Nats fall to Brewers, 5-4, on Gabe Kapler walk-off home run in 13th
Gabe Kapler looked bad on the first two swings at Luis Ayala's fastball; but the third was perfect, and he ended Sunday's game with a walk-off homer in the 13th inning.
Kapler, starting in left field for an injured Ryan Braun, was 0-6 before ending the game with a homer off the foul pole.
The Nationals have now lost three straight games and are 3-4 on their 8-game road trip.
Forgotten in today's marathon was how well John Lannan pitched. Lannan gave up an unearned run on one hit and five walks in six innings. He struck out six, throwing 101 pitches.
With the game tied 1-1 in the eighth, Austin Kearns hit a two-run homer to put Washington up 3-1. Lastings Milledge followed with a solo shot to make it 4-1. Milledge went 3-6 with two RBI on the afternoon.
Milwaukee tied the game in the home half of the inning when Saul Rivera loaded the bases on a single and two walks. Joel Hanrahan came in and gave up a three-run double to Mike Rivera and the game remained that way until Kapler's game winner.
Postgame notes
Lastings Milledge, who went 3-6, extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
Emilio Bonifacio is hitless in his last 14 at bats. He went 0-6 today.
Austin Kearns' homer was his first since July 20th.
Ryan Zimmerman went 3-6, snapping an 0-8 skid.
Final linescore
Nationals 4-11-1
Brewers 5-7-0
WP-Mota (3-5)
LP-Ayala (1-8)
HR-Kearns (6), Milledge (12), Kapler (6)
Pete McElroy's Live Gameblog
Brewers scoring, 8th inning
Saul Rivera and Joel Hanranhan couldn't hold the Nationals 4-1 lead and the game is tied heading to the ninth.
Rivera gave up a single, sandwiched around two walks, before being replaced by Hanrahan. Mike Rivera greeted Hanrahan with a bases clearing double, tying the game 4-4.
Nationals scoring, 8th inning
Washigton figured out how to get on the scoreboard; face the Brewers bullpen.
Austin Kearns hit a 2-run homer, his sixth of the year, putting the Nationals up 3-1. Lastings Milledge followed with his 12th long ball, giving Washington a 4-1 lead.
Brewers scoring, 6th inning
John Lannan gave up a bloop single, to Bill Hall, that loaded the bases in the sixth. Gabe Kapler reached on an error and Prince Fielder walked befre the Brewers first hit. Mike Cameron's sac fly tied the game at 1-1.
Parra solid in 7 innings
Manny Parra tied a career high with nine strike outs and held the Nationals to one run in seven solid innings. He didn't walk a batter and Brewers starters allowed only one base on balls in their 25 innings of work in this series so far.
7 IP, 6 H, R, 0 BB, 9 K. 90 pitches
Lannan stellar in six innings
John Lannan only gave up one hit, but he walked five Brewers in his six innings of work. An error led to Milwaukee's one earned run and he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh. Once again, the Nationals haven't backed Lannan with any run support and he'll get another no-decision.
6 IP, 1 H, R, 5 BB, 6 K. 101 pitches, 60 strikes
Nationals scoring, 6th inning
Washington finally broke thru on Brewers pitching. Lastings Milledge hit a sharp siingle to center to score Cristian Guzman. The Brewers had held the Nationals scoreless for 23 straight innings prior to Milledge's RBI single.
Lannan thru 3 innings
John Lannan is what we call "wildly effective". He hasn't given up a hit, but has walked three. The Brewers haven't been able to take advantage of the free passes.
3 IP, 0 H, 3 BB, 4 K. 51 pitches, 29 strikes
Underway
Game three of the four game series is underway and both John Lannan and Manny Parra look good. Neither has given up a hit or base runner.
Starting Line-ups
Nationals
2B Emilio Bonifacio
SS Cristian Guzman
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Austin Kearns
CF Lastings Milledge
C Jesus Flores
1B Ronnie Belliard
LF Willie Harris
P John Lannan
Brewers
2B Rickie Weeks
SS J.J. Hardy
LF Gabe Kapler
1B Prince Fielder
RF Corey Hart
3B Bill Hall
CF Mike Cameron
C Mike Rivera
P Manny Parra
Game Preview
Nationals (44-73) at Milwaukee (66-51)
The Nationals' offense has come to a grinding halt in Milwaukee, getting shutout 5-0 and 6-0, respectively.
CC Sabathia tossed a complete-game five-hitter on Friday night and Ben Sheets followed it with his own complete-game five-hitter last night.
Washington, who scored 23 runs in Colorado, has been baffled by the Brewers' top two hurlers in this series.
John Lannan looks to shut down the Brew Crew, while the Nationals need to get to Milwaukee's starter Manny Parra early in order to get out of their offensive funk.
Pitching Match-Up
LHP John Lannan (6-11, 3.55) was dominant in his last outing, giving up just two runs on five hits in seven innings at Colorado last Tuesday.
Unfortunately for Lannan, the bullpen gave up six runs in the eighth to fall 8-2, and he had nothing to show for his effort. The young lefty kept the Rockies off balance with his curveball, striking out eight and 67 of his 108 pitches were for strikes.
Since winning two straight starts, July 9th and 19th, Lannan is winless is his last three outings. Once again, Lannan was let down by the Nationals' offense and scored just two runs. During his three game winless streak, Washington has scored just eight runs.
Lannan's only career start vs. Milwaukee was back on May 24th at Nationals Park. He suffered the loss, giving up three runs on five hits in five innings, in the Brewers 5-2 win. Cory Hart hit a 2-run homer off him in the fourth and Ricky Weeks drove in a run on a sac fly in the fifth.
Washington scored two in the bottom of the fifth, and left a runner in scoring position, handing Lannan the loss.
This will be his 14th start on the road, and he is 4-5 with a 2.57 ERA.
LHP Manny Parra (9-5, 4.18) didn't have a good day on the field or off of it last Monday. He took the loss, his third straight, allowing six runs on four hits and four walks in six innings in the Reds 6-3 win.
Parra had a no-hitter thru four innings and at one point struck out five straight Reds before he came unglued. A two-run double, by Cincinnati pitcher, Bronson Arroyo and a two-run homer by Jay Bruce led to an altercation in the dugout.
After being replaced for a pinch-hitter in the seventh, Parra and first baseman Prince Fielder got into it in the Brewers dugout. Fielder shoved Parra twice before being separated by teammates. Since the mix-up, both have called the issue "done."
Parra faced the Nationals back on May 25th and was rocked for six runs on seven hits and three walks in just 4 1/3 innings in Washington's 7-6 victory. Parra uncorked a wild pitch in the first allowing Cristian Guzman to score for the 1-0 lead.
In the fourth, Lastings Milledge doubled home a run and Wily Mo Pena drove in two, with a double to left-center for the 4-0 lead. Aaron Boone's 2-run homer in the fifth made it 6-0. Milwaukee scored six in the sixth to let Parra off the hook. Elijah Dukes scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth for the 7-6 win.
Parra is 5-2 with a 3.55 ERA in 13 games, 12 starts, at Miller Park.
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