Nats' missed opportunities lead to 3-1 loss
The Nationals had their chances to take the first two games of the series, against the Pirates, but failed to get a big hit when they needed it.
Washington scored a lone run and left 10 men on base. The offense, after pounding five home runs last night, had three extra-base hits, all doubles, but none when it mattered.
John Lannan pitched 6 solid innings, giving up two runs on seven hits, but suffered his 7th loss.
In their last 15 losses, the Nationals have scored only 20 runs. They've scored more than two runs just twice in that span. Not many teams will win games when the offense isn't producing.
Breaking News
Ryan Zimmerman was examined by Dr. Timothy Kremchek this morning in Cincinnati (OH). He confirmed that Zimmerman has a small tear in the anterior labrum (left non-throwing shoulder) and has some mild cuff weakness. Zimmerman will continue his treatment and rehab plan for the next 4-6 weeks until he feels no pain and has regained his strength completely.
Matt Chico was examined by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham (AL), who confirmed that he has significant ossification of his ulnar collateral ligament and loose bodies in the back of his left throwing elbow. He recommended rest and rehab for the next six weeks.
Postgame Notes
Final Linescore
Nationals 1-7-2
Pirates 3-10-0
WP-Snell (3-6)
LP-Lannan (4-7)
SV-Capps (16)
HR-Doumit (8)
Lannan stuck with the loss
John Lannan gave the Nats another solid start, giving up just 2 earned runs in 6 innings, but got yet another tough-luck loss. After the game, he talked about his outing and what he's been doing well his last few starts.
Offensive Stars
There really isn't one, but I will give one to Elijah Dukes for his RBI single.
Pete McElroy's Live GameBlog
Missed Opportunity, Pt. 2
If the Nationals lose tonight's game, they will look back on the 6th and 8th innings. In the 8th, they had runners on first and second with 1-out and couldn't get a big hit. Felipe Lopez flew out and Willie Harris grounded out and the Nationals wasted another chance to cut into the Pirates lead.
Pirates scoring, 7th inning
Pittsburgh went station-to-station to score a run off reliever Joel Hanrahan. With 1-out, Freddy Sanchez singled, Jason Bay walked and Ryan Doumit blooped a single to center to load the bases. Xavier Nady hit a bloop of his own and the Pirates regained their 2-run lead and still had the bases full. None off the base hits were hit hard. Hanrahan ended the threat by getting two strikeouts to end the inning.
Nationals scoring, 7th inning
The Nationals got on the board off Ian Snell and reliever Damaso Marte. Felipe Lopez doubled to lead-off the inning off Snell. After a Willie Harris walked; Marte replaced Snell. Marte got pinch-hitter Aaron Boone to pop out. Cristian Guzman's flyout moved Lopez to third. Elijah Dukes hit an RBI single to cut the Pirates lead in half. Lastings Milledge popped out to short right to end the inning.
Dear John
John Lannan had another quality outing, his ninth in 13 starts. He gave up 2 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings. Unfortunately, the Nationals offense has been quieted by Ian Snell. Lannan got 12 ground ball outs, compared to 4 fly ball outs. He was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the 7th. Here's his final line.
6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 3 K, HR. 93 pitches, 61 strikes.
Missed Opportunity
The Nationals haven't had many chances off Ian Snell and they let one slip away in the 6th. Dmitri Young singled and Jesus Floes hit a ground-rule double with 2-out. Ronnie had a chance to tie the game, but popped out to first to end the inning.
Pitchers thru 5 innings
John Lannan, who gave up a run in the 1st, just served up a solo home run to Ryan Doumit and the Pirates extend their lead to 2-0. Doumit now has three homers in the first two games of the series. Here's his line
6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 K. 84 pitches, 55 strikes.
Ian Snell is tossing a 3-hit shutout to this point. He's held the Nationals without a hit since the 3rd inning and retired the last 7 batters.
6 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K.
Mental Error
Not only have the Nationals made two fielding errors, Dmitri Young added a mental one. Xavier Nady struck out on a breaking ball, but the pitch got away from Jesus Flores and he had to throw to first to make the out official. Flores picked up the wild pitch but Young didn't cover the bag and Nady was safe. The Nationals gave the Pirates four outs in the inning.
Pitchers thru 3 innings
Ian Snell has been decent to this point. He's stranded four runners and given up three hits. The Nationals haven't been able to take advantage of their base runners.
3 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K.
John Lannan has struggled a bit and his defense has failed him, but he has battled and gotten help from a double play and a couple of ground outs.
3 IP, 5 H, ER, K.
Unforced Errors
The Nationals, one of the best fielding teams in the NL, committed two errors in the 2nd inning. Jesus Flores couldn't field a sac bunt by pitcher Ian Snell and both runners were safe. The next batter, Nate McLouth, hit a routine grounder to Ronnie Belliard, who is starting at third, and he booted it, allowing the Pirates to load the bases. John Lannan got out of the inning without any damage by getting a ground ball double play.
On Fire!
Can Ronnie Belliard be any hotter? Since coming off the DL yesterday, all he's done is collect 4 hits in 5 at bats. He has 2 doubles and 2 HR. Belliard hit a 1-out double in the 2nd but was left on second base.
Pirates scoring, 1st inning
Just like last night, the Pirates jumped on Nationals pitching in the first inning. The only difference is John Lannan only gave up one run.
Jason Bay's RBI double, with no one out, put the Buccos up 1-0. Lannan settled down and got two ground ball outs and struck out Adam LaRoche with runners in scoring position.
The Nationals got a 2-out single from Lastings Milledge in the top half of the inning, but couldn't advance him. Milledge has now hit safely in 14 of his last 16 games.
Starting Line-Ups
Nationals
SS Cristian Guzman
RF Elijah Dukes
CF Lastings Milledge
1B Dmitri Young
C Jesus Flores
3B Ronnie Belliard
2B Felipe Lopez
LF Willie Harris
P John Lannan
Pirates
CF Nate McLouth
2B Freddy Sanchez
LF Jason Bay
C Ryan Doumit
RF Xavier Nady
1B Adam LaRoche
3B Jose Bautista
SS Jack Wilson
P Ian Snell
Game Preview
Nationals (26-40) at Pittsburgh (31-34)
Lastings Milledge's game-winning home run in the 9th inning last night gave the Nats the type of win that can springboard a team and start a winning streak.
The Nationals hit five home runs last night, the most in any game this year and would like to see the power continue against the Pirates.
After Milledge's homer, Elijah Dukes and Manny Acta got into a screaming match in the dugout and Dukes refused to shake Acta's hand after the win. It'll be interesting to see if there are any repercussions from that tiff.
John Lannan faces off against Ian Snell in the second game of the 3-game series.
Pitching Match-Up
LHP John Lannan (4-6, 3.47) is looking for his first win since May 18. He's gone three starts without a victory, the longest such stretch this season. Though he hasn't pitched poorly, the Nationals haven't given him any run support in any of the three outings. Lannan has given up 7 runs in 17 innings, but the offense has scored only 5.
In his last start, June 5, Lannan surrendered 2 runs on 4 hits in 6 innings, but was on the losing end of a 4-1 decision. In his 12 starts this year, Lannan has held opponents to 3 runs or fewer 9 times.
Tonight is the second career start against the Pirates for Lannan. In his first game on May 2, he had the shortest outing of the season, lasting just 3 innings while giving up 6 runs, 5 earned in Pittsburgh's 11-4 win.
Lannan has been solid on the road this season. In 7 starts, he's 3-2 with a 2.20 ERA and a near 3-to-1 K-to-BB ratio.
RHP Ian Snell (2-6, 5.65) hasn't won a game in two months. His last victory was a 4-3 win over Cincinnati on April 12. In that game, he gave up 3 earned runs in 6 1/3 innings to pick up his second straight victory. Since then, Snell has six losses and four no-decisions.
In his last start, June 6 vs. Arizona, he held the Diamondbacks to 2 runs in 5 innings, but suffered a 3-1 loss. He faced the Nationals on May 4 and gave up four runs on 10 hits in six innings and took the loss as Washington beat the Buccos 5-2. Snell is 0-1 with a 4.34 ERA in six career appearances (four starts) against the Nationals.
At PNC Park, Snell is 1-2 with a 3.26 ERA in 5 starts.
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