ninth.
• 
  
  Wil Nieves, the last man on the bench, couldn't get a ball deep enough to score Josh Willingham from third with one out.
• 
  
  Drew Storen allowed three base runners in his third of the inning and took the loss.
• 
  
  Washington lost its 12th straight one-run game on the road, and the Nationals have dropped 28 of 36 overall on the road.

Sunday, the Nats send Ross Detwiler to the mound for his first start of 2010.  He'll face Dave Bush (4-9) at 2:10 pm.

THE RESULT:  There was nothing alarming, exciting or untoward about Monday night's game.  It was simply a matter of a good team beating a not-so-good team, a team geared for the post-season beating an also-ran, a team with purpose beating a team playing out the string.

Johnny Cueto pitched six solid innings and drove in two runs himself, his bullpen held on over three innings, and a trio of Reds provided all the offense the Cincinnati Reds needed to defeat the Washington Nationals, 6-2, before 21,243 at Great American Ballpark.

The loss drops the Nats 13 games below .500 for the first time this season at 40-53.

The last few games the Nats have gotten their share of base runners but failed to drive them in.  In this one, they didn't bother with the first step.  The Nats got just four hits on the evening.  They were the beneficiary of seven walks, including twice each for Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn, but could do nothing with the gifts.

Ivan Rodriguez ended both the second and eighth innings by grounding into double plays behind a walk to Adam Dunn.

Rodriguez was involved in the one interesting play of the night as well.  With two out and two on, Rodriguez hit yet another ground ball.  This time though, the ball got past the pitcher and hit the second base umpire, careening into short right field. Zimmerman carried what he thought would be the Nationals third run of the game home from second base.

However, by rule, if a batter ball hits an umpire in front of the infield, the ball is dead and the runners are awarded one base.  Zimmerman went back to third, and Willie Harris proceeded to fly out to end the inning.

Washington managed two runs in the third on a Nyjer Morgan sacrifice fly and Cristian Guzman single.

Nats starter J.D. Martin (1-5) struggled.  He gave up six earned runs on six hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings.  He gave up home runs to Johnny Gomes and light-hitting Miguel Cairo in the six inning, ending his -- and the Nats -- evening.

THE GOOD:  Um.  Uh.  Sean Burnett pitched a scoreless inning of relief.  Yeah, let's go with that.

THE BAD:  The bats.  Four base hits, and none against a beleaguered bullpen. 

THE UGLY:  The body language.  I'm no social scientist, but there was little excitement, urgency or enthusiasm evident on the part of the Nationals tonight.  Maybe the drain of losing two tough games, then travelling, did them in tonight.

THE STATS:  The Nats went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position, leaving eight men on base.  They struck out four times and walked seven times.

NEXT GAME:  Tuesday v. Cincinnati Reds at 7:10 pm.  RHP Luis Atilano (6-6) against RHP Mike Leake (6-1)

"Our big boys did some damage, and that's huge."  Jim Riggleman, on the bats heating up, after 76 win over San Diego.

Adam Dunn has first three-homer game of career. (Photo by Cheryl Nichols/Nats News Network)

THE RESULT:  Though the bullpen made things interesting -- more interesting than any Nats fan would appreciate -- Adam Dunn's first three-home run game of his career powered the Washington Nationals over the San Diego Padres 7-6, giving the Nats victories in the first two games of the series.

A crowd of 13,762 suffered the heat and humidity to witness Dunn's milestone game.

The Nats have won five of eight games and now own a 38-47 season record.

Dunn became the second player with a three-homer game for the Nationals, joining Alfonso Soriano's feat in 2006. This was the first three-homer performance in the three-season history of Nationals Park.

Dunn wasn't the only source of power on a night where the ball really carried.  The two teams combined for seven round-trippers on the night.

The Nats power celebrate Dunn's first home run. (Photo by Cheryl Nichols/Nats News Network)

"The ball is definitely carrying better right now," Manager Jim Riggleman said after the game.  "You wouldn't think it would be that way when it's hot and humid, but the ball is carrying better."

"Every ball that was hit out of the ballpark was legit, but there's been some lately...that didn't go out.  Last couple of nights the park has been playing real fair, and if you hit it it's going to go."

Ian Desmond hit a solo shot for the Nationals (his sixth of the season), and Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Denorfia and Matt Stairs all went deep for the Padres.  Denorfia and Stairs' homers were of the pinch-hit variety, and Stairs' was his 20th pinch-hit home run of his career, matching the MLB record set by Cliff Johnson.

The Nats got right to their job against Padres starter Jon Garland (L, 8-6) in the first inning.  Trailing 1-0 on Gonzalez' tater, Nyjer Morgan singled and Roger Bernadina walked, setting up Ryam Zimmerman for an RBI single to right field.  Dunn followed with his first of the night -- a three-run shot -- to the Red Porch seats in center field.

Washington built a lead of 6-2 in support of starter J.D. Martin (W, 1-4, 3.35).  Martin gave up the solo homer and RBI double to Gonzalez (4-for-5, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), but was solid for 5 2/3.  He gave up six hits and one walk, striking out four.  He ran into trouble in the sixth and needed help from the bullpen to escapre the jam with no more runs scoring.

J.D. Martin earns his first victory since last September. (Photo by Cheryl Nichols/Nats News Network)

Unfortunately, the Nats had to watch the lead dwindle against a parade of relievers. 

Denorfia touched up Joel Peralta in the seventh, the Padres got two in the eighth off Drew Storen, and All-Star closer Matt Capps gave up Stairs' shot.  But Capps recovered, with some help from defensive replacement Adam Kennedy at first, to get the third out in the ninth for his 23rd save of the season.

Asked about Capps' propensity for putting runners on during save opportunities, Riggleman defended his closer.  "He's right there at the top of the league in saves, and I think that speaks for itself."

THE GOOD:  Dunn, obviously.  3-for-5, three homers, five RBIs.  Does a performance likethis make it easier or more difficult to trade him?

THE BAD:  Roger Bernadina went 0-for-3 batting second.  Pudge Rodriguez went 0-for-4 batting sixth.

THE UGLY:  Jon Garland.  He's been having a real good year for San Diego, but tonight the Nats had four runs before he recorded an out.

THE STATS:  The Nats went 2-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left three on base.  They struck out five times and walked three times.

NEXT GAME:  Nats go for the sweep against the Padres best pitcher.  Luis Atilano (6-5, 4.72) challenges Mat Latos (9-4, 2.62) at 7:05 pm.

NATS NOTES:  It was Martin's first win since Sept. 28, 2009.

Game-time temperature was 98 degrees, one degree "cooler" than Tuesday, making it the second hottest game in Nationals history.

For the seventh consecutive game, the Nationals starter has allowed a first inning run.

Nats Win!  (Photo by Cheryl Nichols/Nats News Network)

THE RESULT:  Jair Jurrjens came off the disabled list, after getting hit around in three minor league rehab starts, and shut down the Washington Nationals for five innings.  He also collected an RBI-single in the fourth inning to give his team an insurance run -- which it did not need.

The end result was a 4-1 win for the Atlanta Braves before 20,091 Turner Field.

One night after the Nationals appeared to awaken from their month-long slump, they went right back to the form that ruined their June, making outs with runners in scoring position like it was the intended result.

Jurrjens (1-3) gave up one earned run on six hits and two walks.  He struck out six in the effort.  Four relievers pitched two-hit ball for the final four innings.

The Nationals went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base.  That's really all that can be said.  But the Nats tried to explain afterwards.

"Our hitters said [Jurrjens'] ball was really just rushing up on them," Manager Jim Riggleman said after the game.

"[Jurrjens] was just really sharp for his first start back up in the big leagues," Dunn said on the post-game.  "Seems like every night we run into a guy that's pitching real well."

J.D. Martin (0-4) struggled a bit, but kept his team in the game for the most part.  He went five innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits and two walks.  He struck out just two.

In the sixth, the Nats loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn, and a Josh Willingham walk.  Unfortunately, Ivan Rodriguez ground into a double play on the first pitch from reliever Peter Moylan. 

Cristian Guzman followed with a walk to put runners on the corners, but Alberto Gonzalez couldn't duplicate his magic from last night and struck out to end the inning.

When a team is going this bad it can't afford to miss on its few opportunities, but that's exactly what the Nats did repeatedly tonight, and the entire month it seems.

The Braves, however, got their fourth run of the game in seventh inning without registering a base hit, courtesy of two hit batters and a pair of walks, the last by Miguel Batista forcing in a run.

Batista then struck out Yunel Escobar to end the frame, and as he left the mound he inexplicably pumped his fist in triumph.

The most interesting part of the game came in the bottom of the seventh. 

Riggleman pinch-hit Ian Desmond for the pitcher spot in the top of the inning, then sent the shortstop out to right field for defense.  After the first batter, he switched Desmond and Alberto Gonzalez, who started the game at short.

It was a bizarre sequence in an otherwise forgettable game.

THE GOOD:  Adam Dunn.  He went 2-for-4.

 

THE BAD:  Roger Bernadina went 0-for-3 and left four runners on base.

THE UGLY:  Batista.  What a total lack of awareness to pump his fist on the strikeout after walking a run in. 

NEXT GAME:  The Nationals return home Thursday to face the New York Mets in a four-game series.  Livan Hernandez (6-4) takes on Johan Santana (5-5) at 7:05 pm. 

NOTES:  John Lannan made his second AA start for Harrisburg and was roughed up for six earned runs, 10 hits and three walks in five innings.

Jake Peavy, the Chiacgo White Sox starter, had his start pushed back this week due to some stiffness in his shoulder.  He was originally scheduled to pitch Friday night against Stephen Strasburg, matching the phemon up against his boyhood pitching idol.

But the soreness meant an extra day of rest, moving his start to Saturday, and his opponent to J.D. Martin, once a prized prospect himself, now trying to stick in a Major League rotation after failing to make the team out of spring training.

What a difference a day makes.

Peavy dominated the Nationals, throwing a complete-game three-hit shut out, and the White Sox beat the Washington Nationals 1-0, before 36,487 at Nationals Park.

The loss is the Nats fifth in a row and have gone just 11-23 since the high mark of the season.  Their overall season record stands at 31-38, fifth in the NL East and 10 games off the lead.

His opponent -- Martin -- was almost as successful against the White Sox hitters, but not quite.  Martin had his best performance in a Nationals uniform, allowing just one run on eight hits and no walks over six innings. 

But one run was enough to seal the Nats doom on the warm, sunny Saturday afternoon.

The prime example of offensive ineffectiveness for the Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts against the resurgent Peavy.

Washington was not without chances, however.  Their best chance was in the first, when Nyjer Morgan stroked a clean single up the middle, and Cristian Guzman followed with a bunt single.  Zimmerman struck out swinging, Adam Dunn flied out to center, and after a double steal, Josh Willingham flied to center himself.

It was the last time all day the Nats would get a runner to third.

The team went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, and heart of the order bore the brunt.  Zimmerman left three runners on, Dunn (0-for-3, intentional walk) left two, and Josh Willingham (0-for-4) left four runners stranded for the day.

Willingham is mired in a deep slump, epitomizing the entire Nationals offense.  Hot early, but since June 1, "The Hammer" is hitting .214/.308/.339 with two home runs and just five RBIs over 66 plate appearances.

Washington's record in that period is, not coincidentally, 5-11.

The Nats offense has too many holes elsewhere to survive an extended slump from one of the "Big Three", and Washington needs to figure out how to get Willingham hot again.

THE GOOD:  J.D. Martin.  His best big league start goes to waste.  Six strikeouts is his MLB-high.  Martin has made three good starts since his recall and one poor one, last weekend in Cleveland. Martin has been very efficient, striking out 18 and walking just one over 25 1/3 innings.

Manager Jim Riggleman said today, "Maybe we made the wrong decision to begin with," when asked about Martin's return to the rotation.

Also, the bullpen, made up of Sean Burnett, Miguel Batista and Tyler Walker, went three innings, allowing just one hit and one walk.

THE BAD:  Middle of the order.  Combined to go 0-for-14 with one intentional walk.

THE UGLY:  Zimmerman.  Any time a player goes for the Golden Sombrero (four Ks), he'll get listed here.  Seemed to guess at a couple of the breaking balls and watched fastballs go by.

NEXT GAME:  Today at 1:35 pm.  John Lannan (2-4, 5.45) hopes to put the struggles of his last couple of performances behind him.  He faces Freddie Garcia (7-3, 4.94), resurrecting his career after several seasons of arm troubles.

Cleveland -- Fausto Carmona dominated the Washington Nationals, allowing just three hits and no walks, and rookie catcher Carlos Santana went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs, as the Cleveland Indians defeated the Nats 7-1 before 19,484 at Progressive Field.

The loss drops the Nationals to 30-33 on the season.

The Nationals had nothing going in this one against Carmona.  The right-hander went the distance, striking out seven and allowing just three base runners, one of which was Ryan Zimmerman's eighth inning solo home run, his 13th of the season.

Carmona (5-5) faced only 28 batters, one over the minimum. He twice induced double plays immediately after yielding a single.

"He threw 22 of 28 first-pitch strikes," Indians manager Manny Acta told reporters after the game. "He had a great changeup. It was a terrific performance."

"I don't want to show any disrespect for anyone else, but I don't know that anyone has pitched a better game against us this year," Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said. "Nothing comes to mind, really."

Carmona didn't exactly have to face the '27 Yankees out there today though.

Riggleman had .163 hitting Willie Harris at designated hitter, in the sixth spot in the order.  He predictably went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

For the third time in his last four starts, Adam Kennedy committed a first inning error that led to a run.  Today, it pretty much sealed the Nats' fate.

Nats starter J.D. Martin (0-2) could have pitched better, but all things considered, it wasn't an awful performance, despite giving up seven runs--six earned-- in 7 2/3 innings.  He didn't walk a batter, and threw 72 of his 113 pitches for strikes.

But he did give up nine hits, including Santana's first MLB career home run, and three to first baseman Russell Branyan, who deposited Martin's last pitch into the Indians bullpen in center field.

At least with the heat and humidity, the pitchers both worked quickly and the contest was over in 2:03.

Washington will try to avoid the sweep Sunday, sending Stephen Strasburg (1-0) to the hill for his second major league start.  He'll face David Huff (2-7).

NATS NOTES:  The Nationals had three hits, no walks and struck out seven times.  They left no one on base.

According to baseball sources, J.D. Martin will be called up and will start for the Washington Nationals on Saturday against the San Diego Padres.

Martin is 2-1 with a 2.97 ERA in six starts for Triple-A Syracuse.  He has struck out 21 and walked six in 36.1 innings pitched.

In 2009, Martin, 27, went 5-4 with a 4.44 ERA in 15 starts for the Nationals.

Martin is on the Nats' 40-man roster, so he will only need to be added to the active 25-man squad.  It's anticipated that a position player will be sent out to make room for Martin, possibly outfielder Justin Maxwell, just recalled from Triple-A.

The start is necessary because Scott Olsen was placed on the 15-day DL with shoulder soreness.

The Nationals today sent J.D. Martin down to Triple-A, reducing the number of pitchers competing for the final spot in the rotation to two: Scott Olsen and Garrett Mock.

The spring training roster is down to 36.  Final cuts have to be made by Sunday evening.

Mock walked five yesterday in his latest appearance and was knocked around quite a bit, giving up seven hits and the five walks for six runs (five earned) over four and two-thirds innings. He struck out three.

Olsen is scheduled to start on Friday against Boston in his last chance to secure the roster spot. He was mildly effective in his last start, but still has not topped 86-87 MPH with his fastball. He may be "healthy", but also might not have enough arm strength built up to be a contributing member of a MLB rotation.

Today is the deadline the Nats have to release him or be on the hook for his entire 2010 salary of $1 million. So if the axe doesn't fall on Olsen today, he'll remain with the organization in some capacity.

Elijah Dukes crashes into scoreboard in RF after catching David Wright's line drive to end the game.

Photo © 2009 C. Nichols. All Rights Reserved.

 

THE RESULT:  The Washington Nationals turned two errors by the New York Mets middle infield into a run in the bottom of the eighth, pulling out a 4-3 victory before 19,614 at Nationals Park.

With the score tied at three, Mike Morse drew a walk against Sean Green (L, 1-4, 4.72), and interim manager Jim Riggleman sent Justin Maxwell to run for him.  Pinch-hitting for Tyler Clippard (W, 3-2, 2.91), Cristian Guzman grounded to shortstop Anderson Hernandez. 

The former Nat tried to feed second baseman Luis Castillo to turn a double play, but led Castillo too far across the bag, and all hands were safe.

Ian Desmond, who hit a two-run home run earlier, then grounded to short himself.  Hernandez made an excellent diving play, going headlong to his left to snare the sharply hit grounder, and this time made a perfect flip to Castillo.  But the second baseman should have just put the ball in his pocket at that point.

Instead, he tried -- vainly -- to complete a double play, but ended up throwing the ball into the Nationals' dugout.  Maxwell cruised home with the tiebreaking -- and eventual winning -- run.

Starter J.D. Martin had trouble early, giving up three runs in the first two innings.  BU the settled down nicely from there, completing six innings, allowing just those three runs on seven hits and two walks.  He did not strike out a batter.

Clippard pitched two scoreless innings, and Mike MacDougal struck out two in his inning of work for his 18th save of the season.

THE TAKEAWAY:  It's good to see that some players are still really trying to make a difference.  Desmond, Maxwell and Morse are all young guys trying to prove themselves to the Nats and are working hard as the games dwindle away.

THE GOOD:  Elijah Dukes.  He went 2-for-4 in the two-hole, but more importantly, he made an excellent catch, crashing into the fenced scoreboard in right field, for the final out of the game.  Hustle and sacrifice like that is always good to see, but especially good from a team trying to avoid loss 104.

THE BAD:  Adam Dunn.  He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, reducing the number of games he has to hit his 39th and 40th home runs of the season.

THE UGLY:  The Mets middle infield in the eighth.  Nats fans certainly can empathize with their Mets counterparts after watching the debacle unfold in front of them.

NEXT GAME:  The final home game of the season.  Wednesday at 4:35, for the finale with the Mets.  John Lannan (9-23, 3.93) faces golfing buddy Tim Redding (3-6, 5.29).

"Where do you go? Where do you look? You look at yourself first. Tonight it was me. Other nights everybody has had a chance to pull through or do the right things, and unfortunately for us it hasn't been that way too much. Talent is one thing, and not getting it done is another." --Ron Villone, Sept. 24, 2009.

THE RESULT:  Despite three different comebacks, the Washington Nationals eventually fell to the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6, before 22,432 at Nationals Park.  The game tool 3:41 to play, featuring nine pitching changes.

Washington's record falls to 52-100, the first team to 100 losses this season.

The Nationals, 59-102 last season, are the first NL franchise to drop 100 games in back-to-back years since the San Diego Padres, who lost 102 in both 1973 and 1974. In five seasons in Washington, the Nationals already have matched the number of 100-loss seasons the franchise had during its 36 seasons as the Montreal Expos -- including the inaugural 110-loss season as an expansion team in 1969.

The Nats are the first NL franchise since the 1970s to post triple digits losses in consecutive seasons.

Rafael Furcal's eighth inning home run -- his ninth of the season -- off reliever Ron Villone (L, 4-6, 4.36) was the difference-maker in this contest.  Furcal finished 4-for-5 with two runs.  Matt Kemp went 3-for-5 with two runs, three RBI, a homer and a triple, which Josh Willingham thought went for a home run after leaping at the wall, but the ball fell to his feet and fans had to tell him the ball was still in play.

The Dodgers got to starter J.D. Martin quickly.  Furcal, Andre Ethier and Manny Ramirez all singled consecutively at the start off the game, producing a 1-0 lead in the first. Pitching coach Steve McCatty visited the mound to no avail, as Kemp hit Martin's next pitch over the wall in left-center for a three-run homer, giving him 100 RBI on the year.

L.A. added another in the frame to go up 4-0.  But the Nats had fight in this one.  They answered in the second off Vicente Padilla, getting three runs from an Elijah Dukes double, Alberto Gonzalez single and sacrifice fly from newcomer Jamie Burke, making his first home start on his birthday.

But Martin could not hold the Dodgers down, as they responded with a run of their own in the third.  Martin would not return for a fourth inning.  He gave up five earned runs on six hits and two walks, striking out four.

The Nats tied the game up in the sixth, with RBI singles from pinch-hitter Cristian Guzman and Willie Harris, but Furcal hit his home run in the eighth.  The Nationals had a chance to tie in the bottom half, but Harris was thrown out at home by Andre Ethier on Adam Dunn's two-out single to right.

Nats went quietly against Jonathan Broxton (36th save) in the ninth.

THE TAKEAWAY:  What can one say about loss No. 100?  Joe Torre, manager of the Dodgers, summed it up best:  "This game," Torre said, "was a very frustrating game."   And he won.  The pace was excruciating.  Padilla needed 103 pitches to get through five innings, and Martin threw 68 in just three frames.

But loss 100 was a microcosm of the season.  Lousy starting pitching, shaky defense, runners thrown out on the bases, questionable managerial decisions, and the bullpen blew it.  What more could anyone want!

THE GOOD:  Alberto Gonzalez.  He went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.

THE BAD:  J.D. Martin.  At least he didn't take the loss, so he still remains the Nats only home for a starter to finish the season with a winning record.

THE UGLY:  Three hours and forty-one minutes.  Ugh.

NEXT GAME:  Tonight, the Nats welcome in the Atlanta Braves.  John Lannan (9-12, 4.07) takes on Javier Vazquez (14-9, 2.91).

"I think if you're going to be a No. 3 hitter, a middle-of-the-lineup hitter, then that's what you're supposed to do." --Ryan Zimmerman, on hitting his 30th home run, Sept. 18, 2009.

BOX SCORE AND RECAP

THE RESULT:  Ryan Zimmerman hit his 30th home run of the season, and Mike MacDougal held on -- barely -- to secure a 6-5 win for the Washington Nationals over the New York Mets, before 38,063.

The Nats broke a three-game losing streak and are 51-96 for the year.

Rookie J. D. Martin went five and one-third innings, giving up just two earned runs on seven hits and two walks to get the win.  He is the Nats only starting pitcher with a winning record, at 5-4.

Josh Bard drove in three runs from his eighth spot in the lineup.

THE TAKEAWAY:  Even the Nats beat the Mets these days.  That's six losses in a row and 10 out of 11.  How can Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya keep their jobs?

THE GOOD:  Zimmerman.  It's nice to hit a milestone, and it's a big one for Zim.  If he can learn to be a little more consistant, he'll be a perennial all-star.

THE BAD:  Adam Dunn.  He went 0-for-4 and is slumping badly.  He needs just three home runs for his milestone number of 40.

THE UGLY:  MacDougal.  He eventually got the job done, but he gave up three runs (two earned) on two hits and two walks in a inning and a third.

NEXT GAME:  Saturday at 1:10 pm.  John Lannan (9-11, 4.08) faces old golfing buddy Tim Redding (2-6, 5.52) on what is supposed to be a gloriously sunny, cool fall afternoon in Queens.

"We probably don't want to make them that exciting, but we'll take it." -- Mike MacDougal, on another "exciting" win, Sept. 11, 2009.

BOX SCORE AND RECAP

THE RESULT: Adam Dunn homered, Mike Morse had another clutch hit, and J.D. Martin kept the Marlins at bey, as the Washington Nationals defeated teh Florida Marlins 5-3, before an announced crowd of 15,247 at Miami's Landshark Stadium.

I really wanted to type "Landshark Stadium".

Martin (W, 4-4, 4.29) matched Cy Young candidate Josh Johnson pitch-for-pitch. Martin gave up two earned runs on just two hits and four walks, striking out four.

Dunn hit a two-run shot, his 37th of the season, in the top of the first. Willie Harris walked and after Cristian Guzman and Ryan Zimmerman struck out swinging, Dunn took an outside fastball over the short wall down the left field line.

He's had dozens of balls that flew farther, but this one was hit in just the right place.

Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived. With one oout in the bottom of the inning, Nick Johnson walked, and Hanley Ramirez delivered his 23rd of the season, a no-doubt shot over the big scorebaord in left center.

Neither pitcher would give up another run.

Morse's big hit came in the sixth, a double to center that scored both Josh Willingham and Wil Nieves.

The next inning Zimmerman went deep, his 29th of the year.

Tyler Clippard and Jason Bergmann pitched unscathed, and Mike MacDougal, despite giving up a run, recorded his 15th save.

THE TAKEAWAY: Morse is playing well in what limited at bats interim manager Jim Riggleman is giving him. I guess we should take it...he left Ian Desmond out of the lineup Friday night to watch Guzman go hitless in five trips with two strikeouts.

Seriouslty though, this team wins when the middle of the order hits. They hit tonight.

THE GOOD: Dunn. He is just three home runs from 40. If he reaches the number, he will match Alex Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa for six conseutive seasons with 40, trailing only Babe Ruth, who hit 40 homers in seven consecutive.

THE BAD: Pete Orr. 0-for-4. He's coming back to earth.

THE UGLY: Cristian Guzman. 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.

NEXT GAME: Marco Estrada makes his 2009 debut against Anibal Sanchez (2-6, 4.47) at 6:10 pm.

"Zim doing what Zim does. Coming through." -- Willie Harris, Sept. 6. 2009.

BOX SCORE AND RECAP

THE RESULT: Ryan Zimmerman's 28th home run of the season, in the bottom of the ninth inning, made winners of the Washington Nationals, defeating their nemesis, the Florida Marlins, 5-4, breaking an eight-game losing streak in the process, before 22,325 Nats fans on Labor Day Sunday.

Zimmerman's no-doubt-about-it shot fell close to the spot where he defeated the Atlanta Braves on the opening night of Nationals Park last season. The blast was two batters after Willie Harris hit a bomb to right to draw the Nats within one.

The Nationals were the beneficiaries of a strong start by J.D. Martin, on of the few "kid pitchers" still standing at the end of the season. He went six and two-thirds innings, and gave up six hits and two walks for two earned runs. He also struck out four, and made two outstanding defensive plays to help his cause.

There wasn't much offense in the game until the late innings. The Marlins held a 1-0 lead until the seventh, courtesy of a Hanley Ramirez solo home run.

But the Marlins scratched out a pair of singles against Martin in the seventh, and interim manager Jim Riggleman went for the lefty-lefty matchup of Ron Villone against rookie Chris Coghlan. Coghlan greeted Villone with a single to right field, plating Cameron Maybin and giving the Marlins what seemed like an insurmountable 2-0 cushion.

The Nats rally started in the eighth, as utilityman Mike Morse lined a single to center with two outs and the bases loaded. His hit scored Elijah Dukes and pinch-runner Jorge Padilla. The ball got away from the catcher, but there was confusion on the basepaths, and Morse was gunned out at second.

But old teammate Nick Johnson made things difficult for the Nats in the ninth inning. He laced a two-out, two-run single to pad the Marlins lead to 4-2 off closer Mike MacDougal (W, 1-0, 3.43).

With the lead, Florida called upon their current closer, Leo Nunez. But Harris took Nunez' first offering, a 94 MPH fastball, and sent it into the upper section above the Nats bullpen in right field, setting the stage for Zimmerman's dramatics.

THE TAKEAWAY: The Z-Man does it again. When this team gets good, it'll be handy to have an all-star with a flair for the dramatic!

THE GOOD: Elijah Dukes. He continued his current decent run by going 2-for-2 with a walk.

THE BAD: Villone. Brought in for the sole purpose of getting a rookie left-handed hitter out, he failed.

THE UGLY: Nothing really ugly in this one. Big Mac was shaky in the ninth, but it was his first rough outing in a while, as he'd only given up one earned run since the start of August.

NEXT GAME: Nats off today. Tuesday they welcome the defending World Champion Philadelphia Phillies at 7:05 pm. John Lannan (8-10, 4.09) hosts Pedro Martinez (3-0, 3.52).

"The issue is getting picked off, it's not the fact that we got a home run afterwards. We're equally at fault if we get picked off whether we hit the home run next or not." -- Jim Riggleman, on the daily baserunning gaffe that cost the Nats a run, Sept. 1, 2009.

BOX SCORE AND RECAP

THE RESULT: The Washington Nationals managed just four hits off a pitcher that gave up nine hits and six earned runs in his last appearance, as Clayton Richard and the San Diego Padres beat the Nats 4-1, before 15,131 at Petco Park.

The Nationals have lost five in a row, are 2-6 on the road trip, and have lost 12 of their last 15.

Richard (W, 8-4, 4.61) allowed only one run, on Josh Bard's solo home run in the seventh inning. It should have been a two-run shot, but Elijah Dukes was picked off at first base on the previous pitch.

Dukes has stolen two bases this season and has been caught 10 times.

The offensive performance detracts from another quality start. J.D. Martin (L, 3-4, 4.60) went six innings, and allowed three runs -- two -earned -- on five hits and three walks. He also struck out five. He needed 104 pitches to set through six innings.

THE TAKEAWAY: This makes three consecutive games the Nats have managed just one single run. Last night, Riggleman tried to shake up the lineup, by batting Justin Maxwell at leadoff and Alberto Gonzalez in the two-hole.

Maxwell has a lifetime MLB OBP of .273 and hit .242/.344/.396 in 448 plate appearances in Triple-A this season. Gonzalez has an OBP of .290 this season in 249 PAs.

Needless to say, the pair combined to go 1-for-7 with one walk, a combined OBP of .250.

Not that the veterans in the middle of the order did any better. The 3-4-5 hitters went 1-for-11 with one walk and five strikeouts, four by Josh Willingham alone.

THE GOOD: Martin. He, and the rest of the "kiddie corps" starters, keep plugging away, giving the team a chance to stay in these games. But with no offense, it's tough to be competitive, especially on the road.

THE BAD: Dukes. C'mon big guy. Cut it out. Stay close to the bag.

THE UGLY: Willingham. Hammer struck out four times last night. As good as he was earlier this season, that's how bad he is right now. Since his averaged peaked at .309 on Aug. 9, he's gone 13-for-69 (.188/.278/.362) in a 20-game span. Ugh.

NEXT GAME: The Nats try to avoid getting swept by a fellow last place team this afternoon at 3:35 pm EDT. John Lannan (8-9, 3.95) faces Kevin Correia (9-10, 4.50).

"It's broke, guys, and I'm done for the year." -- Nyjer Morgan, walking past several reporters in the clubhouse at Wrigley Field following today's 5-4 win over the Cubs (courtesy of Washington Times Chatter).

Here's a picture of Nyjer Morgan NOT breaking his hand sliding into third base, against the Padres last month.

Photo © Cheryl Nichols 2009. All Rights Reserved.

THE RESULT: The Washington Nationals jumped all over Chicago Cubs starter Randy Wells in the first three innings, staking their claim on a 5-0 lead. The Cubs chipped away at the mark, but fell one run short, dropping the rubber match of this three-game set, 5-4, before 35,174 at Wrigley Field.

The Nationals are 46-82 this season, 20-21 under interim manager Jim Riggleman. They are 14-11 in August.

It's the first time the Nats have won a series in Chicago since 2005.

Nats starter J.D. Martin wasn't his sharpest, in the fall-like conditions off Lake Michigan, with game-time temperatures in the low 60s. But Martin stuck around for five innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits and two walks. He allowed two homers, Aramis Ramirez' two-run shot (11), and Derek Lee's solo shot, his 25th of the season.

But he limited the damage and evened his record to 3-3.

The game started like a track meet. Nyjer Morgan drew and opening walk, stole second and then stole third. Cristian Guzman doubled to score Morgan, and Zimmerman followed with a blast into the second row of the left centerfield bleachers.

Morgan, however, did not take the field following the third out. According to MASN.com, Morgan broke his left hand sliding into third and will likely miss the remainder of the season. X-rays revealed he broke the second metacarpal bone in his left hand.

Guzman's fielder's choice in the second plated Martin in the second inning, and Dunn's mammoth shot to center in the third closed the scoring for the Nats.

Lee's homer in the fifth off Martin cut the lead to 5-3. The Cubs got another in the seventh against Tyler Clippard. Second baseman Jeff Baker walked to lead off, and after two outs, Lee singled, moving Baker up sixty feet.

Ramirez (3-for-4, three RBIs) singled to center, and Baker scored to draw the home team within one run.

Sean Burnett relieved Clippard to face Kosuke Fukudome. On a 2-2 count, Clippard uncorked a wild pitch and Lee tried to score. But Josh Bard recovered and made a nice play to nab the less-than-speedy Lee at the plate.

Mike MacDougal went one and two-thirds to notch his 14th save of the season.

THE TAKEAWAY: Adam Dunn is quietly approaching an incredible milestone. He is now six home runs shy of recording six straight 40-home run seasons.

THE GOOD: Willie Harris. Inserted for Morgan after his injury, Harris went 1-for-1 with three walks. A perfect day at the plate.

THE BAD: Ronnie Belliard. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

THE UGLY: Morgan's wrist. The slo-mo replay looked pretty ugly, as he jammed his left wrist and bent it hard forward as he slid hands first into third base. .

He missed a couple games due to illness, returning today. The Nats are a different club when he's in the lineup, but it sounds like they will miss their catalyst the rest of the season.

Morgan was hitting .351 with 35 runs, a homer, 12 RBI and 24 stolen bases in 49 games with the Nationals.

NEXT GAME: The Nats go to St. Louis to face teh Cardinals, Friday at 8:15 pm ET. John Lannan (8-9, 4.03) looks to rebound from a couple of rough starts against newly-acquired John Smoltz (3-5, 7.40).

J.D. Martin delivers in his first major league win.
Photo 2009 © Cheryl Nichols. All Rights Reserved.

"We were outplayed. They beat us." -- Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch, August 9, 2009.

THE RESULTS: Adam Dunn hit his 30th home run of the season, Ryan Zimmerman added three hits, and Elijah Dukes drove in three as the Washington Nationals took a tight game and turned it into a laugher, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 9-2, for their eighth straight victory, the longest such winning streak since June 2005.

The Nats also registered their 40th win of the season, officially terminating my book deal.

On a miserably hot and humid day, J.D. Martin toiled for 86 pitches in five innings, notching his first major league victory, and earning a shaving cream pie in the face by "ace" John Lannan. It was the second consecutive day for such hijinks, as Garrett Mock got his Saturday for his first win as a starter in the bigs.

Martin (W, 1-2, 5.91) allowed just one run, a solo shot by Trent Oeltjen to lead off the game. He gave up five hits and a walk, and struck out just one. Martin got 10 fly ball outs compared to just three ground outs and threw 52 of his 86 pitches for strikes.

The bullpen once again got the job done, despite putting a few runners on base. Jorge Sosa notched his second save in as many days, pitching the last two and one-third innings.

D-backs starter Yusmeiro Petit (2-6, 5.87) took the loss.

Five Nats had multi-hit games, totalling 16 hits and four walks in all. The team scored nine runs, but also left 10 men on base. Zimmerman continued his hot streak, going 3-for-5 and scoring three times. He has now hit in 13 straight games and continues his stellar defense.

"You're confident -- no matter what part of the game it is," Zimmerman said. "It's a good feeling. It's contagious just like everything else."

Nyjer Morgan, Cristian Guzman, Elijah Dukes and Alberto Gonzalez each had two hits apiece in the attack.

Dunn's 30th in the first inning captured the lead for the Nats after Oeltjen's leadoff homer. "I knew we were capable of playing like this," Dunn said. "I wish we would have played this loose and had fun early in the year, and we wouldn't be how many games back."

THE TAKEAWAY: Winning eight games in a row certainly breeds confidence.

The big story from Sunday was the potential claiming of Cristian Guzman off waivers by the Boston Red Sox, as reported in Sunday's Boston Globe.

Should the Red Sox be awarded the waiver claim, the two teams would then have 48 hours to work out a deal, allow the Sox to just assume Guzman's contract, or the Nats can withdraw the waivers.

Guzman is owed $8 million next year on his contract, and that money could go a long way this off-season as the Nats look to get younger in their middle infield, or could go toward a veteran starting pitcher to stabilize a ridiculously young starting rotation.

THE GOOD: Elijah Dukes. He went 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Hes really producing out of the six-spot, driving in 10 runs in the three-game weekend series.

THE BAD: Ron Villone. He did not give up a run, but he tried. The 39-year old veteran gave up more hits (3) than outs registered (2).

THE UGLY: Arizona's defense. Second in the league in errors, the D-backs added three more to their total on Sunday. Sound familiar?

NEXT GAME: After playing 25 straight days, the Nationals mercifully get a day off Monday, as they travel to Atlanta for a two-game series. Games Tuesday and Wednesday are both at 7:10 pm.

THE RESULT: Ronnie Belliard delivered a pinch-hit two-run double, and Adam Dunn capped the six-run inning with a two-run, opposite field homer that gave the Washington Nationals a 6-4 come-from-behind victory over the Florida Marlins.

Washington has won three in a row and seven of its last 11 games.

The Nats got four straight hits to start the eighth inning off, concluding with Belliard's big hit, chasing Marlins starter Josh Johnson. Johnson, the big right-hander, had been dominant until that point, having retired 20 consecutive Nationals batters until the bottom of the eighth.

But Willie Harris, Alberto Gonzalez and Wil Nieves all scratched singles off Johnson, and Belliard lined one into the left field gap, scoring Harris and Gonzalez. Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez summoned lefty Reynel Pinto to face Nyjer Morgan, and Morgan bounced out to second, plating Nieves and pushing Belliard to third.

Kiko Calero then came in to pitch to Cristian Gizman, but the move did not pay off, as Guzman singled to right field to drive in Belliard. Calero (L, 2-1, 2.08) did coax Josh Willingham into popping up, giving the Marlins hope the could get out of the inning tied.

Dunn made sure that would not be the case. Facing left-hander Dan Meyer -- he of the 2.21 ERA -- he took three straight balls, and for a brief moment it looked like Meyer was simply working around Dunn. But his fourth offering was right down Broadway, and he flat fooled Dunn with a breaking pitch for strike two.

But Dunn made solid contact on the sixth pitch of the affair, and lofted a long fly ball that settled into about the 10th row of the left field grandstand, bringing those remaining from the 19,828 that stuck around out of their seats.

Ron Villone (4-5, 3.82) got the win in relief and Mike MacDougal came on in the ninth for his ninth save.

NatsTown had a winner tonight.

Washington starter J.D. Martin had a tough go of it in the beginning. Working in and out of trouble the entirety of his four and one-third innings, he gave up only three earned runs, but had base runners everywhere, giving up six hits and walking four. He struck out two and surrendered two home runs, to Cody Ross and his opposite number, pitcher Johnson.

Johnson was flat out awesome for the first seven innings. His final line was marred by the eighth inning breakdown: 7 IP, 4 ER, 6 hits, 0 walks, 9 Ks. All of the runs and four of the hits came in the deciding inning.

THE TAKEAWAY: The Nats looked like a little league team all night against Johnson. Morgan struck out twice. Dunn K'd three times. Johnson was masterful. But a couple of flares to start the eighth and you could see a difference in Johnson's body language; it was like all the life came out of him.

And give credit to Ronnie Belliard. Reduced this season to pinch-hitter and defensive replacement, he smelled blood in the water and put a very confident swing on the 2-2 pitch, driving the ball to the ball in the left field power alley.

It was the first time the Nats have defeated the Marlins this season, and perhaps a big confidence boost to the entire team.

THE GOOD: Adam Dunn. He only had one hit, but that one was a biggie. It was his 28th home run and 80th RBI of the season.

THE BAD: Nyjer Morgan. He was completely over-matched by Johnson tonight, going 0-for-4 and striking out twice, looking silly in the two Ks.

THE UGLY: J.D. Martin. He really struggled with his command, and frankly, was lucky to get out of this outing giving up just three earned runs. He was the beneficiary of a double play and, to his credit, he pitched out of a couple jams. But he labored all night.

NEXT GAME: Wednesday at 7:05 pm for game two of the three-gamer. John Lannan (7-8, 3.41) takes on Rick VanDenHurk (1-0, 2.65).

NOTES: Nick Johnson received a small, but warm, ovation from a late-arriving crowd for his first at bat. He went 2-for-4 with a walk, run and RBI in his first appearance as a visitor at Nationals Park.

Austin Kearns will be placed on the DL tomorrow with a right thumb injury, according to MLB.com. Kearns is expected to see a thumb specialist in Baltimore on Wednesday. The team expects to recall Jorge Padilla from Triple-A Syracuse to take Kearns' place on the roster.

Photo 2009 © Cheryl Nichols. All Rights Reserved.

THE RESULT: In a sloppy, unevenly officiated affair, the Washington Nationals lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 7-3, before 39,890 in attendance for the "Businessman's Special" at Miller Park.

Nats "interim" manager Jim Riggleman earned his first ejection of the season early in the game arguing a pitch that appeared to to be a foul ball that home plate umpire "Country" Joe West ruled strike three.

Riggleman probably would have been tossed later anyway. The pivotal play came in the bottom of the seventh. Mike Cameron led off with a double and took third on Casey McGehee's single.

Catcher Jason Kendall followed with a grounder to third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who made a perfect throw to home to nab Cameron, except West ruled that Cameron got in under the tag of Wil Nieves, much to the catcher's disbelief.

The run broke a three-all tie, and apparently the will of the Nationals on the field.

Milwaukee would add another run in the inning when Anderson Hernandez made a poor throw and failed to complete a double play. The Brewers got two more insurance runs in the eighth off Mike MacDougal on a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch.

Starter J.D. Martin (L, 0-2, 7.50) took the loss. He pitched six innings and the first two batters of the seventh, giving up five earned runs on seven hits (two home runs) and no walks. He struck out four.

Ryan Zimmerman had just one hit, but it was a big one. His three-run home run in the fourth inning -- his 19th of the year -- gave the Nats a short-lived 3-2 lead and accounted for all the scoring Washington could muster against Yovanni Gallardo (W, 10-7, 3.13) and two Brewers relievers.

Nyjer Morgan continued his hot hand, going 3-for-4 with a run and his 32 stolen base. But the situational hitting woes popped up again. Morgan led off the sixth with a double and took second on Alberto Gonzalez' sacrifice, but was stranded as Gallardo struck out Nick Johnson and Adam Dunn to end the inning.

Craig Counsel and Prince Fielder hit home runs for the Brew Crew.

THE TAKEAWAY: OK, so he wasn't actually on the bench at the time, but there's no way Riggleman should have sent Martin out for the seventh. He gave the Nats a "quality start" (six innings, three earned runs) at that point, and Burnett was ready to come in.

But he was allowed to start the seventh and the first three batters all reached.

I know he fairly breezed through the sixth and his pitch count was manageable, but the Nats just cannot expect more than six innings out of most of these starters, and especially Martin. Should have pulled him when everyone felt good about the outing.

THE GOOD: Nyjer Morgan. Despite Zimmerman's big homer, gotta go with "Captain" Morgan. Since the trade that brought him to D.C. July 3, he's hitting .389/.416/.484 with 17 runs and 13 stolen bases. Feelin' Sexy, indeed.

There's no way Morgan can sustain this pace, as hit BABIP (Batting Average on Balls In Play) for the season is a ridiculous .439 (N.L. average is .296). His BABIP career-wise is going to be a little high, since he's such a good bunter and obscenely fast, but .439 is unsustainable regardless.

But he certainly is making a difference for this team, both at the plate and certainly in the field.

THE BAD: Andy Hernandez. 0-for 3 with two strikeouts, plus the bad throw. His average is down to .244/.309/.315.

THE UGLY: Mike MacDougal. One inning, two earned runs on two hits, a walk, and two wild pitches.

NEXT GAME: The Nats travel to Pittsburgh to face what's left of the Pirates after GM Neil Huntington's trading frenzy this week. John Lannan (7-7, 3.25) takes the hill against Ross Ohlendorf (8-8, 4.51), if he isn't traded before the deadline. Ohlendorf, not Lannan.

Also, tomorrow at 4:00 pm is the non-waiver trade deadline. Stay tuned for all the latest rumors and news.

BONUS: According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates plan to recall Lastings Milledge in time for Friday's game against the Nats. Should be a good time in the old town tonight.

SPECIAL ADDED BONUS: Representatives from Nats News Network, We've Got Heart, Nats Fanboy Looser and several other car loads of Nats fans are making the trip this weekend for the series.

NNN will have a full report for each game, unless I fall into some sort of food coma from the Primanti Bros. sandwiches!