by Anthony Amobi, Staff Writer

(Photo by Anthony Amobi/Nats News Network)

It was an eventful night on Friday at Nationals Park in more ways than one for anyone who made it to the banks of the Anacostia.

First, infielder -- and the longest tenured National on the team -- Cristian Guzman was traded to the Texas Rangers for prospects earlier in the afternoon; second, Miss Iowa, Katherine Connors, kissed and made up with pitcher Miguel Batista over his comments on Tuesday night, plus threw out the first pitch; and third, oh yes - the Phillies, and their misbehaving fans, were in town for a three-game set with their brand new ace, Roy Oswalt.

On a picture perfect evening for baseball, Nats fans saw Craig Stammen and the offense break through to quiet the legions of Philly faithful and beat their division rival, the Phillies, 8-1.

Much of the attention heading into Friday nights game was centered on pitcher Oswalt who recently became a member of the Phillies via trade from Houston.  He struggled in his Eastern Division debut, however.

Oswalt, slight in stature -- but extremely talented -- went six innings and allowed five runs on seven hits. He just looked off, could not hit his spots and the Washington offense teed off on him.

The Philadelphia fans from near and far who descended on Nationals Park gave Oswalt a salute befitting a war hero as he walked from the bullpen to his respective dugout. However, they would be disappointed with the result of the evening.

On the other hand, Stammen had a wonderful performance for Washington. He earned the easy victory on the night, going 6 1/3 innings and only gave up one run -- a long Jayson Werth homer (his 15th) in the seventh inning.

Stammen allowed five hits, struck out five and walked one. He had everything working in his start and kept a powerful and experienced Philadelphia lineup at bay with a mix of pitches, command and confidence.

(Photo by Anthony Amobi/Nats News Network)

He's had his share of ups and downs on the mound throughout his tenure as a National. However, Jim Riggleman noted in the post-game press conference that despite his struggles in 2010, last night's start could be a building block for something better.

"He's had a couple days where he actually threw pretty good and we didn't really play that good or it happened to be a time where the bullpen didn't hold the lead. I think his numbers are skewed a little bit. It's a good time for him to come together. Hopefully he continues this."

(Photo by Anthony Amobi/Nats News Network)

Stammen got a lot of help from his offense, highlighted by Adam Kennedy, who had four hits, drove in a run and scored twice. As well, both Roger Bernandina and Josh Willingham drove in two runs, plus Nyjer Morgan scored twice.

The offense for the Nationals started off early, as Nyjer Morgan acted as the table setter, ripping a lead-off triple to right field off Oswalt. Moments later, he crossed home plate as Adam Kennedy drove him in with a groundout.

(Photo by Anthony Amobi/Nats News Network)

Washington plated two more runs in the third and got a helping hand from Philadelphia thanks to two huge errors in the third inning. Stammen led off the frame with a single, and then Morgan got plunked in the back with a pitch. The next batter, Kennedy attempted a bunt, and Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz threw the ball to third for the force out.  Only problem was, there was no one covering the base and the throw sailed into left field.  Stammen came into score easily.

Morgan, who advanced to third on the error, scored on a Ryan Zimmerman sacrifice fly and Washington took a 3-0 lead.

The Nationals pretty much put the game away in the fifth inning. Josh Willingham ripped a two-run double to increase the lead to 5-0 and give Stammen enough of a cushion to sail to the easy win.

For good measure, Washington scored three more times in the seventh inning to take an 8-1 lead, as Roger Bernadina smashed a two-run double and Ian Desmond plated a run with a sacrifice fly.

With Saturday evening's trade deadline rapidly approaching, it may be an eventful day or not for the Nationals, as the immediate fate of Adam Dunn may be decided.  There has been much speculation as to where the Buynan-like slugger may go, with rumors of the Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, San Francisco Giants and even the New York Yankees continue to swirl.

Obviously, Nats Town will be watching very closely to see what happens.

(Photo by Anthony Amobi/Nats News Network)

THE RESULT:  Stephen Strasburg held the Cincinnati Reds down long enough for his Washington Nationals teammates to break through against Bronson Arroyo, chipping away with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth -- before breaking through for four more in the sixth -- and then held on despite some nervous times for an 8-5 win before a sellout crowd of 37,868 at Great American Ballpark.

It was the first time in four years that Cincinnati had sold out a weeknight game.  The previous time was for half-price tickets and $1 hot dogs.

The win breaks a four-game losing streak and the Nats record stands at 41-54.

Strasburg went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs.  He scattered seven hits and one walk, striking out seven.  He gave up a run in the third when Brandon Phillips hit a ball to straight center that Nyjer Morgan played awkwardly and it went for a triple, and Orlando Cabrera singled him in.

But he held the top offense in the National League to that one run until the Nats bats came alive again.

Roger Bernadina knocked in Adam Dunn with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and Cristian Guzman hit his second home run of the season in the fifth with Ian Desmond aboard, all against Reds starter Arroyo (L, 10-5, 4.26)

The Nats broke out in the sixth for the second night in a row.  Desmond hit a bases loaded two-run single and Nyjer Morgan had a clutch two-run single two batters later.

After sitting for a stretch while the Nats poured four runs across the plate, Strasburg (W, 5-2, 2.32) was visibly upset when Manager Jim Riggleman came to get him with two outs in the sixth inning, but by then he started to leave some pitches up.  Joey Votto and Jay Bruce both singled, and Miguel Cairo cashed them in with a two-run opposite field two-out hit.

Drew Storen came on and struck Drew Stubbs out on three sliders to end the frame.

Storen got into his own trouble in the seventh, allowing two hits and a walk before striking out Orlando Cabrera for the first out.  Sean Burnett retired Votto on a gorund ball, but another run came in onthe paly.  Tyler Clippard then struck out Jonny Gomes (0-for-4, 3 Ks) to get out of the jam.

But Clippard got right back into hot water.  He walked two in the eighth before getting lifted for Matt Capps.  Pinch-hitter Chris Heisey greeted Capps with a run-scoring single, but Capps got Brandon Phillips to hit into a fielder's choice to finish the eighth, and struck out two in the ninth to complete his 24th save of the season.

Willie Harris gave the Nats some insurance in the ninth with his fifth home run of the season off All-Star reliever Arthur Rhodes.

THE GOOD:  Cristian Guzman went 2-for-5 with two RBIs.  Ian Desmond scored twice with two RBIs.  Ryan Zimmerman went 2-for-5 with a run scored.

THE BAD:  Adam Dunn went 0-for-4 and is 0-for-10 with three walks thus far in the series with the Reds.

THE UGLY:  Ivan Rodriguez went 0-for-4 and had one hit in his last 20 at bats. Since peaking at .449 on April 22, Rodriguez is hitting .235/.260/.306 in 193 plate appearances.

THE STATS:  The Nats were 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left five men on base.  They struck out four times and walked three times.

NEXT GAME:  Thursday at 12:35 pm against Cincinnati.  Livan Hernandez (6-6) takes on Edinson Volquez (1-0).

NATS NOTES:  Jordan Zimmermann made another rehab start for Class-A Potomac.  He gave up no runs, allowing two hits and no walks in four innings, striking out four.  In 13 innings of rehab starts, Zimmermann has allowed zero earned runs and walked none.  He should make his start for Low-A Hagerstown beginning of the week.

Ross Detwiler made his longest start of the season, going seven innings for Double-A Harrisburg.  He did not allow a run and gave up five hits and one walk, striking out seven.  Detwiler is 2-2 with a 2.48 ERA with Harrisburg.

Luis Atilano complained of some soreness in his elbow after Tuesday's night's loss, and will be scratched for Sunday afternoon's start.  The Nats have not indicated who will make that start yet.

"I just couldn't get into any kind of rhythm, and that's twice in a row now.  I feel fine. I don't know what's going on."  John Lannan, June 15, 2010

THE RESULT:  John Lannan has been the best starter the Washington Nationals had have the last two seasons.  This year, however, has been a different story for the left-hander.  He's been less effective, spent time on the disabled list, and now, at a loss to explain his troubles.

Monday night, the mystery continued, as he allowed seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits and four walks, lasting just 4 1/3 innings, and the Nats fell to the Detroit Tigers, 7-4, before 24,821 at Comerica Park.

Lannan's opposite number, Max Scherzer, has had a bit of a schizophrenic year as well.  Brought over in a big trade with Arizona, he was thought to be a centerpiece of a dominant Detroit pitching staff, and is the owner of a 14-strikeout game this season.  But he also was so ineffective early this season that he was banished to Triple-A and spent two weeks in the minors tweaking his delivery.

As the Nationals (31-34) can now start to really envison several pitchers returning from the disabled list, Lannan (L, 2-4, 5.45) hopes to avoid that particular scenario.

Scherzer (W, 3-6, 6.14) was effective enough Monday to limit the Nats to four run--three earned--on seven hits and two walks, striking out nine.

And his bullpen was perfect, as three relievers no-hitting the Nats for three innings.

Once again, Lannan's defense let him down.  The big blow in the game was Ryan Raburn's three-run home run in the fifth inning, immediately after Cristian Guzman botched a potential double-play ball.  Raburn, who entered the game hitting .165, went 3-for-4 with four RBIs.

THE TAKEAWAY:  Lannan is a "pitch-to-contact" guy, and since he doesn't miss many bats relies on the ground balls that he generates ending up in fielder's mitts.  That hasn't happened this year with as much regularity as in past seasons. 

He only gave up three extra base hits out of the 10 total, so it's not like he was getting pounded.  But if you aren't going to strike anyone out, you have to depend on luck that the batter balls are hit somewhere they can be caught. 

Take for instance the Tigers' third run of the game:  Leadoff double and two ground outs leads to a run.  Lannan is pitching to contact there, presumably doing his job.  But it's tough to succeed when you can't miss bats.

It certainly doens't help when you defense lets you down, as it has in Lannan's last three starts.

THE GOOD:  Nyjer Morgan (2-for-5, 2 R, 2 SB).  That's the Morgan folks want to see.  Generated a run in the first inning all by himself with a bunt single, stolen base, extra base on bad throw, and score on a sacrifice fly.

Josh Willingham went 2-for-3 with another walk and Michael Morse homered.

Tyler Walker and Sean Burnett combined for 3 2/3 scoreless relief.

THE BAD:  Guzman went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts from the leadoff spot in addition to his big error.  Ian Desmond went 0-for-4 and Adam Dunn 0-for-3 with 3 Ks as well.

THE UGLY:  The Nationals lead major league baseball in errors, and it's not even close.  Guzman's kick was the team's 58th this season.  The next closest is Florida with 52 and Detroit with 48.

NEXT GAME:  Today at Detroit.  Livan Hernandez (5-3, 2.28) faces Justin Verlander (7-4, 3.56) at 7:05 pm from Comerica Park.

Cristian Guzman made three errors, including the ultimate game-changer in the bottom of the ninth, and the Washington Nationals lost for the third straight game, falling to the Houston Astros 6-4.

The Nationals lost seven out of 10 games on the road trip.

Down one with one out and a man on second, the Astros' Lance Berkman hit a sinking line drive to right field, and Guzman botched the easily makeable play, allowing Michael Bourn to scamper home from second to tie the game. 

The next batter, Carlos Lee, took the second pitch he saw from Matt Capps--a hanging breaking ball--into the Crawford boxes in left field for the game-winner.

It was the second game of the series the Nats lost after taking the lead in the top of the ninth.

Guzman was in right field due to a convoluted string of substiutions.  He started at shortstop and made two errors there as well.  Of the Astros six runs, only two were earned.

Capps (0-3, 2.81) took the loss, allowing three runs--all unearned--on two hits and the Guzman error.  It was his thrid blown save of the season, and second of the series.

The Nats trailed in this one all day until the top of the ninth inning.  Mike Morse lined a two out single, scored on a Willie Harris hit down the left field line that Lee misplayed into a triple, and Guzman singled, droving in Harris from third.

But as Guzman giveth, he also taketh away.

J.D. Martin started the game by giving up single runs in the first, second and third innings, but managed to keep the bleeding to a minimum.  He ended up going 5 2/3 innings, giving up eight hits andone walk, striking out four.  He surrendered home runs to Berkman (6) and light-hitting backup catcher Kevin Cash, his first of the year.

NATS NOTES:  The Nats are now 26-29 as they start a six-game hoemstand against the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Adam Dunn went 0-for-4 and left four runners on.

Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard pitched a combined 2 1/3 innings shutout relief. 

Washington batters struck out five times, walked just once, and left seven menon base.  They went 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

As is tradition, the Washington Nationals just can't beat the Florida Marlins.  Today's spring training game was no exception, as the Fish beat the Nats 5-3 before 4,237 at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, FL.

Today's biggest news, of course, was the assignment of last year's twin first round draft picks, Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen, to minor league camp. 

Both players aren't expected to be long for the minors, as they just need some seasoning, and of course, reach the point where they will no longer qualify for "Super Two" status, and should join the big league club around Memorial Day.

But there was a game played today, and it was important to several players, including starting pitcher Garrett Mock.  Mock was the first Nat pitcher to go five innings, and he was relatively effective again today. 

He got into some hot water in the second inning, walking catcher John Baker befor egiving up a two-run blast to Marlins 1B Gaby Sanchez.  Mock was "visibly upset" according to radio play-by-play announcer Dave Jaegler, and the Jaegler opined it was more for the walk than the homer.

Mock settled down after that, though, and completed another steady, if unspectacular performance.

The Nats play tomorrow at 1:05 pm against the Marlins in Jupiter.

WINNERS AND LOSERS:

Winner:  Garrett Mock.  5 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 4 K.  Solid if unspectacular.  Mock has probably moved past Olsen on the depth chart at this point.

Loser:  Shairon Martis.  2 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 0 K.  Martis needed to do something specialto stick around in camp, and he just didn't do it.  He'll probably be inthe next round of cuts.

Winner:  Tyler Walker and Drew Storen.  Both pitched hitless, socreless innings with no walks and a strikeout.

Loser:  Cristian Guzman.  He went 1-for-3 at bat, but had a throwing error, pulling Adam Dunn off the bag, in just the type of play the Nats waned to see him make:  a tough ball in the hole.  He did not make a strong throw, and it could be an indication that his shoulder doesn't have enough strength to start the season.

Oh, and he was caught stealing, too.

Winner:  Ryan Zimmerman.  2-for-3 with another double.  He's hitting .438 this spring.

Loser:  Mike Morse.  1-for-4 and ground into inning-ending double play.

So as the Nats faithful wait patiently for Strasburg and Storen to reach D.C., they can now spend their spring travelling around PA and MD watching the tandem pitch in the minor leagues.  Harrisburg, Altoona, Bowie; here we come!

If you've read this blog for any length of time, you already know where this is going.

Anyway, once again Cristian Guzman's name is popping up in trade rumors.  Yesterday, a New York reporter tweeted that the Mets might be interested in Guzman with Jose Reyes battling a thyroid condition.  No sooner did that tweet pop up did denials from the Mets come pouring in.  Sounds like idle speculation to me.

Because here's the thing, which may come as a surprise to some:  Cristian Guzman isn't very good.

You can parse the numbers anyway you like.

He has a lifetime .307 on base percentage.  Not batting average. On Base Percentage.

Last season, his OBP was .306.  He is what he is.  

Guzman walked 16 times in 555 plate appearances.  You know how bad that is?  Ubaldo Jiminez, a pitcher, walked six times in 77 plate appearances.  Extrapolated out to 555 plate appearances, Jiminez would have walked 43 times.

I know that's raw and a small sample size.  I'm just sayin'.

He brings no power, no speed and no patience.

What he brings to the table offensively is an empty batting average.  If, like in his "all-star" year of 2008, he can hit ..316 and accidentally have an OBP of .345, he's not that big of a drain on the offense.

If he's hitting eighth.  At the top of the order, it's embarrassing.

But you know how many times in his ten seasons he's posted a batting average of .316 over a full season?

Once.  In 2008.  When his BABIP (batting average on balls in play) was .337, 30 points higher that league average.  While it's not an outrageous BABIP, suggesting Guzman was more than simply lucky, he did benefit from a few more balls dropping in than average.

Defensively, he was fifth worst last season in the majors among shortstops that qualified with a UZR/150 of -2.6.

On top of all that, he's due another $8 million on his reward contract that Jim Bowden so graciously gave him several years ago.

The only people that think Cristian Guzman has any trade value are people that still think that batting average is a good metric to evaluate a baseball player. 

I wish the Nationals could trade Cristian Guzman. I really do. But if Omar Minaya doesn't want him, guess what? The Nats are stuck with him.

The best that the Nats can hope for is to play him, hope he catches fire for a few weeks (batting around .340 and OBPing .345), and flip him to a contender that has a catastrophic injury at short.

If Guzman starts at short and Ian Desmond is sent to Syracuse to start the season, that's what Mike Rizzo will be hoping for.

I'd be shocked if anything else happens.

Here's the press release...

NATIONALS SIGN 2B ADAM KENNEDY

The Washington Nationals today signed free-agent second baseman Adam Kennedy to a one-year contract. Nationals Senior Vice President & General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Last season, Kennedy batted .289 with 29 doubles, 11 home runs, 63 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 129 games with Oakland depite playing home games at pitcher-friendly Oakland-Alameda County Stadium. Not only was Kennedy’s .410 slugging percentage last year the second-best mark of his career (.449 in 2002), he ranked second in the AL by batting .368 (43-for-117) with runners in scoring position. Additionally, seven of Kennedy’s 11 homers gave Oakland the lead and another tied the game.

In 11 big league seasons, the 34 year-old Kennedy has hit .277 (1270-for-4583) with 241 doubles, 68 home runs, 486 RBI and 156 stolen bases in 1356 games with Oakland, St. Louis and Los Angeles (AL). He has hit .300 or betters twice (2005, 2002) during his career, and thrice posted a double-digit home run total (2009, 2003-04) and swiped 20 or more bags (2009, 2003, 2000).

Known as a strong defender, Kennedy’s 4.92 total chances per 9.0 innings ranked second among all AL second basemen (minimum 750 games) in the just-completed decade (2000-09).

Kennedy is perhaps best known as the MVP of the 2002 ALCS, during which he homered three times in Game 5 to register just the sixth three-homer game in post-season history. Kennedy has twice reached the post-season, and is a .308 career hitter in 25 playoff games. He earned a World Series ring with Anaheim in 2002.

As I've said previously, Kennedy's arrival means Cristian Guzman will go back to short, and Ian Desmond will either play short in Triple-A or play a utility role here in Washington, even playing all three outfield spots, according to an interview with Jim Riggleman earlier inthe week.

Let's hope, for Desmond's sake, they send the kid back to Syracuse to play everyday.  As much as he may want to stick with the big club. it's more important that he play every day at this stage in his career.  This team has plenty of utility (Harris, Bruntlett, Orr) to go around that they don't need to risk one of the team's solid prospects in the spot.

There has been no announcement on a corresponding move to make room from Kennedy on the 40-man roster.  We'll keep our ears open.

The Washington Nationals have reportedly signed 2B Adam Kennedy to a one-year, $1.25 M contract, with a $2.0M ption for 2011.

Kennedy, 33, played with Oakland last season and hit .289/.348/.410 with 11 home runs, 6 RBIs and 20 SBs.

The move signifies that Cristian Guzman will continue to play shortstop and the Nats plan on starting the season with Ian Desmond playing every day in Triple-A Syracuse.

So much for Mike Rizzo's stated goal of improving the middle infield defense this off-season.  If it's possible, it could be even worse than last year.

Kennedy played 50 games at second base last season for the A's.  He was a whopping -14.8 UZR/150, meaning he was almost 15 runs worse than the average second baseman in the league last season.  

Despite a small resurgence with his bat last season, Kennedy is a player that is getting old very fast, and now he's blocking a promising young player from getting valuable playing time in the majors while the Nats can afford to do it.

MLBTradeRumors.com reports that the Nats might be interested in 36-year old OF Randy Winn. Winn is still a terrific defensive player, but his slash stats last season were Guzmanian at .262/.318/.353 in 528 ABs. There's already speculation about what Winn's role might be with the Nationals.

My take: he'd be fine as a veteran fourth OF and defensive replacement, but not at the expense of Dukes' development, or the pushing of Willingham out the door. Something tells me Winn's still looking for a FT roll, though.

The Nats have a decent offense, but if Winn were to play full-time over either Dukes or Willingham, it would leave a hole in the batting order that his defense simply couldn't make up for. This lineup just can't make up for two sub-.320 OBPs, and that's what Winn and Guzman bring to the table.

Nationals shortstop Cristian Guzman is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Thursday.  The procedure will be performed by Dr. Wiemi Douoguih at The Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC.  Bill Ladson is reporting that Guzman has been hampered by shoulder problems for over a month and the shoulder grew worse when Guzman twice threw to home plate against the Dodgers on Sept. 24. Guzman did not play shortstop for the rest of the season after that game and was instead regulated to pinch-hitting duties.

Catcher Derek Norris fractured his left hamate bone while working out in the Instructional League. He will have surgery performed by Dr. Thomas Graham in Baltimore to remove the fractured hamate bone on Thursday, October 8. He is expected to be able to resume baseball activities in December.   See Nats Farm for more information.

Ryan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond, Kory Casto have also fractured a hamate bone during their career.

Photos © 2009 C. Nichols. All Rights Reserved.

"I thought it was a good time to go. I figured [McDonald] wasn't really worried about me after us moving the runner on the bunt." -- Jason Maxwell, on stealing third in the ninth with one out, Sept. 23, 2009.

Pete Orr, with a walk-off sac fly, beams as he's surrounded by his teammates after 5-4 win over L.A.

Photo © 2009 C. Nichols. All Rights Reserved.

THE RESULT:  The Washington Nationals scored runs in the eighth and ninth innings, taking a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, before 18,635 at Nationals Park.

The win staves off loss No. 100 for at least one more night, and prohibited L.A. from clinching a playoff spot, again, for at least one more game.  The Nats are 52-99 for the season.

Justin Maxwell started the ninth inning rally with a single down the left-field line off reliever James McDonald.  Alberto Gonzalez sacrificed Maxwell up to second, and the lanky center fielder easily stole third on a curveball from McDonald (L, 5-5, 3.99), who was not paying much attention to the base runner.

Jorge Padilla, inserted for defense in the top of the inning, drew a five-pitch walk, setting up a potential double play.  But pinch-hitter Pete Orr lofted a ball deep enough to right field for the game-winning sacrifice fly, triggering the fireworks from the roof of Nationals Park.

For most of the game, it didn't look like the Nats had much of a chance.  L.A. starter Chad Billingsley, despite being rocked his last six outings, was unhittable into the sixth inning.  But with two outs and Cristian Guzman aboard on a fielder's choice, Adam Dunn drew a walk, bringing  Ryan Zimmerman to the plate.

The Nats' lone all-star blasted Billingsley's up-and-in, first-pitch curveball into the Dodgers bullpen in left-center for his 31st home run and 100th RBI of the season.

Washington starter Ross Detwiler, looking for his first major league win, pitched well, but did not factor in the decision.  He went five and two-thirds innings, and allowed three earned runs on six hits and three walks.  He did not strike out a batter. 

 

Saul Rivera (1-3, 6.21) got the win in relief, escaping a ninth inning jam.  Cristian Guzman made two throwing errors in the top of the ninth, leading to a Dodgers run.  But Sean Burnett struck out Andre Ethier and Rivera retired Manny Ramirez and Matt Kemp to end the threat.

 

THE TAKEAWAY:  The Nats got just five hits and made two errors, but escaped with the win.  Orr said it best after the game.  "It was bizarre, but at the same time, you've got to win those games," the utility player said. "Those are the games that if that slips away from us and we don't win right there, it's a pretty big downer."

 

Added Zimmerman:  "Are we at 99?  We just try and win every game. I think we made some strides in the second half. The young guys that have come up in September have looked pretty good and I think that's more important than anything. All of us are obviously disappointed in this season, but we're excited about what we have coming in the future."

 

At least they are still trying.

 

THE GOOD:  Zimmerman.  Hitting in the cleanup spot, he did what interim manager Jim Riggleman put him there to do: to make teams pay for walking Dunn. 

THE BAD:  Willie Harris.  0-for-3 with three strikeouts in the leadoff spot.  He's hitting .222.

THE UGLY:  After making a couple of nice plays Tuesday night, "Bad-D Guz" showed up last night.  Two throwing errors in the ninth almost gave that ball game away.  Thought to be fair, on the throw to the plate that seemed to draw Josh Bard off and allowed the run to score, it seemed the umpire might have blown the split-second call.

NEXT GAME:  Tonight at 7:05 pm.  J.D. Martin (5-4, 4.21) faces Vicente Padilla (11-6, .52). 

"We made too many mistakes. A lot of bad things happened that we can't continue to allow. We've got to do a better job of handling the details of the running game." -- Jim Riggleman, Sept. 16, 2009.

THE RESULT: Poor baserunning, yet another botched squeeze and a meatball from a reliever for a grand slam resulted in the Washington Nationals 95th loss of the season. They haven't all come at the hands of the Philadelphia Philles, but it seems like half of them have.

In reality, it's the 14th loss against just three wins to the N.L. East's leader.

Once again, the Nats had runners thrown out on the base paths. In the second inning, Livan Hernandez bunted -- apparently on his own, again -- trying to bring Ian Desmond in from third, who had doubled and took third on Wil Nieves' infield hit.

The bunt went straight back to Phillies starter Joe Blanton (W, 10-7), who threw to third to nab Desmond.

In the sixth inning, Justin Maxwell drew a walk with one out after Desmond reached on a single. Nieves hit a soft liner to right that Jayson Werth grabbed and caught Maxwell confused and off base for a double play.

Philly's first run came courtesy of a double steal, with Nieves throwing through to second base to try to catch Ryan Howard. Chase Utley practically walked home.

The big blow came in the seventh inning. Tyler Clippard hit Utley with two outs. Sean Burnett came in to pitch to Howard, but Utley stole second, so they put Howard on first with the base open. After a nine pitch at bat, Burnett walked Raul Ibanez, and just like that, without a hit, the bases were juiced.

Of course, Jason Bergmann came in to face Werth, and the right fielder took the fifth offering -- a letter high breaking ball that did not break -- to the bleachers in left center for the grand slam. Ball game.

The victim in all this was Livan Hernandez. He was strong again, going six innings and allowing just two earned runs on seven hits and two walks. The effort lowered his season record to 8-11.

Washington left ten men on base.

THE TAKEAWAY: It's hard to imagine the amount of outs the Nats give away on the bases. It seems like every night that baserunning errors result in shortened innings. Wednesday night, it was Desmond and Maxwell -- two rookies -- to get thrown out in bad plays.

Interim manager Jim Riggleman likes to be aggressive on the base paths, but that philosophy and strategy is proving questionable.

THE GOOD: Desmond and Nieves each had two hits, and Willie Harris reached three times in the leadoff spot.

THE BAD: The 2-3-4-5 hitters. 0-for-15. Not good.

THE UGLY: Cristian Guzman. 0-for-5 and left seven men on base. Special mention to Josh Willingham, who went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

Over the last 23 games, Willingham is hitting .165/.287/.329 with three homers and nine RBI. As hot as he was during the summer is as cold as he's been the past month.

NEXT GAME: Thursday, at 7:05 for the finale of the three game series. Last chance for the Nats to eek out win No. 4 against Philly this season. Ross Detwiler (0-5, 5.10) versus Cole Hamels (9-9, 4.21).

"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.

"I've never had anything like that happen before, you know? I didn't know if they were being serious or not, so I didn't want to look like a dummy." -- Nats shortstop Ian Desmond, on his curtain call, Sept. 10, 2009.

THE RESULT: Making his major league debut, Washington Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond homered, doubled and drove in four runs, leading the Nats to a 8-7 victory over the first-place Philadelphia Phillies, before 18,706 at Nationals Park.

The Nats won for just the second time in their last 12 games.

Desmond finished 2-for-4 with one run, but his two outs were also long drives to the warning track. He was also thrown out at home trying to score from second on a bunt by pitcher Livan Hernandez. Only a heads-up dive by Philly starter Joe Blanton prevented Desmond from scoring on the play.

Hernandez was strong for Washington. He went seven and one-third innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and just one walk, striking out two. He improved his record to 8-10 on the season.

Washington tried to blow it in the ninth inning, giving up five Philly runs. Zach Segovia's Nationals debut did not go quite as well as Desmond's.

Segovia entered the game leading 8-2, but allowed a grand slam to pinch-hitter Matt Stairs, who had been riding an 0-for-30 streak. After Mike MacDougal gave up a couple hits, Ron Villone came in and got Ryan Howard to bounce into a double play to finally end the game.

THE TAKEAWAY: It was learned after the game that General Manager Mike Rizzo and interim manager Jim Riggleman had a private meeting with shortstop Cristian Guzman on Thursday afternoon and asked him to switch to second base for the 2010 season.

None of the parties were available to comment on the topic to offer details of the conversation.

It's interesting that this information would come to light the day after so much backlash over Riggleman's statements the last couple of days about his desire to "play to win" by continuing to play the veterans and the "obligation to contenders to put our best players out there."

Desmond clearly deserved his promotion, and clearly deserves to play the bulk of time at shortstop the rest of the way out this season. It's high time the team starts acting with the best interest of the team in mind, instead of pandering to overpriced veterans who certainly won't be playing for "the first great Nationals team".

If Guzman feels like someone's stepped on his toes, so be it. He's been playing defense the better part of two years like someone was currently standing on his toes. I said at the time, his "reward" contract was a mistake, and it's still an albatross. Only now, the Nats have a competent administrator in place to rectify the situation.

THE GOOD: Ian Desmond. 2-for-4, homer, double, four RBI. About 15 feet from hitting the glass window at the Red Porch restaurant in center field. Welcome to the show, kid.

THE BAD: Ryan Zimmerman. 0-for-5, three left on base. Rough night.

THE UGLY: Zach Segovia. One-third of an inning. Two hits, a walk and a grand slam allowed. Welcome to the show, kid.

NEXT GAME: The Nats travel to Florida to start a six-game roadie against the Marlins. J.D. Martin (3-4, 4.35) faces Josh Johnson (14-4, 3.04) for the Fish.

Photo © Cheryl Nichols 2009. All Rights Reserved.

-------------

In Remembrance...

I remember very clearly where I was eight years ago this morning. I work two blocks from the White House, and at the time lived half a block from the U.S. Capitol. Also, my then girlfriend (now wife) worked in the tallest building in Chicago. All were thought to be targets.

The events of September 11, 2001 changed the way the world looks at itself. Not a single American felt safe in their homes, a feeling that most Americans never thought could happen.

Please take time today to remember what happened that morning.

Remember those that lost their lives. Remember those who came to the rescue. Remember the images of invincible towers, an impenetrable fortress and a peaceful, open field burning and crumbling.

And remember how you felt that morning. I will never forget.

"Five is a little ridiculous." -- Jim Riggleman, Sept. 8, 2009

BOX SCORE AND RECAP

THE RESULT: The Philadelphia Phillies hit five solo home runs, sending the Washington Nationals to their ninth defeat in ten games. The final of 5-3 was witnessed by 153 Nats fans and 17,000 Phillies Phaithful.

Raul Ibanez once again did in the Nats. He had two of the five homers, has as many homers at Nationals Park (6) as Josh Willingham, and has hit eight of his 30 overall against the Nats.

Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz were the other homer-hitters Tuesday night.

Nats starter John Lannan (L, 8-11, 4.14) surrendered four of the five bombs. He went six and two-thirds innings, giving up just two non-home run hits and two walks, and struck out one.

Willie Harris hit his seventh home run for the home team, and Cristian Guzman and Wil Nieves knocked in runs as well.

The Nats had two opportunities to tie in the ninth inning, as the Phils' struggling closer Brad Lidge loaded the bases in front of Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn with one out. But Phillies manager Charlie Manual asked Ryan Madson to relieve Lidge, and he retired Zim on a breaking ball six inches off the plate and low, and Dunn grounded weakly to second base.

Pedro Martinez (W, 4-0, 3.64) went six and two-thirds for the win.

TEH TAKEAWAY: The Phillies have won eight straight against the Nationals and lead the season series 11-2. Ibanez finished 3-for-4 and is batting .463 with eight homers and 20 RBI this season against the Nationals. He is 7-for-10 in his career against Lannan.

Maybe the Nats just want to walk him all four trips tonight.

THE GOOD: Harris, Guzman and Nieves. All had two hits apiece.

THE BAD: 3-4-5 hitters: 1-for-13 with four strikeouts and 14 combined left on base.

THE UGLY: I stayed home from this one and watched on TV. First: Bob and Rob REALLY rode Alberto Gonzalez last night. Meet the new whipping boy! Rob thinks they should try Morse at second, a position he played all of 19 games at this season in the minors this season.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

Second: Did they bring buses down from Philly last night for the mid-week series? Or are there really that many ex-South Jersey folks in the D.C. area?

NEXT GAME: Tonight at 7:05 pm. Garrett Mock (3-7, 5.63) against Cliff Lee (12-11, 3.06). Good luck with that.

"[Hernandez] threw a lot of pitches that were right around the plate that I think he generally would get people to swing at." -- Jim Riggleman, on the small strike zone in the first inning, Sept. 5, 2009.

BOX SCORE AND RECAP

THE RESULT: The Washington Nationals felt like they got the short end of the stick from the umpires all night long. Interim manager Jim Riggleman certainly thought first base umpire Andy Fletcher blew two calls, costing Nats base runners each time.

And starting pitcher Livan Hernandez did not receive any benefit from home plate umpire Tim McClelland, as he walked six and gave up eight base hits in his five innings. The end result was a 9-5 loss to the Florida Marlins, before 18,111 and about 100 dogs on "Pups in the Park" night.

© Cheryl Nichols 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Washington lost it's 90th game of the season against 46 wins. They've lost eight in a row, 15 of their last 18 and 18 of their last 24. It's D.C.'s longest losing streak since last August's 12-game loser. The Nats have been outscored 46-20 in the losing streak.

Riggleman came out to argue a close play at first early in the game, as Ryan Zimmerman ground into a 5-4-3 double play in the bottom of the first. Riggs gave it to Fletcher pretty good as Zimmerman calmly removed his batting gloves just past first base, to no avail.

Perhaps Riggleman was just taking his frustration out on the first base ump that should have been reserved for McClelland behind the plate.

Eight of Hernandez' first 10 pitches were called balls. Most of the pitches were just off the corner or hit catcher Wil Nieves' mitt where he called for it, only to be brushed aside by McClelland. The result was three runs in the inning on a double by Jorge Cantu and two-run single by Cody Ross.

Hernandez (L, 7-10, 5.44) left after five innings, trailing 6-1. He threw 107 pitches in his five innings. Victor Garate made his major league debut in the sixth, and was rudely greeted by pinch-hitter Brett Hayes, who hit his first major league home run.

© Cheryl Nichols 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Marlins starter Josh Johnson only went five innings as well, but his night was a little easier than Hernandez. The Cy Young candidate earned his 14th win against four losses, and lowered his ERA to 3.04. He gave up just two hits and one earned run, walking three and striking out just one.

THE TAKEAWAY: Gotta give the Nats credit: they did not quit. They scratched out three runs in the bottom of the seventh and got another one in the ninth. With players fighting for their opportunities, they kept swinging.

Wil Nieves singled up the middle with two on in the seventh, scoring Elijah Dukes, and Josh Bard pinch-hit a double that scored Pete Orr and Nieves.

In the ninth, Justin Maxwell (.139) doubled to deep left center, and his teammate in Syracuse for much of the season, Mike Morse, punched him in with a single.

THE GOOD: Adam Dunn. He went 2-for-4, the only Nat with multiple hits.

THE BAD: Ron Villone. He gave up a run in two-thirds of an inning late. In ended up inconsequential, but how can you mount a comeback if your relief pitchers keep giving up runs?

THE UGLY: Cristian Guzman. He went 0-for-4 with two men left on. He saw 11 pitches.

NEXT GAME: Sunday's matinee is the finale to the three-game set with Florida. J.D. Martin (3-4, 4.60) hosts Anibal Sanchez (2-6, 5.01) at 1:35 pm.

"We had a lot of chances. We just could not get the big hit. It was a combination of they made their pitches at the right time and the bullpen threw six innings of one-run ball." -- Nationals interim manager Jim Riggleman, Sept 4, 2009.

BOX SCORE AND RECAP

THE RESULT: The Washington Nationals managed to come back from two four-run deficits, but never could overtake the Florida Marlins, eventually falling 9-6 -- for their seventh straight defeat -- before a small, but vocal crowd of 16,364.

Garrett Mock (L, 3-7, 5.63) was ineffective in his three innings. He gave up six earned runs on seven hits and three walks, giving up two home runs -- to cleanup hitter Jorge Cantu and backup catcher John Baker.

The Nats had plenty of offense early themselves, getting three extra base hits among the seven given up by Marlins starter Sean West. Ryan Zimmerman and Alberto Gonzalez both had RBI triples, and Josh Willingham hit his 22nd home run of the season.

But Burke Badenhop (W, 6-4, 3.84) shut the Nats down and out, giving up just one hit and one walk in his three innings.

THE TAKEAWAY: This could have been a different game had Josh Bard been able to get a hit in either of the bases-loaded situations he had. He went 0-for-5 on the night with three strikeouts, and a whopping 10 men left on base.

The Nats left 11 men on as a team.

THE GOOD: Five hitters had two or more hits apiece. Just a shame they couldn't connect with the bases loaded.

THE BAD: Cristian Guzman. 0-for-5 in the two-hole.

THE UGLY: Bard. Very simply, he didn't come through tonight. You have these nights. The Nats have a lot of them.

NEXT GAME: Saturday at 7:05 pm. Livan Hernandez (7-9, 5.26) versus Cy Young candidate Josh Johnson (13-4, 3.08).

NOTES: The Nationals added LHP Victor Garate to the roster before Friday's game. Garate was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers to complete an Aug. 30 trade for IF Ronnie Belliard.

Washington also activated C Jesus Flores from the 15-day disabled list, but he is still strengthening a right shoulder injury and will initially be limited to pinch-hitting duties.

NATS LOSE TWO STARTERS: Craig Stammen, who was scheduled to start tonight, but was scratched with elbow soreness, will undergo surgery on Sunday to remove a bone spur. Team physician Dr. Wiemi Douoguih will perform the surgery and Stammen will miss the remainder of the season.

Collin Balester has a intercostal strain of his left side. The Nationals have decided to shut him down for the remainder of the season as well.

THE RESULTS: Carlos Gonzalez homered in the eighth inning off Sean Burnett and Clint Barmes took Tyler Clippard deep in the ninth, leading the Colorado Rockies to a 4-3 win over the Washington Nationals before 18,192 at Nationals Park.

The loss drops the Nats to 43-76 for the season, and breaks a three-game winning streak.

Burnett (2-3, 3.22) took the loss, getting just one out while walking one and allowing the home run to the Rockies' lead-off hitter.

Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez (W, 11-9, 3.41) held the Nats down all night. He went eight innings, allowing seven hits and one walk, allowing just two earned runs. Both came in a two-out rally in the second inning by the bottom of the order.

With one out, Elijah Dukes beat out an infield single on a broken bat that shortstop Troy Tulowitzki had to avoid on his route to the grounder. Alberto Gonzalez hit a roller that forced Dukes at second to go to two outs.

Catcher Wil Nieves got hit in the elbow with a pitch, putting runners at first and second. Pitcher Craig Stammen the helped his own cause, with a double to right field that scored Gonzalez. Nyjer Morgan followed with a ground ball past third baseman Garrett Atkins that brought in Nieves.

That's the last the Nats would score until the ninth inning.

Cristian Guzman's RBI single cut the lead to 4-3 with two outs, but on the next pitch, Ryan Zimmerman flew out to left to end the game, and the winning streak.

Stammen deserved a better fate. He went five and one-third innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits and two walks, striking out three. He got into trouble loading the bases in the sixth, and interim manager Jim Riggleman brought in Ron Villone to face Brad Hawpe.

Hawpe grounded out, but Dexter Fowler carried the tying run home. Jason Bergmann came in to snuff the rally, and pitched the seventh without incident before Burnett and Clippard gave up their respective home runs.

THE TAKEAWAY: Well, it's hard to complain about a loss on a couple of solo home runs in an otherwise well played game.

The big story on Tuesday, of course, was the signing of Stephen Strasburg to his first professional contract.

During the game, news came out that Strasburg would probably travel to D.C. Thursday and be introduced as the Nationals newest savior, uh, I mean, starting pitcher at a press conference on Friday.

Also, according to Nats Journal, it sounds like Strasburg will most likely not pitch in Washington this year. He will likely be evaluated in D.C.,then sent to the minor league training facility in Viera, Fl, then assigned to an Arizona Fall League team.

THE GOOD: Nyjer Morgan. He went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base.

THE BAD: Adam Dunn. He went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

THE UGLY: Bottom of the first, Morgan led off with a single and stole second. With no outs, he stood there as Guzman struck out looking, Zimmerman flied out, and Dunn whiffed to end the frame.

NEXT GAME: Wednesday at 7:05 pm. Collin Balester (1-2, 6.00) hosts All-Star Jason Marquis (13-8, 3.55).

NOTES: Mike Morse, recalled to take the roster spot of Logan Kensing, who was DFA'd Monday, dressed and wore No. 28. He did not play.

"I looked at third, and I thought I saw him break down and stop. I guess he didn't break down as much as I though." -- Drew Sutton, Reds 2B, August 16, 2009.

THE RESULTS: Pinch hitter Ryan Zimmerman blooped a single to right center, scoring Adam Dunn and, eventually, Josh Willingham, wresting the lead from the Cincinnati Reds, as the Washington Nationals came from behind to win 5-4, taking three of four in the long weekend series.

The Nats record moves up to 43-75 with the victory.

The winning play was a comedy of errors. But for a change, it was the other team kicking the ball around. First, Zimmerman's single fell just in front of Chris Dickerson, inserted as a defensive replacement, and the ball caromed away from the outfielder. Dunn scored as the ball bounced around in the outfield.

Second baseman Drew Sutton chased the loose ball down, and non-challontly lobbed the ball toward first baseman Joey Votto behind the mound. Willingham noticed the casual nature of the toss, and broke from third as the ball was in the air. Votto fired to catcher Ryan Hanigan, and the ball arrived as Willingham did.

Willingham slammed into Hanigan, causing a rather spectacular mid-air crash, and Hanigan could not hold onto the ball. Willingham rolled across the plate with the ultimate winning run.

Photo 2009 © David Nichols. All Rights Reserved

Willingham also smashed a long home run into the second deck of the left field bleachers and finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs on the day. Wil Nieves had three hits at the bottom of the order as well.

Jorge Sosa (2-1, 2.38) got the win and Mike MacDougal recorded his 13th save.

THE TAKEAWAY: The theatrics were necessary because of two very distinct plays earlier in the game, both negative plays for the Nats, one physical and one very much mental.

The first was by starting pitcher John Lannan. With two outs in the fifth inning and a runner on third, he walked the rookie Sutton, hitting all of .175, on a 3-2 count. What followed was a run-scoring single by Votto and a three-run homer by Jonny Gomes.

Lannan was cruising until that point, having allowed just three hits into the fifth. He would go on to finish that inning and get two outs in the sixth, but was lifted after 109 pitches, 31 of which came after he walked Sutton.

The second play was a double mental mistake, both by a player and his manager.

In the sixth inning, after the Reds plated four runs, Dunn (2-for-2, two HBP, three runs) led off with a double that missed a homer by four feet. Willingham then blasted a ball to deep left off rookie starter Justin Lehr, and took third on a wild pitch that Elijah Dukes struck out on.

On the next pitch, interim manager Jim Riggleman called for a suicide squeeze. That was the first mistake. The squeeze is a play that very rarely works, and for a team that makes as many outs on the basepaths as the Nationals do, they don't need their skipper practically ordering them to.

The second mistake was that the hitter called upon to execute the squeeze, second baseman Alberto Gonzalez, failed to bunt. Not "failed to get the bunt down," but simply did not bunt at all -- as if he did not know a play was on. Willingham ran straight into an out. Two pitches later, Gonzalez grounded out for the third out of the inning.

So an inning which started with two loud doubles -- about 700 feet of doubles -- ended when the manager called for a play that almost never works and a hitter that forgot the play was on.

It's a game the Nats won, making three in a row. But they were lucky that on this day, one bad play by the opposition wiped out two mistakes that could have -- should have -- been avoided.

THE GOOD: Willingham. 3-for-4, home run, two runs, three RBIs.

THE BAD: Alberto Gonzalez. 0-for-3, and missed the suicide squeeze.

THE UGLY: Cristian Guzman. 0-for-5, tow strikeouts.

NEXT GAME: The Nats are off on Monday. They return to D.C. for a seven-game homestand starting Tuesday with the Colorado Rockies. Craig Stammen (3-6, 5.24) faces Ubaldo Jiminez (10-9, 3.47) at 7:05 pm at Nationals Park.

"He looks like he's been here for a while. His mound presence is really good." -- Braves manager Bobby Cox, on his starter, Tommy Hanson, August 11, 2009.

THE RESULT: He won't turn 23 years old for 14 more days, but Atlanta rookie Tommy Hanson has been pitching like a veteran since he was called up on June 7.

Tuesday night, he added another gem to his resume, striking out nine in six and two-thirds innings, limiting the Washington Nationals to one earned run on seven hits and no walks in a 8-1 victory before just 19,273 at Turner Field.

The loss snaps Washington's eight-game winning streak.

Hanson, a 22nd round draft pick in the 2005 draft, bolsters his record to 7-2 with a 3.05 ERA in 12 starts this season.

The Nats starter, John Lannan, did not fare anywhere near as well. Lannan (L, 8-9, 3.58) bore the brunt of Atlanta's attack, giving up six runs (five earned) on six hits and an uncharacteristic four walks.

Lannan gave up one in the second, two in the third and three in the fifth.

Tyler Clippard surrendered Chipper Jones' 15th home run in the seventh, and Saul Rivera allowed one run in the eighth.

The Nats couldn't muster any offense after averaging 6.5 runs per game on the winning streak.

Ryan Zimmerman drove in Nyjer Morgan with a single, after Morgan singled and stole second base in the first inning. But that was the extent of the scoring for D.C.

Morgan finished 2-for-4 with a run, two steals and caught stealing, which replays showed he was safe on the play. Hitting coach Rick Eckstein was ejected from the dugout arguing the play and had to be restrained by manager Jim Riggleman.

"If [Morgan] was safe, we might had gotten a run," Riggleman said. "Certainly that would have helped us from the standpoint of momentum."

Cristian Guzman had two hits, extending his hitting streak to 16 games. Zimmerman's stands at 14 with the RBI single.

THE TAKEAWAY: As good as Lannan has been this year, his home/road splits have to be somewhat troubling to anyone paying attention to them.

In 13 home starts, Lannan is 5-1 with a 1.98 ERA and 1.143 WHIP (walks + hits per inning), with a strikeout-to-walk rate of 1.90.

In 11 road starts, the lefty is 3-8 with a 5.92 ERA, 1.652 WHIP and K/BB rate of 0.96.

Two completely different pitchers.

What's also strange is that at home he's hit six batters and NONE on the road. Perhaps Lannan doesn't feel comfortable enough on the road to pitch inside?

THE GOOD: Nyjer Morgan. Continues to be the catalyst at the top of the order.

THE BAD: Adam Dunn. 0-for-4, four strikeouts.

THE UGLY: The defense. The Bad Nats came back last night, with Guzman and Josh Willingham each committing an error.

NEXT GAME: The conclusion of the abbreviated two-game series with the Braves. Craig Stammen (3-6, 5.40) looks to get back on the good foot against Nat-killer Derek Lowe (11-7, 4.15) at 7:10 pm.