Photo by Max Cook, We Love DC

Though Stephen Strasburg’s start this afternoon would be the shortest in his brief tenure with the Nationals, going just 5IP and giving up a pair of runs to the Mets, the Nationals would rally late and pick up a victory. Strasburg struggled early with control and location, and gave up a pair of walks in the top of a 37-pitch first inning that left the Nationals down a run. He would be lifted for a pinch hitter (oddly, it was J.D. Martin who would hit for Strasburg in the 5th) after 96 pitches and five innings of work.

Photo by Max Cook, We Love DC

The Nationals wouldn’t truly come alive until the 9th, when Francisco Rodriguez came in to relieve Parnell. R.A. Dickey would go seven full this afternoon and the Nationals, aside from a pair in the sixth, couldn’t do much against the knuckleballer. In the 9th, Guzman would draw a four pitch walk, and would advance to second on a grounder from Nyjer Morgan. Willie Harris, whose streak against the Mets continues, would single him to third. Ryan Zimmerman would battle K-Rod, taking the count full and over-full, before drawing a walk to load the bases.

Adam Dunn would take a K-Rod pitch to the edge of the park, where it would bounce off the top of the wall and back onto the field for a 2-run double. The call was reviewed by the umpires, as it may well have hit just beyond the centerfield fence, but that review wouldn’t go in Dunn’s favor. Willingham would be walked to re-load the bases for Pudge Rodriguez. Jerry Manuel would bring in one of his outfielders to fight against the infield single, but Pudge blooped it right over their heads to bring in the winning run.

Kudos are due today to Drew Storen, for a pair of scoreless innings in relief, and Matt Capps, who picked up the win after coming in during a difficult situation in the 9th, and to all who stayed for the bottom of the ninth in a difficult game.

Tom Bridge

I live and work in the District of Columbia. I write at We Love DC, a blog I helped start, I work at Technolutionary, a company I helped start, and I’m happy doing both. I enjoy watching baseball, cooking, and gardening. I grow a mean pepper, keep a clean scorebook, and wash the dishes when I’m done. Read Why I Love DC.