Bergmann gives up seven runs in 2 1/3; Nats fall 10-5
Jason Bergmann has had some rough outings this season, but none compared to tonight. Bergmann last just 2 1/3 innings and gave up seven runs, six in the Braves seven-run third. He allowed five hits and issued three walks, all in the third, before Manny Acta had seen enough. Atlanta clobbered the Nationals 10-5 and has taken the first two game of this four-game series.
Bergmann allowed more runs (10), hits (8) and walks (6) to the Mets on August 13, but he completed three full innings in the 12-0 loss. With the roster expanded, Acta wasn't about to leave Bergmann to fend for himself on this night.
With the game tied 1-1, the Braves sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs on four hits and four walks in the third inning. Five different batters had an RBI, two on bases loaded walks.
Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens, who picked up his 12th win, got the inning started with an infield single. Josh Anderson singled to put runners on the corners and Kelly Johnson's double scored Jurrjens to break the tie.
After Chipper Jones walked to load the bases, Brian McCann drove in a run with a sac fly to make it 3-1. Yunel Escobar walked to load the bases for the second time in the inning and Bergmann issued a free pass to Casey Kotchman to force in the third run of the frame.
Marco Estrada replaced Bergmann and didn't have much success. He walked the first batter he faced and the Braves built a 5-1 lead. Brandon Jones followed with a three-run double to bust the game wide open; 8-1.
Washington had a chance to get run in the first off Jurrjens, but he got Ryan Langerhans to ground out to second with the bases loaded to end the inning.
Atlanta got to Bergmann in the first with a lead-off double from Anderson and two groundouts later, he scored the first run of the game.
Roger Bernadina's RBI triple in the third, tied the game at 1-1. It was the first career RBI and three-base hit for Bernadina.
Atlanta added single runs in the fourth and fifth to make it a 10-1 game before the Nationals' scored in the sixth. Emilio Boonifacio's throwing error, his fifth of the year, allowed Kelly Johnson to score the unearned run on Estrada.
Johnson drove in pinch-runner Gregor Blanco with an infield single off the leg of Estrada to put the Braves up 10-1. Pinch-hitter Aaron Boone's RBI single, in the sixth, scored Bernadina, who walked to lead-off the inning.
The Nationals scored three runs on Elmer Dessens in the seventh to make the game interesting, but it was as close as they would get. Ryan Zimmerman forced Cristian Guzman out at second for the first out of the inning. Pete Orr replaced Zimmerman on the bases.
After Kory Casto singled, Langerhans tripled both runners home to make it 10-4. It was the 100 and 101st RBI's of Langerhans career. Two batters later, Wil Nieves sac fly scored Langerhans to cut the Braves lead in half.
Postgame Notes
Ryan Zimmerman extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a third inning single. It's the seventh hitting streak of 10+ games in his 4-year career. His career long is 17 games set in 2006.
Ryan Langerhans had two RBI, giving him 101 for his career.
Emilio Bonifacio went 2-4
Kory Casto had three hits.
Final Linescore
Nationals 5-11-1
Braves 10-10-0
WP-Jurrjens (12-9)
LP-Bergmann (2-11)
Pete McElroy's Live Gameblog
Nationals scoring, 7th inning
Ryan Langerhans drove in two runs, with a triple, and Wil Nieves' sac fly scored the third run of the seventh inning, making it a five-run game.
Pinch-runner Pete Orr, who replaced Ryan Zimmerman at first, and Kory Casto, who singled, scored on Langerhans' triple to make it 10-4. The two RBI's give Langerhans 101 for his career. Nieves followed with a sac fly, driving in Langerhans, to make it 10-5.
Nationals scoring, 6th inning
Washington got a run in the sixth on pinch-hitter Aaron Boone's RBI single.
Braves scoring, 5th inning
Emilio Bonifacio's throwing error allowed Kelly Johnson to score to make it a 9-1 game. Johnson's RBI single, off the leg off Marco Estrada, scored pinch-runner gregor Blanco, giving the Braves a nine-run lead.
Braves scoring, fourth inning
After the Braves broke the game open with a seven-run third, they added single runs in the fourth and fifth to take a 10-1 lead.
Bergmann's awful outing
To say Jason Bergmann had an off night would be an understatement. He didn't make it out of the third, giving up seven runs on five hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings. Six of the seven batters Bergmann faced reached base and all of them scored.
2 1/3 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 3 BB, 2 K. 60 pitches, 33 strikes
Braves scoring, 3rd inning
Jason Bergmann gave the run, and a few more, before Manny Acta had seen enough of the right-hander. The Braves knocked out Bergmann in the third when he gave up three runs on three hits and three walks. The first four batters reached base before Bergmann got an out and he left the bases loaded for Marco Estrada
Pitcher Jair Jurrjens hit an infield single to get the inning started. Josh Anderson singled to put runners on the corners for Kelly Johnson. Johnson doubled to right, scoring Jurrjens. After Chipper Jones walked, to load the bases, Brian McCann hit a sac fly to make it 3-1 Atlanta.
Bergmann walked Yunel Escobar to load the bases for the second time and Casey Kotchman forced in a run with a free pass. Estrada walked Jeff Francoeur to force in the fourth run of the inning and Brandon Jones cleared the bases with a three-run double to make it 8-1.
Nationals scoring, 3rd inning
Roger Bernadina's first career RBI tied the game 1-1 in the third. Bernadina tripled home Ryan Zimmerman, who single to lead-off the inning, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. The triple was the first of Bernadin's career.
Braves scoring, 1st inning
Chipper Jones' ground out scored Josh Anderson, who doubled to lead-off the inning, giving the Braves the 1-0 lead. Kelly Johnson moved Anderson to third on a ground out before Jones 68th RBI on the season
Nationals fail to capitalize
Washington loaded the bases on Jair Jurrjens in the first but failed to produce a run. Cristian Guzman drew a one-out walk and Kory Casto singled, with two outs, before Ryan Langerhans walked. Jurrjens got Roger Bernadina to grounded out to second to end the threat.
Starting Line-ups
Nationals
LF Willie Harris
SS Cristian Guzman
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Kory Casto
RF Ryan Langerhans
CF Roger Bernadina
C Wil Nieves
2B Emilio Bonifacio
P Jason Bergmann
Braves
CF Josh Anderson
2B Kelly Johnson
3B Chipper Jones
C Brian McCann
SS Yunel Escobar
1B Casey Kotchman
RF Jeff Francoeur
LF Brandon Jones
P Jair Jurrjens
Game Preview
Nationals (54-87) at Atlanta (61-80)
Washington, winners of eight of nine on their most recent homestand, lost to the Braves 2-0 last night and dropped their third straight road game.
Right-handed pitcher Shairon Martis, making a spot start, lost his Major League debut by giving up two runs on four hits and five walks in five innings.
The Nationals' offense managed just five hits off James Parr, also making his Major League debut, and three Braves relievers. The 2-0 loss was the 21st time Washington was held without a run this season.
Ronnie Belliard, who had three of the five hits, left the game with a right groin injury and may be finished for the season.
Jason Bergmann gets the rock and looks to end the Nationals' road troubles. Atlanta sends Jair Jurrjens to the hill.
Pitching Match-Up
RHP Jason Bergmann (2-10, 4.83) didn't make it out of the fifth in his last start on August 30th against the Braves at Nationals Park.
Bergmann gave up four runs on five hits in the third inning. Seth Anderson hit a one-out double and scored on Chipper Jones' two-out double. Brian McCann and Omar Infante followed with doubles to make it 3-0. Martin Prado's RBI single made it 4-0.
After the Nationals scored two in the fourth, Bergmann gave up a lead-off homer to McCann and one-out later Prado hit a solo home run to end Bergmann's evening. Washington scored five times in the bottom of the inning to let Bergmann off the hook.
In his career vs. the Braves, Bergmann is 4-2 with a 4.37 ERA in 16 games, eight starts. At Turner field, he's 2-1 with a 2.19 ERA in eight games, three starts.
Last year Bergmann faced the Braves five times, going 3-1 with a 2.64 ERA. He was 2-0 with a 3.07 ERA in two starts at RFK Stadium and 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA at Turner Field.
RHP Jair Jurrjens (11-9, 3.59) faced the Nationals last Sunday at Nationals Park and had a quality start, but the bullpen failed him and he received a no-decision in the Braves 8-4 loss.
Jurrjens allowed two runs in the first after the Braves scored a run in the top of the inning. Willie Harris singled and Cristain Guzman doubled to put runners on second and third. Elijah Dukes' groundout scored Harris and Aaron Boone's RBI single plated Guzman for the 2-1 lead.
Harris' two-out single in the fourth scored Emilio Bonifacio, who walked to lead-off the inning and moved into scoring position when Jurrjens walked opposing pitcher Collin Balester.
The 22-year-old is making his fourth start against the Nationals this season and he's still looking for his first win. He's allowed nine runs in 19 1/3 innings vs. Washington.
Jurrjens, who hasn't won at home since June 5th, is 0-4 in his last six starts at Turner Field and has a 5-4 record with a 3.84 ERA in Atlanta this season.
Prior to the All-Star break, Jurrjens was 9-4 with a 3.00 ERA. Since the mid-summer classic, he's 2-5 with a 4.80 ERA.
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