Pirates pound Lannan, win 11-4
The Pirates pounded John Lannan and sent him to an early shower. Lannan lasted just 3 innings, the shortest outing of his career. Pittsburgh beat the Nationals 11-4, ending their 4-game win streak.
Jose Bautista homered twice and drove in 4 runs. Ryan Doumit and Chris Gomez each drove in 2-runs.
Wil Nieves went 1-4 with a 2-run double and Cristian Guzman had 2 hits for the Nationals, who managed only 7 on the night and just one off the Pirate bullpen in 5 innings of work.
One on One with Jim Bowden
During tonight's game against the Pirates, I sat down with Sr. VP & GM Jim Bowden and we talked about the first month of the season and the direction of the franchise.
Listen to Pete McElroy's Interview with Jim Bowden
Dukes Update
Elijah Dukes, making a rehab assignment for Triple-A Columbus, went 3-4 with a 2-run double and a stolen base in the Clippers 4-3 win over Lehigh Valley.
In Game Updates
Nats Bats
Since the 4th inning, when they Nationals had 3 hits and scored 3 runs, the Pirates pitchers have retired 12 of 13 Nats. They have only allowed 1 hit.
Jose, Jose, Jose, Jose
Jose Bautista hit his second home run of the game, in the 5th, to give the Pirates a 4-run lead, 8-4. This was the second 2-homer game of his career. He has 4 rbi through 7 innings.
Wild Thing
Nationals pitchers have thrown 3 wild pitches tonight. One each by Lannan, Mike O'Connor and Joel Hanrahan.
Nationals 4th Inning
After a 25 minute delay due to a power outage with a bank of lights on the left field line, the Nats got 3-runs back in the 4th.
Ryan Zimmerman singled before the lights went out. When play resumed, Lastings Milledge hit a 1-out double. Austin Kearns walked to load the bases and Wily Mo Pena hit a sac fly that scored Zimmerman, 7-2 Bucs.
Red hot Wil Nieves followed with a 2-run double to make it 7-4 as we head to the 5th.
Starting Pitchers Line's
Lannan: 3 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, HB, WP, Balk. 85 pitches, 53 strikes.
Dumatrait: 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, BB, 4 K. 66 pitches, 42 strikes.
Turn out the lights, the party's over....
Well, not quite. Former NFL star, Don Meredith used to sing that song during Monday Night Football telecasts when the game was winding down and the team who was ahead was about to close out the victory. I digress. At approximately 8:55, a bank of lights went out and the game was delayed for 25 minutes. The light tower made the outfield in left a bit dark, so play was halted.
Lannan lifted after 3
John Lannan had the shortest outing of his young career. He lasted just 3 innings, gave up 6 runs, 5 earned on 6 hits and 2 walks. Oh yeah, he hit a batter, threw a wild pitch, was charged with a balk and gave up a 3-run home run. His command wasn't there from the get-go. Lannan threw 85 pitches, 53 for strikes.
John Lannan, struggling with his command from the outset, was pounded by the Pirates in the 3rd.
Nate McLouth hit a double high off the wall in right to start the inning. One out and 2 batters later, Ryan Doumit singled to center, 1-0 Bucs. Xavier Nady followed with an RBI single of his own, 2-0 Pittsburgh. On a routine ground ball to short, Cristian Guzman flipped to Felipe Lopez, who droped the ball, allowing another run to score, 3-0.
Jose Bautista followed with a 3-run homer to center and the Pirates lead 6-0.
Pitchers through 2
John Lannan is struggling with his command in the first two innings. He hit lead-off batter Nate McLouth to begin the game, but got a 4-6-3 double play. In the second, Xavier Nady had an 11-pitch at-bat before walking. After a single to Chris Gomez, he balked and the runners moved to second and third, but he got Phil Dumatrait to ground out to end the inning. Lannan set the Nationals record for consecutive scoreless innings with 21. Lannan has thrown 42 pitches in the first two frames.
Phil Dumatrait has retired all 6 Nats in order. He's thrown 25 pitches, 16 for strikes.
Game Preview:
Pirates (11-17) vs. Nationals (12-17)
The Nationals go for their 5-straight win tonight, something they haven't done since September 1-5 last season. During the current win streak, the Nats have outscored their opponents 14-7.
The Nationals starting pitchers have gone into the 6th in each game and the bullpen has given up just 2 earned runs in 11 innings.
Manny Acta gives the ball to John Lannan, who is coming off a solid outing.
Listen to Manny Acta's Pregame Press Conference
Starting Line-Up's
Pirates
CF Nate McLouth
2B Freddy Sanchez
LF Jason Bay
C Ryan Doumit
RF Xavier Nady
1B Doug Mientkiewicz
3B Jose Bautista
SS Chris Gomez
P Phil Dumatrait
Nationals
2B Felipe Lopez
SS Cristian Guzman
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Nick Johnson
CF Lastings Milledge
RF Austin Kearns
LF Wily Mo Pena
C Wil Nieves
P John Lannan
Throwback Friday
Time now for your Friday update about what throwback jersey Aaron Boone has hanging at his locker and who, if any one, brought in something from their collection. Boone went with a Paul Molitor Milwaukee Brewer jersey. Very classy. The only person who brought one in this week was catcher Johnny Estrada. He had a Rafael Batista, 1973 Houston Astros zip-up jersey. Here is what Estrada had to say about the jersey and his collection.
Listen to Johnny Estrada's Pregame Interview
Pitching Match-Up
LHP John Lannan (2-2, 2.64) hasn't given up a run in his last two games, tossing 14 scoreless innings and he's only given up one earned in his last 20. His era dropped from 6.75 to 2.64 over that span.
Tonight will be his first career start against the Pirates. At Nationals Park, Lannan is 1-1, 4.91. In two night starts, he is 1-0 with a paper thin 0.69 ERA and he's holding opponents to a .170 average after the sun sets.
LHP Phil Dumatrait (0-1, 3.92) is making his first start of the season, replacing injured Matt Morris. He began the year in the Pirate bullpen as the long reliever, so he is stretched out in terms of innings. Last season he started 4-games for the Cinncinnati Reds and went 0-4, 15.00 ERA. Dumatrait gave up 39 hits and 30 earned runs in just 18 innings, including 6 home runs and opponents had a .449 batting average against him.
This year, Dumatrait, has pitched better, giving up 9 earned runs in 20 2/3 innings and opponents are hitting .275 off the lefty.
Roster Moves
The Nationals today placed right-handed pitcher Chad Cordero on the 15-Day Disabled List, retroactive to April 30, with a tear in the right latissimus dorsi muscle and recalled from rehab and reinstated catcher Paul LoDuca from the 15-Day Disabled List.
LoDuca, recently completed a three-game rehab assignment with Potomac of Single-A Carolina League. Prior to going on the DL on April 18 with a right-hand contusion, LoDuca hit .200 (7-for-35) with three doubles and four RBI in 12 games.
Cordero has posted a 2.08 ERA (1 ER/4.1 IP) in six appearances this season.
Listen to Paul LoDuca's Pregame Interview
Paying Tribute
The Nationals will pay tribute to Negro Leagues Baseball on Saturday. In honor of the Negro Leagues legacy, Nationals players will wear replica 1942 Homestead Grays home uniforms; while the Pirates will wear replica 1935 Homestead Grays road uniforms. The Homestead Grays played their home games at both Pittsburgh's Forbes Field and Washington's Griffith Stadium.
Negro Leagues alumni Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, Sonny Randle, Pedro Sierra and James Tillman, as well as Geraldine Day, wife of Leonard Day, and Sean Gibson, great-great-grandson of Josh Gibson will be recognized during a pre-game ceremony and will also be available to sign autographs from the 2nd through 4th innings on the Miller Lite Scoreboard Walk, located on the 200 level behind the Nationals Park Scoreboard. Sean Gibson will throw out the ceremonial first pitch and Pedro Sierra will deliver the Nationals line-up card. Features on Negro League greats will be shown throughout the day.
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