Friday, August 19, 2005
Nationals Lose Day Game, Win Night Game; First LHP starter for Nationals?
My last post has the line-up for the day game, and yes the line-up did change for the night game. All I'll say about the day game is that they lost.
ESPN.com recap of the 2-1 loss in the day game.
Night Game:
The Phillies jumped out to a seemingly insurmontable lead by scoring 1 run in the first, 2 in the third and one in the fourth to make it 4-0 Phillies when the fifth inning started and Carlos Baerga stepped up to the plate to lead off the inning. He struck out in his first at-bat, but got a single this time. Then Carroll stepped in, with a walk recored for his first plate appearance. Oddly enough, he also singled. Baerga to second. Castilla came in off the bench and hit for the pitcher (Drese) and lined out. Wilkerson came up, after having struck out looking and walking in his first two plate appearances. He also lined out. More runners left on base without a score? Nope, as Vidro came in and doubled in Carroll and Baerga (Vidro was 2-2 prior to this at-bat, hitting two singles). Immediately thereafter Johnson also hit a double, knocking in Vidro, driving the score to 4-3 Phillies (Johnson hit into a double play his first at-bat and flied out to center in his second at-bat). Guillen then lined out (Guillen struck out and grounded out in his previous two at-bats).
Newly promoted LHP John Halama relieved Drese and pitched the fifth inning (3 up, 3 down). Ayala relieved Halama for the sixth inning and didn't allow a run to score, though he walked the first batter he faced (Burrell) and allowed a single to the second (Howard). He got out of the inning by inducing Bell to hit into a double play and then getting Pratt to ground out to third. Ayala also pitched the seventh (3 up, 3 down).
Now we get to two more Nationals runs in the 8th inning. Guillen doubled, Schneider flied out, and then Wilson singled - Guillen ran home on the single with Wilson getting to second while the defense threw home. Score 4-4. Immediately thereafter Baerga hit a single and Wilson ran home, and Baerga advanced to second base during the throw. Score 5-4. Carroll Flied out and Guzman hit for Ayala and also filed out.
Stanton faced two batters in the bottom of the 8th and got 1 out. Cordero relieved him and got Burrell to hit into an inning ending double play. Cordero picked up his 39th save after pitching an outstanding 9th inning - struck out the first and third batter he faced and got the second to hit a line drive to right - an out. Ayala got credit for the win (his 8th, giving him an 8-6 record).
The Line-up:
B Wilkerson CF-LF 0-4, 1 walk, 1 SO .251
J Vidro 2B 3 for 4, 1 2B (19), 2 RBI (30), 1 BB, 1 R, .285
N Johnson 1B 1 for 5, 1 2B (28), 1 RBI (56), 1 SO .306
J Guillen RF 1 for 5, 1 2B (26) 1 R, 2 SO .301
B Schneider C 0 for 4, 1 SO, .288
R Church LF 0 for 2, .289
Wilson PH-CF 1 for 2, 1 RBI (66), 1 R, .259
C Baerga 3B 2 for 3, 1 RBI (16), 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, .271
J Carroll SS-3B 2 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB .241
R Drese P 0 for 0, .071
Castilla PH 0 for 1, .241
Blanco PH 0 for 1, 1 SO, .220
Guzman PH-SS 0 for 1, .191
ESPN.com recap of the 5-4 win in the Night Game. Nationals.com recap.
NL EAST:
Braves 69-52
Phillies 65-57, 4.5 GB
Nationals 64-57, 5 GB
Marlins 63-57, 5.5 GB
Mets 61-59, 7.5 GB
Wild Card:
Phillies 65-57
Astros 64-57, 0.5 GB
Nationals 64-57, 0.5 GB
Marlins 63-57, 1 GB
Mets 61-59, 3.0 GB
Brewers 60-62, 5.0 GB
Next:
The Nationals boarded busses after last night's game and headed off to Shea Stadium (there was something about the trains not working correctly that was mentioned by the TV people covering the night game). The Mets are 5-5 in August, and was 2-1 in their last series against the Pirates.
Tonight: METS:
Patterson (7-3, 2.44) vs. Seo (4-1, 1.35)
The scouting report can be found in the previous two entries in this blog (including my comments). I just mention that Patterson is 0-0 with an era of 3.75 in 12 IP at RFK against the Mets (only games he has started against them), and that Seo is 1-1 with an era of 3.27 in 11 IP
ESPN.com stat pack. Nationals.com preview (Robinson quote in the preview: "You never know. Just when they look like they are down and out, they stick their head up and do some things").
Saturday:
Livan Hernandez (14-5, 3.45) vs. Pedro Martinez (12-5, 2.96)
What more can be said? It's Pedro Martinez and Livan Hernandez. A scouting report and notes by me are in previous entries in the blog, but those types of things are thrown out the window when pitchers of this caliber face each other.
Sunday:
John Halama vs. Kris Benson
Halama will become the Nationals first ever LHP starter, and the first LHP starter for the organization since Oct. 1 of last year when a LHP started for the Expoes.
Here's the updated scouting report, which now includes Halama:
"Scouting Report:Halama will make his first start in a Nationals uniform against the Mets on Sunday. He will face them for the third time in is career. Halama doesn't have a decision, but he has given up five runs in 12 innings against the Mets.
Benson comes into Sunday's start on a roll, having won his last two outings against San Diego and Pittsburgh and pitching about as well as he has for New York. Benson has spoken often about feeling like a totally different pitcher this season and it's shown, as he's soaked up lessons from the Mets' staff with vigor. Benson allowed two runs and seven hits in a no-decision against the Nationals on July 7."
My notes in my previous entry (after the "Game starting" one), note that Halama has started 1 game this year for Boston:
1 GS for Boston: 5 IP 4 H 2 ER 1 HR 1 HBP 0 BB 2 SO = 1 Win and 3.60 ERA.
and that Benson is 5-2 (2.87) at home in 12 games started, and has never faced the Nationals at home. At RFK: No decision, 2.57 ERA. 7 IP 7 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 walks and six strike-outs.
Monday:
Off - travel back to RFK.
The 55-66 Reds are the next team the Natioanls face, in RFK.
ESPN.com recap of the 2-1 loss in the day game.
Night Game:
The Phillies jumped out to a seemingly insurmontable lead by scoring 1 run in the first, 2 in the third and one in the fourth to make it 4-0 Phillies when the fifth inning started and Carlos Baerga stepped up to the plate to lead off the inning. He struck out in his first at-bat, but got a single this time. Then Carroll stepped in, with a walk recored for his first plate appearance. Oddly enough, he also singled. Baerga to second. Castilla came in off the bench and hit for the pitcher (Drese) and lined out. Wilkerson came up, after having struck out looking and walking in his first two plate appearances. He also lined out. More runners left on base without a score? Nope, as Vidro came in and doubled in Carroll and Baerga (Vidro was 2-2 prior to this at-bat, hitting two singles). Immediately thereafter Johnson also hit a double, knocking in Vidro, driving the score to 4-3 Phillies (Johnson hit into a double play his first at-bat and flied out to center in his second at-bat). Guillen then lined out (Guillen struck out and grounded out in his previous two at-bats).
Newly promoted LHP John Halama relieved Drese and pitched the fifth inning (3 up, 3 down). Ayala relieved Halama for the sixth inning and didn't allow a run to score, though he walked the first batter he faced (Burrell) and allowed a single to the second (Howard). He got out of the inning by inducing Bell to hit into a double play and then getting Pratt to ground out to third. Ayala also pitched the seventh (3 up, 3 down).
Now we get to two more Nationals runs in the 8th inning. Guillen doubled, Schneider flied out, and then Wilson singled - Guillen ran home on the single with Wilson getting to second while the defense threw home. Score 4-4. Immediately thereafter Baerga hit a single and Wilson ran home, and Baerga advanced to second base during the throw. Score 5-4. Carroll Flied out and Guzman hit for Ayala and also filed out.
Stanton faced two batters in the bottom of the 8th and got 1 out. Cordero relieved him and got Burrell to hit into an inning ending double play. Cordero picked up his 39th save after pitching an outstanding 9th inning - struck out the first and third batter he faced and got the second to hit a line drive to right - an out. Ayala got credit for the win (his 8th, giving him an 8-6 record).
The Line-up:
B Wilkerson CF-LF 0-4, 1 walk, 1 SO .251
J Vidro 2B 3 for 4, 1 2B (19), 2 RBI (30), 1 BB, 1 R, .285
N Johnson 1B 1 for 5, 1 2B (28), 1 RBI (56), 1 SO .306
J Guillen RF 1 for 5, 1 2B (26) 1 R, 2 SO .301
B Schneider C 0 for 4, 1 SO, .288
R Church LF 0 for 2, .289
Wilson PH-CF 1 for 2, 1 RBI (66), 1 R, .259
C Baerga 3B 2 for 3, 1 RBI (16), 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SO, .271
J Carroll SS-3B 2 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB .241
R Drese P 0 for 0, .071
Castilla PH 0 for 1, .241
Blanco PH 0 for 1, 1 SO, .220
Guzman PH-SS 0 for 1, .191
ESPN.com recap of the 5-4 win in the Night Game. Nationals.com recap.
NL EAST:
Braves 69-52
Phillies 65-57, 4.5 GB
Nationals 64-57, 5 GB
Marlins 63-57, 5.5 GB
Mets 61-59, 7.5 GB
Wild Card:
Phillies 65-57
Astros 64-57, 0.5 GB
Nationals 64-57, 0.5 GB
Marlins 63-57, 1 GB
Mets 61-59, 3.0 GB
Brewers 60-62, 5.0 GB
Next:
The Nationals boarded busses after last night's game and headed off to Shea Stadium (there was something about the trains not working correctly that was mentioned by the TV people covering the night game). The Mets are 5-5 in August, and was 2-1 in their last series against the Pirates.
Tonight: METS:
Patterson (7-3, 2.44) vs. Seo (4-1, 1.35)
The scouting report can be found in the previous two entries in this blog (including my comments). I just mention that Patterson is 0-0 with an era of 3.75 in 12 IP at RFK against the Mets (only games he has started against them), and that Seo is 1-1 with an era of 3.27 in 11 IP
ESPN.com stat pack. Nationals.com preview (Robinson quote in the preview: "You never know. Just when they look like they are down and out, they stick their head up and do some things").
Saturday:
Livan Hernandez (14-5, 3.45) vs. Pedro Martinez (12-5, 2.96)
What more can be said? It's Pedro Martinez and Livan Hernandez. A scouting report and notes by me are in previous entries in the blog, but those types of things are thrown out the window when pitchers of this caliber face each other.
Sunday:
John Halama vs. Kris Benson
Halama will become the Nationals first ever LHP starter, and the first LHP starter for the organization since Oct. 1 of last year when a LHP started for the Expoes.
Here's the updated scouting report, which now includes Halama:
"Scouting Report:Halama will make his first start in a Nationals uniform against the Mets on Sunday. He will face them for the third time in is career. Halama doesn't have a decision, but he has given up five runs in 12 innings against the Mets.
Benson comes into Sunday's start on a roll, having won his last two outings against San Diego and Pittsburgh and pitching about as well as he has for New York. Benson has spoken often about feeling like a totally different pitcher this season and it's shown, as he's soaked up lessons from the Mets' staff with vigor. Benson allowed two runs and seven hits in a no-decision against the Nationals on July 7."
My notes in my previous entry (after the "Game starting" one), note that Halama has started 1 game this year for Boston:
1 GS for Boston: 5 IP 4 H 2 ER 1 HR 1 HBP 0 BB 2 SO = 1 Win and 3.60 ERA.
and that Benson is 5-2 (2.87) at home in 12 games started, and has never faced the Nationals at home. At RFK: No decision, 2.57 ERA. 7 IP 7 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 walks and six strike-outs.
Monday:
Off - travel back to RFK.
The 55-66 Reds are the next team the Natioanls face, in RFK.
