Friday, August 05, 2005
Last Night’s Game was the Best Nationals Game I’ve seen all year: Won 7-0
Great pitching, great offensive production. Patterson threw a 4-hit-13 strike-out-0 walk-Complete Game-Shut out (his first of his career). With 2 out and facing 3 balls and 2 strikes, Wilkerson hit a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning to push the run total to 7-0. That grand slam was the Nationals first ever grand slam.
Other Highlights:
1) Tommy Lasorda was spotted in the stands.
2) RBI
4 for Wilkerson (42)
2 for Guzman (47)
1 for Castilla (15)
3) Hits
Everybody except for Bennett and Patterson got at least 1 hit.
3 for Johnson (.323)
2 for Wilson (.257)
2 for Guzman (.193)
4) SB
1 for Church
5) Injuries:
That shoulder injury that Guillen returned early from, kept him out of last night’s game. He lifted weights during the game. Schneider was also out due to a shoulder injury. No word on whether he lifted weights with Guillen.
Armas will skip his next turn in the rotation because of his shoulder injury. Nationals.com article (also in that article, Guzman going back to way he hit with the Twins).
Nationals.com recap. ESPN.com recap.
Washington Post Article: by Barry Svrluga: “Nats’ Patterson Is ‘Lights Out’”:
Notes:
1) Locker room “thumps with a pounding techno beat . . .” when Patterson pitches (starter has control of locker room music, it appears).
2) Nationals are now 1 game back from Houston in the Wild Card Race (face the Astros after the Padres for three games, in Houston August 9-11).
3) 2 RBI from Guzman “first runs he has driven in since June 20" - odd, I thought he drove one in the other day, but I’m apparently wrong.
Guzman, in the Post Article: “It’s About time I did something for my team.” He also had a great defensive play in the game. He is now batting .193.
4) Patterson was drafted by the Expoes in the first round of the 1996 draft (as the big screen up in the outfield noted when he came up to bat, but what wasn’t noted was . . . ), but “he ended up with Arizona . . . nearly drove him to obscurity” when the Expoes didn’t sign him, and he had several injuries with the Diamondbacks. Expoes traded LHR Randy Choate in 2004 to the Diamondbacks for Patterson.
“Since July 9, he has posted a 1.02 ERA, walked eight and struck-out 54 in 44 innings.” Patterson: “It’s the first time in my career I’ve been happy.”
Tonight:
First place San Diego Padres arrive for three games with their sub-.500 win/loss record. As the Washington Post notes: “. . . only NL playoff contender colder than the Nationals.” Both won last night.
Livan Hernandez goes for his 14th win against RHP Pedro Astacio (2-10, 6.06 ERA). Nationals.com preview. ESPN.com stat pack.
Other Highlights:
1) Tommy Lasorda was spotted in the stands.
2) RBI
4 for Wilkerson (42)
2 for Guzman (47)
1 for Castilla (15)
3) Hits
Everybody except for Bennett and Patterson got at least 1 hit.
3 for Johnson (.323)
2 for Wilson (.257)
2 for Guzman (.193)
4) SB
1 for Church
5) Injuries:
That shoulder injury that Guillen returned early from, kept him out of last night’s game. He lifted weights during the game. Schneider was also out due to a shoulder injury. No word on whether he lifted weights with Guillen.
Armas will skip his next turn in the rotation because of his shoulder injury. Nationals.com article (also in that article, Guzman going back to way he hit with the Twins).
Nationals.com recap. ESPN.com recap.
Washington Post Article: by Barry Svrluga: “Nats’ Patterson Is ‘Lights Out’”:
Notes:
1) Locker room “thumps with a pounding techno beat . . .” when Patterson pitches (starter has control of locker room music, it appears).
2) Nationals are now 1 game back from Houston in the Wild Card Race (face the Astros after the Padres for three games, in Houston August 9-11).
3) 2 RBI from Guzman “first runs he has driven in since June 20" - odd, I thought he drove one in the other day, but I’m apparently wrong.
Guzman, in the Post Article: “It’s About time I did something for my team.” He also had a great defensive play in the game. He is now batting .193.
4) Patterson was drafted by the Expoes in the first round of the 1996 draft (as the big screen up in the outfield noted when he came up to bat, but what wasn’t noted was . . . ), but “he ended up with Arizona . . . nearly drove him to obscurity” when the Expoes didn’t sign him, and he had several injuries with the Diamondbacks. Expoes traded LHR Randy Choate in 2004 to the Diamondbacks for Patterson.
“Since July 9, he has posted a 1.02 ERA, walked eight and struck-out 54 in 44 innings.” Patterson: “It’s the first time in my career I’ve been happy.”
Tonight:
First place San Diego Padres arrive for three games with their sub-.500 win/loss record. As the Washington Post notes: “. . . only NL playoff contender colder than the Nationals.” Both won last night.
Livan Hernandez goes for his 14th win against RHP Pedro Astacio (2-10, 6.06 ERA). Nationals.com preview. ESPN.com stat pack.
