Nats miss chances, bullpen falls apart, lose 13-3
STAT LINE: Play-by-Play | In-Game Boxscore | Head to Head | Nats Stats | Rangers Stats
Tonight's game was one of missed chances. The Nationals had the bases loaded in the 5th with nobody out and only came away with one run. They loaded them again in the 6th, with 1-out, and didn't score at all.
Already leading 4-3 entering the 7th, the Rangers broke the game open by scoring seven runs off Charlie Manning and Brian Sanches. Manning lasted 1/3 of an inning, giving up three runs on two hits and a walk. Sanches gave up four runs on four hits and a walk. Texas sent 11 men to the plate and extended their lead to 11-3.
The Rangers added single runs in the eighth and ninth to add insult to injury and the final was 13-3
After the game, the Nationals sent Mock and reliever Brian Sanches down to Triple-A Columbus and called up infielder Pete Orr and RHP Steven Shell from Triple-A Columbus.
Garrett Mock got off to a slow start, allowing three runs in the first. He gave up a lead-off home run to Ian Kinsler and a 2-run double to David Murphy. Wily Mo Pena had a bead on the Kinsler home run. The ball went off his glove and landed into the Rangers bullpen in left. Murphy's double seemed to freeze Elijah Dukes in right and it went over his head, allowing two runs to score.
Texas added a run in the 4th. The Nationals traded a run for a double play and the Rangers led 4-0
The Nationals cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning. Lastings Milledge led-off with his 6th home run of the year and Dmitri Young scored on Felipe Lopez's ground out. That made it a 4-2 game. Washington made it a 4-3 game in the 5th. With nobody out and the bases loaded, Elijah Dukes ground into a double play, allowing a run to score.
Postgame Notes
Final Linescore
Rangers 13-18-0
Nationals 3-8-0
WP-Gabbard (2-3)
LP-Mock (0-2)
SV-Mendoza (1)
HR-Milledge (6), Kinsler (11)
After the game, Mock spoke about what he learned from his previous time here with the Nationals and how his confidence played a factor.
Listen to Garrett Mock's postgame interview
Injury News
Potomac National 1st baseman Chris Marrero is done for the season with torn ligaments and a broken fibula he sustained sliding into home plate. Sr. VP & GM Jim Bowden talked about the unfortunate injury.
Listen to Jim Bowden discuss the injury to Chris Marrero
Pete McElroy's Live GameBlog
Bullpen Woes
Charlie Manning and Brian Sanches were supposed to keep the game 4-3, but that didn't happen.
The Rangers sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs to break the game wide open. Michael Young hit a 2-run single to make it 6-3. Josh Hamilton followed with an RBI single and the Ragers built a 4-run cushion. After Marlon Byrd lined out to third, David Murphy hit a 2-run double to make it 8-3. Two batters later, Ramon Vazquez cleared the bases with a 3-run double and the Rangers now lead 11-3.
Manning gave up three runs on two hits and a walk in 1/3 of an inning. Sanches wasn't any better. He gave up four runs on four hits and a walk in a 1/3 inning.
Rare 4 out inning
The Rangers needed four outs to get out of the 7th. With 2-outs, Lastings Milledge struck out, but catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia couldn't handle the pitch and it got away from him and Milledge ended up on first. Dmitri Young then grounded out to end the inning. A rare 4-out inning.
Missed Opportunity Pt. 3
Washington had a chance to tie the game in the 6th but once again, couldn't get a hit when they needed it.
Dmitri Young led-off with a single and Ronnie Belliard walked. After Felipe Lopez struck out, starter Kason Gabbard was replaced with Frank Francisco. Paul Lo Duca greeted Francisco with a single to load the bases. Wily Mo Pena popped out to short center and the runners couldn't advance. Kory Casto, pinch-hitting for Garrett Mock, hit a hump-back liner to short to end the inning.
Mock's Final Line
Garrett Mock, pinch-hit for in the 6th, retired the side in order in both the 5th and 6th innings. Since giving up back-to-back singles in the 4th, he retired the last eight Rangers he faced. Mock got out of two jams with double plays. Here's his final line.
6 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, BB, 8 K, HR. 96 pitches, 61 strikes.
Missed Opportunity Pt. 2
Trailing 4-2, the Nationals missed a golden opportunity to tie the game or possibly take the lead. They loaded the bases with nobody out in the 5th and only managed to score one run. Elijah Dukes grounded into a 6-4-3 double play and Lastings Milledge grounded out to end the inning.
Nationals scoring, 4th inning
How many times do you see a guy make a great defensive play, then have a great at bat?
Lastings Milledge made a diving catch, on a fly ball towards left-center, to end the 4th. He led-off the bottom of the inning with his sixth home run of the season and the Nationals trail 4-1. Milledge crushed a 3-1 pitch to left that almost cleard the seats and landed on the concourse. Dmitri Young followed with a double and scored on Felipe Lopez's ground out, to make a 4-2 game.
Odalis Perez update
Odalis Perez, making a rehab start for the Potomac Nationals against the Frederick Keys, pitched four solid innings tonight. He struck out the side in the first, didn't walk a batter and left the game with a 4-1 lead. Here's his line for the night.
4 IP, 3 H, ER, 5 K. 56 pitches, 40 strikes.
Mock thru 3 innings
Mock has settled down somewhat since the first. He put two runners on in the second, with 1-out, but got an inning ending double play. In the third, he gave up a lead-off double, but left the runner stranded. Mock got a ground out and two strike outs in the inning.
3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, BB, 5 K, HR. 54 pitches.
Missed Opportunity
The Nationals had a chance to get on the board in the second, but couldn't get a base hit. They had runners on first and second with 1-out. Paul Lo Duca grounded into a 5-4 fielders choice and Wily Mo Pena struck out.
Rangers scoring, 1st inning
This is not the kind of start Garrett Mock or the Nationals were hoping for.
Mock's second pitch of the game, a 91 MPH fastball right down the middle of the plate, left the yard. Ian Kinsler took him deep to left. Wily Mo Pena went back and got some leather on it, but wasn't able to bring it back in the park. It was Kinsler's 11th homer of the season and third career lead-off home run.
The Rangers added to their lead when David Murphy's double to right, froze Elijah Dukes for a split second, allowing two runs to score. Mock needed 24 pitches to get out of the inning.
Starting Line-Ups
Rangers
2B Ian Kinsler
1B Frank Catalanotto
SS Michael Young
CF Josh Hamilton
RF Marlon Byrd
LF David Murphy
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia
3B Ramon Vazquez
P Kason Gabbard
Nationals
SS Cristian Guzman
RF Elijah Dukes
CF Lastings Milledge
1B Dmitri Young
3B Ronnie Belliard
2B Felipe Lopez
C Paul Lo Duca
LF Wily Mo Pena
P Garrett Mock
Before the game, Manny Acta talked about Elijah Dukes' recent hot streak and what he's looking for from Garrett Mock in his second start in the big leagues.
Listen to Manny Acta's pregame press conference
Game Preview
Texas (37-38) at Nationals (30-45)
Garrett Mock, recalled from Triple-A Columbus following last night's game, will make his second start for the Nationals. To make room for Mock, Ryan Langerhans was outrighted to Columbus.
Elijah Dukes topped off his career night with a walk-off single in the 14th inning, giving Washington a 4-3 win. Dukes had a career-high 5 hits, including the game tying home run in the 8th.
The Nationals' bullpen tossed eight scoreless innings of 1-hit ball. Joel Hanrahan pitched the final two to pick up his third win of the season.
The win snapped the Nationals 3-game losing streak.
Pitching Match-Up
RHP Garrett Mock (0-1, 8.31), will make his second big league start tonight. His first outing didn't go as planned and he suffered the loss in the Giants 6-3 win on June 8th. Mock gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks in just 4 1/3 innings. He allowed base runners in the first four innings, but escaped damage until the 5th.
Given a 3-0 lead, the Giants seem to rattle Mock in the 5th. He walked three batters, one to force in a run. Randy Winn followed with a 2-run single and Aaron Rowand knocked him out of the game with an RBI single.
This is Mock's first appearance against the Rangers.
LHP Kason Gabbard (1-3, 4.94) is looking for his first win since April 4th. He's 0-3 with six no-decisions since his first victory. Gabbard hasn't made it out of the 5th inning in his last seven starts.
In his last start, June 15th, Gabbard was touched for four runs on eight hits and three walks in 5 2/3 in the 4-2 loss to the Mets at Shea Stadium. Gabbard's last four starts have been unimpressive. He is 0-3 and has given up 19 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings, a 9.68 ERA.
This is the 8th road start for Gabbard. He's 1-2 with a 4.60 ERA. Opponents are hitting .280 off him away from Ameriquest Field. Lefties have a .313 average off Gabbard. He has never faced the Nationals.
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