Two unearned runs cost Nats win, Perez tossed in third
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The Nationals lost their sixth straight game, a 2-0 shutout loss to the Diamondbacks. They also had their starting pitcher, Odalis Perez, ejected in the third inning. Perez was tossed for arguing with home plate umpire Angel Hernandez about a second balk call in the third inning.
Chris Burke reached on Cristian Guzman's ninth error of the year. After Perez struck out Brandon Webb and with Chris Young at the plate, Burke advanced to second on Perez's first balk in the inning. Young then singled Burke home and the D-Backs led 1-0; the run was unearned. With Stephen Drew batting, Perez was then called for his second balk, and after arguing the call, he was sent to the showers.
Perez barely got off the mound when he was tossed. Manager Manny Acta and pitching coach Randy St. Claire came to Perez's defense, but there wasn't anything either could do or say to save their pitcher.
Perez said he has a history with Hernandez and didn't have too many kind words for the unpire after the game. "He's stupid, he's an idiot. Thats' the fourth time he's called a balk on me. I lost the game twice. It's like he has something personal against me and I hate that... I know I'm going to get fined but I don't care. I want to protect myself and my teammates too. He's been pulling sh*t all year." We, the media, asked to speak to Hernandez, but he declined our request through a spokesperson.
After Perez was ejected, the bullpen did an excellent job of shutting down Arizona. Three relievers gave up an unearned on three hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Saul Rivera gave up a 1-out hit in the sixth and two batters later, a single to Robby Hammock. As the ball was dropping in front of Roger Bernadina in center field, Bernadina was caught between trying to make a diving catch or trapping it. The hesitation cost him. The ball skipped by Bernadina for a two-base error, allowing Mark Reynolds to score and the giving the D-Backs a 2-0 lead.
The Nationals can't complain too much. They had plenty of opportunities to get a run off Brandon Webb but didn't get a hit in the clutch.
They left a runner on third with 1-out in the second. Runners on the corners with 1-out in the fourth and the bases loaded in the fifth.
This is the 11th time the Nationals have been shutout this season.
Postgame Notes
With the Nats trailing 1-0 in the sixth, Roger Bernadina's indecision on a fly ball turned into a two-base error and allowed an insurance run to score. After the game, Bernadina described what happened on the play.
Listen to Roger Bernadina's postgame interview
Cristian Guzman was 0-3, snapping his 14-game hitting streak.
Austin Kearns went 2-4 and is 6-19 (.315) in five games since coming off the disabled list on July 3rd.
Kory Casto, recalled from Triple-A Columbus prior to tonight's game, had a pinch-hit double in the fifth, raising his average to .444 (4-9) with two doubles, a home run and five RBI coming off the bench.
Final Linescore
Diamondbacks 2-4-1
Nationals 0-6-2
WP-Webb (13-4)
LP-Perez (2-6)
SV-Lyon (19)
Pete McElroy's Live Gameblog
D-Backs scoring, 6th inning
Rookie Roger Bernadina's two-base error led to the D-Backs second unearned run of the night.
With Mark Reynolds on first, Robby Hammock singled to center. Bernadina looked like he wanted to make a diving catch, held up and was caught between thoughts. The ball scooted by him and rolled all the way to the wall, allowing Burke to score from first, giving Arizona the 2-0 lead.
Missed opportunity, Pt. 3
Austin Kearns came to the plate, in the fifth, with the bases loaded and two outs. He got ahead of Brandon Webb 2-0 and took a 90 MPH fastball right down the middle. He then got the count in his favor again, 3-1, and fouled off a pitch to go full. Webb's 3-2 pitch was another fastball but Kearns got under it just a bit and flew out to left-center to end the inning and leave the bags full. Washington has left a total of seven runners on base thru five innings and five in the last two.
One Shell of a night
Steven Shell took over for Odalis Perez in the third and pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings. It wasn't the best night of his brief career, but he got the job done. Shell allowed four walks, one intentionally, one hit and struckout two. He inherited a runner that he kept from scoring. It was good to see he didn't get flustered by issuing the walks.
Missed opportunity, Pt. 2
Once again the Nationals failed to take advantage of a first and third situation. Austin Kearns hit a 1-out single and advanced to third on Dmitri Young's single. Brandon Webb struckout Jesus Flores on three pitches and he got Wily Mo Pena looking at a fastball on the outside corner. Washington has four hits and a walk, but they've stranded four runners thru four innings.
Perez sent to early shower
Odalis Perez didn't like the fact that he was called for two balks in one inning and home plate umpire Angel Hernandez didn't like what Perez said to him. Hernandez tossed Perez in the third. He left the game with two outs and trailing 1-0. Perez only gave up one hit, but that hit drove in the lone run. Here is his final line.
2 2/3 IP, H, R, 0 ER, BB, 2 K, 2 Balks. 49 pitches, 35 for strikes.
D-Backs scoring, 2nd inning
Odalis Perez was tossed by home plate umpire Angel Hernandez in the top of the third for arguing his second balk of the inning.
A 1-out error by Cristian Guzman put Chris Burke on first. Perez was called for a balk and Burke moved to second. After Brandon Webb struck out, Chris Young singled Burke home for the 1-0 lead. With Stephen Drew batting, Perez was called for another balk. He argued with Hernandez and was quickly tossed from the game. Manager Manny Acta and pitching coach Randy St.Claire came to Perez's defense, but it didn't matter, Hernandez heard enough and ejected him.
Steven Shell came in to get the final out of the inning. The run by Arizona was unearned because of Guzman's error.
Missed opportunity
Washington missed a chance to get on the board in the second. They had runners on first and second with nobody out and first and third with one out, but were unable to push a run across.
Austin Kearns led-off with a single and moved to second on a walk by Dmitri Young. Jesus Flores grounded into a force out, at second, to put runners on the corners. Wily Mo Pena struck out and Roger Bernadina grounded ou,t to second, to end the inning.
Starting Line-Ups
Diamondbacks:
CF Chris Young
SS Stephen Drew
2B Orlando Hudson
1B Conor Jackson
3B Mark Reynolds
RF Justin Upton
C Robby Hammock
LF Chris Burke
P Brandon Webb
Nationals:
2B Felipe Lopez
3B Ronnie Belliard
SS Cristian Guzman
RF Austin Kearns
1B Dmitri Young
C Jesus Flores
LF Wily Mo Pena
CF Roger Bernadina
P Odalis Perez
Game Preview
Arizona (44-45) at Nationals (34-56)
Washington concluded their 7-game road trip with a 1-6 record, dropped five straight and lost their starting left-fielder, Elijah Dukes for at least a month with a partial tear of his right patella tendon and a torn right meniscus.
The Nationals begin a 6-game homestand with a 3-game series against the NL West-leading Diamondbacks. Arizona and Los Angeles are tied for the division lead with a sub .500 record.
The two teams are meeting for the second time this season. The D-Backs took two of three from the Nationals in Arizona back in May with Washington beating Micah Owings, 7-4, in the series opener.
The Nationals, 5-11 in their last 16 games at Nationals Park, have only 18 home wins, second fewest in the Majors. Arizona has only 17 road wins, fifth fewest in the NL, and just four in their last 14 outside of Chase Field.
Pitching Match-Up
LHP Odalis Perez (2-5, 3.78) is making his third start since coming off the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis. Perez's last outing was one of his best of the season, but an hour and a half rain delay and a bullpen meltdown cost him a chance for a win.
In that game against the Marlins on July 2nd, Perez retired the first 11 Marlins and gave up two runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings. The Nationals were leading 2-1 in the seventh, when Mother Nature delayed the game. Perez was responsible for a runner on second when he left the game. After the delay, Charlie Manning came in and gave up a 2-run homer to Alfredo Amezaga and the Nationals ended up on the losing end, 4-2.
Perez, looking for his first win since May 28th, has given up six runs, four earned, in his last three starts, a loss and two no-decisions. He hasn't started a game against the Diamondbacks since 2005 and has a career record of 5-5 with a 3.45 ERA in 20 games, 18 starts vs. Arizona.
In seven starts at Nationals Park, Perez has been solid, but doesn't have a win to show for it. He's 0-2 with a 2.27 ERA. The Nationals are 5-2 in his starts at home.
RHP Brandon Webb (12-4, 3.43), the ace of the Diamondbacks staff, started the season 9-0 with a 2.56 ERA in his first nine outings. In his next nine starts, he's 3-4 with a 4.44 ERA and has been pitching more like a number four starter in the rotation.
His last start on July 3rd was one of his worst of the season. He gave up five runs, on nine hits, in six innings, in the D-Backs 6-5 loss to Milwaukee, but he didn't factor in the decision. Two of the hits were home runs.
Webb has only one win in his last five games and an ERA of 6.26 during that span. His last win came against the Marlins on June 28th, where he gave up just two runs in six innings to beat Florida 6-2. Webb gave up five hits and matched a season-high with eight strike outs.
This is Webb's second start against the Nationals this season. He tossed a 6-hit, complete-game, shutout at Chase Field on May 31st, to beat Washington 4-0. In his career vs. the Nationals, Webb is 3-2 with a 3.13 ERA in seven games, six starts.
Webb is making his 11th road start of the season. He's 6-3 with a 2.70 ERA while holding opponents to a .219 average.
Inside the Numbers
Snake Bit
Over the last two seasons, the Diamondbacks have won eight of the 10 meetings between the two teams. Looking at the numbers, it's easy to see why.
D-Backs: .243 AVG, 15 HR, 52 R, 2.40 ERA
Nationals: .216 AVG, 9 HR, 24 R, 5.34 ERA
It's as easy as 1-2-3
Odalis Perez has been pretty steady in the first three innings when he pitches. After that, it's a different story.
Innings 1-3: 2.60 ERA (13 ER/45 Inn), .247 average against
After the 3rd: 5.25 ERA (21 ER/36 Inn), .311 average against
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