The Atlanta Braves are fairly cruising toward a wild-card berth in the upcoming National League playoffs.  They've also been off a few days dealing with the fallout of Hurricane Irene.  So you can imagine if they came in to tonight's game with the Washington Nationals with somewhat of a lack of focus.

The Nats used the long-ball to bust this game open in the middle frames, scoring seven runs in innings five through seven, as they walked away with a 9-2 win over the Braves before just 16,674 at Turner Field in Atlanta.

The Nats, who struggled all last week to score runs of any kind, had a very nice night at the dish, homering four times off Braves starter Jair Jurrjens (L, 13-6, 2.96) and reliever Christhian Martinez.  All told, the Nats pounded out 12 hits and went 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position, after leaving what seemed like the population of Rhode Island on base in their now-concluded six-game losing streak.

The middle of the order led the way, as Ryan Zimmerman (3-for-5, 3 RBIs), Michael Morse (3-for-5, 3 RBIs) and Laynce Nix (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) all homered, doing the bulk of the damage.  Danny Espinosa added a solo home run, his 19th of the year, but just his third since the All-Star break.

On the other side of things, "Good Livo" was back.  Veteran hurler Livan Hernandez went seven strong innings, holding the Braves potent attack to two earned runs on just five hits and three walks, striking out one.  Livo even doubled and scored on Zimmerman's fifth inning home run, his 10th of the season.  Tom Gorzelanny came on in relief and threw two hitless, scoreless innings, striking out two.

The win ups the Nats record to 63-70, and while the prospect of reaching the elusive .500 mark is dimming, the final 29 games almost certainly will see them eclipse 73 wins, the second best mark this team has achieved since moving to the District in 2005. 

One more thing: with the New York Mets loss to the Florida Marlins last night, the Nats pull within one game of third place in the division.  It might not mean much, but with Stephen Strasburg set to rejoin the rotation next week, and Tom Milone making his MLB debut Saturday, it's just another step in the right direction.

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THE GOOD:  Ryan Zimmerman.  A breakout game from him, considering he was just four for his last 27 plate appearances with just one walk.

THE BAD:  Rick Ankiel, hitting second, went 0-for-5, lowering his season average to .236.

THE UGLY:  Jesus Flores.  The backup catcher went 0-for-4, striking out three times.

THE STATS:  12 hits, two walks, 10 strikeouts.  4-for-9 w/RISP, four LOB, one GIDP. No errors.

NEXT GAME:  Wednesday at 7:10 pm against the Braves.  John Lannan (8-10, 3.59) faces Derek Lowe (8-12, 4.63).

For my post today over at MASNSports.com, I take a look at yesterday's hero, Laynce Nix.  I've been meaning to analyze his success this season, but just hadn't gotten around to it.  After hitting a home run off Roy Oswalt and making the game-saving catch in the Nats 2-1 win, I figured now would be the perfect time.

Nix is a good story for the Nats so far.  He's far outplaying his projections and career averages.  But a look into some pretty simple advanced statistics reveals he's living on luck and an elevated HR-per-fly ball ratio.  Once his BABiP reverts to mean and that HR:FB ratio flattens out, he's going to be the same old Laynce Nix who owns a lifetime .248/.290/.437 slash line. His K/9 is way up and BB/9 is way down in relation to career norms as well, another bad harbinger.

His line drive, ground out and fly out rates are all steady with career norms, so it's really just the case of a few extra fly balls turning into home runs and balls falling in for hits.  Nats fans should enjoy his success for what it is, but have a realistic idea that as the summer wears on Nix will probably return to his career rates.  Is it possible he's enjoying a career year at age 30? Sure, but he's doing so with the benefit of some pretty extreme luck right now.

I don't write this to be a killjoy. I want the Nats to succeed and have players that are legitimately good.  But I also want Nats fans to be educated about what's going on behind the boxbar numbers so that if (when) Nix returns to earth they aren't shocked.

It's like that old conundrum: Would you rather be optimistic and disappointed or realistic and pleasantly surprised?

In 13 career starts entering today's game, John Lannan was 0-10 with a 6.44 ERA against the Philadelphia Phillies.  With a little help from his friends in the bullpen -- and outfielder Laynce Nix -- Lannan was able to break through against the bullies of the N.L. East, beating the division-leading Phillies and Roy Oswalt 2-1, before 24,495 at hot and sunny Nationals Park.

The Nats took two out of three from the Phils, and now embark on an 11-game, three-city west coast road trip.

If Lannan gets the sentimental nod for finally beating his personal nemesis, then Nix is the hero.  Not only did he connect for his ninth home run of the year in the third inning to secure the margin of victory, he made a game-saving catch in the top of the sixth, laying out fully to snare Domonic Brown's line drive headed toward the gap in left center.

With the bases loaded, had the ball gotten through three runs would have scored and we would be talking about a completely different game.

After the catch, Tyler Clippard threw two perfect innings in relief and Drew Storen earned his 10th save in 11 chances, punctuating the win by striking out Placido Polanco looking for the final out of the game.  Polanco had some choice words for homeplate umpire Jerry Layne, but the 96-MPH heater had enough of the plate that Polanco simply couldn't afford to be looking at it.

Lannan went 5 1/3 innings in the hot, muggy sunshine.  He gave up four hits and three walks, and had to contend with two extra base runners via errors. The only Phillies run of the day was unearned, as Alex Cora booted a routine ground ball to third, allowing Ryan Howard to lumber home from second base.

The Phillies got two on with one out in the sixth, chasing Lannan.  Todd Coffey came on to retire Carlos Ruiz on a fly ball, but walked pinch-hitter Jimmy Rollins to load the bases.  Manager Jim Riggleman brought in Doug Slaten, who has allowed 12 of 24 inherited runners to score this season.  Domonic Brown jumped all over a 91-MPH fastball, but the line drive hung just enough to allow Nix to make a Superman dive to kill the threat.

Taking two in a row from Philadelphia has to be a confidence boost for a team that was reeling coming into the series as they get ready to set out their longest road trip of the season, one that could very well define what the rest of 2011 has in store for this team.

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THE GOOD:  Laynce Nix.  Homer and game-saving catch?  Yeah, buddy.

THE BAD:  Ian Desmond went 0-for-3.

THE UGLY:  Alex Cora and Jerry Hairston both booted routine ground balls at third base, with the Phils lone run coming off Cora's gaffe.

THE STATS: Six hits, three walks, six strikeouts. 1-for-5 with RISP, eight LOB, no GIDP. E: Cora (2), Hairston (7).

NEXT GAME:  Thursday at 9:40 pm EDT at Arizona.  Jordan Zimmermann (2-6, 3.88) takes on Zach Duke (1-0, 0.00).

There's a trite expression that says (insert sport here) is a game of inches.  Twice last night in extra innings we saw evidence that the axiom still applies to Major League Baseball.

Pinch-hitter Michael Morse missed a home run to the deepest part of the ballpark by mere inches in the bottom of the tenth with two outs and was forced to settle for a double. He was stranded there when Jerry Hairston flied out to right to end the inning.  Omar Infante, who was dead-to-rights on a play at the plate, lifted his lead hand to avoid Wilson Ramos' tag and got the tips of the fingers of his back hand on the plate after the catcher lunged for the player instead of protecting the plate.

That's essentially how the Florida Marlins defeated the Washington Nationals, 6-5, before 19,503 mostly-stunned fans Friday night at Nationals Park.

The loss drops the Nats two games below .500 at 18-20.

The loss spoiled Roger Bernadina's big night, as "The Shark" went 3-for-5 with a two-run double, walk, stolen base, and perhaps the catch of the year in center field, robbing Marlins outfielder Mike Stanton of extra bases with an acrobatic diving catch running full-speed away from home plate. Bernadina looked like he got the wind knocked out of him when he landed hard, but regained his composure to jog off the field to a standing ovation from the crowd -- and his teammates.

"Bernie's shown us great flashes at times and he's getting an opportunity to play," manager Jim Riggleman said. "We need a leadoff hitter and he's playing very well."

Brian Broderick (0-1, 6.57) took the loss, giving up two hits in the 11th inning.  Infante singled up the middle past a stretched out Ian Desmond, then Greg Dobbs hit a hard ground ball down the right field line to sent Infante racing home from first. Hairston took the relay throw from Jayson Werth and fired a strike to home plate well in advance of Infante, but the veteran's tricky slide eluded the rookie Ramos' lunging tag to score the game-winner.

"[Infante] was safe. He made a great slide," Riggleman said.  "He put his hand out there and pulled his hand back and put the other one out there. Ramos made a great effort, diving at him, to put the tag on him but he's diving to where he thinks his hand is going to be and Infante just made a great slide."

The Nats went quietly in the bottom of the inning against Marlins closer Leo Nunez, who earned his Major League leading 13th save.

Neither starting pitcher was particularly sharp, nor factored in the decision. Tom Gorzelanny gave up three runs in the first inning, on a two-run homer by Gaby Sanchez and a solo shot from John Buck, and another solo homer to Mike Stanton in the third.  All told, he went 4 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and an intentional walk, striking out six.  The Nats got to Marlins starter Chris Volstad for four earned on eight hits and one walk, and struck out seven times against a pitcher who entered play with a 5.73 ERA.

Ian Desmond drove in the Nats first run with a single, Laynce Nix hit a bomb into the upper tank in right center in the fourth, and Bernadina's two-run double came later that inning. Nix plated the Nats final run in the eighth with a double off reliever Mike Dunn.

The Nats had a chance in the bottom of the ninth, as a two-out walk by Bernadina and single by Desmond put runners on the corners with Jayson Werth due. But Desmond took second on defensive indifference, allowing the Marlins to intentionally walk Werth. They then brought a lefty to face Adam LaRoche, who is hitting .127 against lefties in 2011.  LaRoche promptly grounded out to second to end the threat.

The Nationals fought back tonight after being in a hole early, but just couldn't pull it out against the Marlins last night.  If the Nats are going to have a chance to achieve their lofty goal of remaining around .500 long enough to be in the conversation as the weather warms up, they need to find a way to win these games of inches.  This was one prime for the taking and they fell just short.

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THE GOOD: Roger Bernadina.  He had it all on display last night. 3-for-5, two RBI, stolen base and an early nominee for defensive play of the year.  Laynce Nix was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and his fifth home run of the year.  Jerry Hairston went 2-for-5 and made the great relay throw to the plate. Drew Storen was overpowering in his two innings, retiring all six batters faced, striking out six.

THE BAD: Tom Gorzelanny. He got roughed up pretty good. Four earned on eight hits was easily his worst performance so far this season.

THE UGLY: Danny Espinosa.  0-for-3 with two more strikeouts.  He's not shortening his swing at all with two strikes and he really looks lost right now.  His average has dipped all the way down to .205.

THE STATS: 12 hits, five walks, 11 Ks. 4-for-12 with RISP, nine LOB, three GIDP. No errors.

NEXT GAME: Saturday at 1:05 pm against the Marlins at Nats Park. Livan Hernandez (3-4, 4.29) faces Anibal Sanchez (2-1, 3.46). See link for more about Saturday's events at the park.

NATS NOTES: Riggleman indicated after the game that Desmond was playing with a sore quadriceps and will be given the game off tomorrow.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson usually owns the Washington Nationals.  Entering play last night, Hudson had a career record of 11-2 against the franchise.  But last night the veteran starter fell victim to some shoddy defense by his normally reliable teammates in the middle innings, then a couple of bad pitches resulted in pair of two-out, three-run home runs by Laynce Nix and Jayson Werth, and the Nats managed to hold on to a 7-6 win before 16,143 at Turner Field.

It didn't come easy though, as the Braves rallied for five runs in the eighth against three different Washington pitchers.  But pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad's long fly ball off closer Drew Storen died on the warning track, as did Atlanta's hopes for a comeback victory in the ninth.

The Nats record sits at 17-18 after the win, and 3-4 on the nine-game road trip with two games to play.

The Nats were error-frees again and are 13-8 in games when they keep a clean sheet in the error column, compared to a 4-10 mark when they commit as least one error.

Nationals starter Jason Marquis earned his 100th career victory, pitching into the eighth inning.  He gave up seven hits and three walks, striking out three in 7 2/3 innings. But two of the three runs against scored after Marquis (4-1, 3.66) left the game, as Sean Burnett gave up a hit and a walk to his only two batters, then Tyler Clippard surrendered Dan Uggla's three-run home run to bring the Braves to within one.

After a visit from pitching coach Steve McCatty, Clippard settled down and got out of the inning.  Storen threw a 1-2-3 inning for his eighth save of the season. Storen has allowed just one earned run all season in 19 2/3 innings.  He owns a 0.46 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and .157 batting average against.

The Nats managed just five hits in the game, but scored seven runs thanks to a pair of errors in the fourth inning.  Braves 1B Freddie Freeman couldn't handle an Adam LaRoche sharp ground ball and center fielder Nate McLouth flat-out dropped Wilson Ramos' fly ball as he and right fielder Jason Heyward both tracked the ball. McLouth admitted after the game he took his eye off the ball to find the linebacker-sized Heyward running toward him.

The next batter, Nix, drilled a three-run shot into the right field stands.

The next inning, Werth hit a changeup that Hudson described to as a "brutal pitch selection" on a line to left field, and the Nats built a seemingly insurmountable 7-1 lead.  In the end, it was just enough to secure the victory.

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THE GOOD: Drew Storen.  Threw seven of his 10 pitches for strikes, getting two fly ball outs and a comebacker from Martin Prado to end the game.

THE BAD: Wilson Ramos went 0-for-4, stranding three runners.  His average slips to .301.

THE UGLY: Danny Espinosa went 0-for-4, lowering his average to .214. The rookie is 5-for-32 (.156) in his last ten games.

THE STATS: Five hits, three walks, six Ks.  3-for-7 with RISP, 2 LOB, 1 GIDP. No errors.

NEXT GAME: Today at 7:10 pm against Atlanta.  John Lannan (2-4, 5.09) vs. Tommy Hanson (4-3, 2.62)

by Anthony Amobi, Staff Writer

Jason Marquis dominated the San Francisco Giants Friday night. (A.Amobi)

WASHINGTON – Last season was one for Jason Marquis to forget with the Washington Nationals.

Marquis was injured for much of 2010 and just downright awful at times. The end result was that he was ineffective most of the time and suffered through one of his worst campaigns in his major league career finishing up with a 2-9 record.

Now in 2011, it seems like the right-handed starter is a man reborn.

Last night at Nationals Park in Southeast D.C., Marquis by far had his best start on the mound for the franchise. He pitched a complete game shutout and the Washington Nationals defeated the San Francisco Giants, 3-0, to kick off their four game weekend series.

Both teams are now 12-13 on the season.

Marquis (3-0) only allowed five hits in his outing and struck out seven batter without walking a batter. This was his seventh complete game and fourth shutout in his major league career.

After the game, Nationals manger Jim Riggleman had nothing but praise for his starting pitcher.

"He was really good. He just made the game feel real comfortable. He was just extremely sharp and had everything working. And we played good behind him."

Once the game ended, what was left of the announced attendance of 21,399 gave Marquis well-deserved applause after a dominant night of work.

Batters for the Washington Nationals had their hands full with two-time National League Cy Young Award winner, the diminitive, but hard-throwing Tim Lincecum. When all was said and done, they produced enough offense to earn their second straight win after a 1-6 skid.

Laynce’s Nix’s two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning provided much of the offense that Washington needed.

Laynce Nix is congratulated by Wilson Ramos on his home run. (A.Amobi)

The Nationals took a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning as Jason Marquis helped out his own cause with an RBI-single to right.

However, the third run for the Nationals didn’t come without controversy.

Ian Desmond – who scored – reached base on a single, and then stole second base. Based on the replays shown on the various televisions at Nationals Park, it looked like Desmond was tagged out by Giants’ shortstop Miguel Tejada, who caught a throw by catcher Buster Poser.

Intitially, it seemed that Desmond might have snuck around the tag, but Tejada nailed him. San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy came out to argue the call, but it was all in vain.

Lincecum pitched well in 3-0 loss to Nats. (A.Amobi)

Tim Lincecum (2-3) took the loss as he went seven innings and gave up three runs – all earned. He struck out seven and didn’t walk anyone. Aside from running into trouble in the second inning, Linecum was very good and earned a quality start; however, whatever he did on the night could not match up with Marquis’ overall brilliance on the mound.

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THE GOOD:  After scuffling at the plate for most of the season so far, Ian Desmond continured to stay hot at the plate and went 3-for-3 on Friday.  Nix was 2-for-3 with the homer.

THE BAD:  The top of the lineup was ice cold on the night as Danny Espinosa, Rick Ankiel, Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche (who whiffed three times at the plate) were 0-for-14.

THE UGLY:  Alex Cora went 0-for-3, dropping his average to an anemic .139.

THE STATS: Seven hits, one walk, seven Ks. 2-for-7 with RISP, 3 LOB, 0 GIDP.

NEXT GAME: Saturday at 4:05 pm vs. San Francisco Giants. John Lannan (2-2, 4.05) faces Jonathan Sanchez (2-1, 3.21)

Giants outfielders converge on fly ball. (A.Amobi)