Nats lose 8-3 in season finale, finish season 59-102
The Washington Nationals finished the regular season the same way they did in 2007, losing to the Philadelphia Phillies and leaving a sour taste in their mouth to linger all off-season.
The starting line-ups for both teams resembled that of a Triple-A game, not a Major League showdown. Philadelphia's make shift squad beat the Nationals youngsters 8-3, handing Manny Acta his 102nd loss of the season.
After the game, the entire coaching staff, except for Acta and pitching coach Randy St. Claire, was let go. They were told prior to this afternoon's season finale, that their services would no longer be needed after today.
On the field, Odalis Perez lasted just 3 2/3 innings before leaving with flu-like symptoms. In what could be his last appearance in a National uniform, Perez gave up four runs, three earned, on eight hits, suffering his 12th loss of the year.
The Phillies got to Perez in the first, but it was his own doing that put the team in an early hole. Tad Iguchi doubled, after Eric Bruntlett singled, to out runners on second and third. Perez then uncorked a wild pitch, scoring Bruntlett and Philadelphia lead 1-0.
Catcher Luke Montz tied the game in the third when he hammered his first career home run. Montz hit a 0-1 slider into the seats in left and as he was rounding the bases, the fan who caught the ball threw it back on the field. The ball made its way to the Nationals dugout and into Montz's hand as a souvenir.
Washington took a 3-1 lead in the fourth on Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick. Anderson Hernandez and Kory Casto hit back-to-back doubles to get within one, 3-2. With the infield playing in, Alberto Gonzalez singled past shortstop Eric bruntlett to take a two-run lead.
Philadelphia added to their lead in the sixth and broke the game open in the eight. Shairon Martis started the inning and gave up an RBI triple to Taguchi. The Phillies got to Marco Estrada two innings later when Lou Marson hit his first MLB homer, a two-run shot, to put Philadelphia up 7-3.
Pinch-hitter Matt Stairs crushed the very next pitch into the seats in right to put the finishing touches on the 8-3 victory.
The loss guarantees the Nationals have the first overall pick in the 2009 Amateur Draft because they finished with the worse record in the Majors.
Postgame Notes
Anderson Hernandez collected two hits to finish with a .333 average.
Pete Orr went 2-4 on the afternoon.
Luke Montz, who collected his first hit and RBI on September 14th, smashed his first career homer in the third inning.
Clubhouse Audio: Luke Montz talks about his round-tripper
Final Linescore
Nationals 3-9-2
Phillies 8-13-0
WP-Walrond (1-1)
LP-Perez (7-12)
HR-Montz (1), Marson (1), Stairs (2)
Pete McElroy's Live Gameblog
Phillies scoring, 6th inning
On Fan Appreciation day, the Phillies regulars started the game on the bench, but as a gesture to the fans, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel is letting his regulars pinch hit and they are coming thru.
Ryan Howard hit a two-out pinch-hit single and scored on So Taguchi's triple, putting the Phils up 5-3 in the sixth.
Odalis Perez left the game in the fourth with lightheadedness and nausea.
Phillies scoring, 4th inning
Odalis Perez may have gotten too comfortable with two outs in the fourth as he let a 3-1 lead turn into a 4-3 deficit.
Lou Marson and pinch-hitter Jason Werth singled to out runners on the corners. Werth stole second and both scored on So Taguchi's single, tying the game 3-3. Eric Bruntlett doubled home Taguchi for the 4-3 lead.
Nationals scoring, 4th inning
Washington took a 3-1 lead in the fourth on a pair of doubles and single off Kyle Kendrick.
Anderson Hernandez led off with a ground-rule double and scored on Kory Casto's double. One out later, Alberto Gonzalez singled past a drawn-in infield to make it 3-1.
Perez thru 3 innings
Odalis got off to a shaky start, allowing a single and double in the first and his wild pitch made it a 1-0 game. He retired the side in order in the second and got into a two-out jam in the third, but didn't allow a run.
3 IP, 4 H, R, BB, 3 K. 56 pitches
Nationals scoring, 3rd inning
Luke Montz, who collected his first hit and RBI on September 14th, can add his first Major League home run to accomplishments.
Montz hammered an 0-1 pitch into the seats in left for his first career homer and tied the game 1-1 in the third.
Phillies scoring, 1st inning
Both teams have line-ups that resemble a Triple-A game not a Major League showdown between two NL East opponents.
The Phillies got to Odalis Perez in the first when he uncorked a wild pitch to score Eric Bruntlett, who hit a one-out single and advanced to third on Tad Iguchi's double.
Starting Line-Ups
Nationals
2B Emilio Bonifacio
SS Anderson Hernandez
1B Kory Casto
RF Ryan Langerhans
3B Alberto Gonzalez
CF Roger Bernadina
C Luke Montz
LF Pete Orr
P Odalis Perez
Phillies
LF So Taguchi
SS Eric Bruntlett
2B Tad Iguchi
RF Geoff Jenkins
1B Chris Coste
3B Mike Cervenak
CF Greg Golson
C Lou Marson
P Kyle Kendrick
Game Preview
Nationals (59-101) at Philadelphia (91-70)
Yesterday, the Nationals rallied on Phillies closer Brad Lidge, only to fall a run short and lose 4-3, allowing Philadelphia to nail down the National League East title for the second consecutive year.
Trailing 4-3 with one out and the bases loaded in the ninth, Ryan Zimmerman grounded into a game-ending double play and the Phillies celebrated between the pitcher's mound and second base.
In the season finale, the Nationals would love to go out on a winning note, something they couldn't do last season in Philadelphia.
Odalis Perez will try for his eighth win of the season and seventh of his career vs. the Phillies. Kyle Kendrick will start in place of Cole Hamels, who the Phils are saving for the NLDS series opener on Wednesday.
Pitching Match-Up
LHP Odalis Perez (7-10, 4.26) may be pitching his final game in a Nationals uniform this afternoon. The free agent-to-be said after his last start that he would like to be back in DC, but it's out of his hands.
Perez has faced the Phillies once this season, earning a no-decision in the Nationals 9-7 win. He allowed three runs on four hits in five innings. Perez didn't walk a batter while striking out five.
In his career against the Phillies, Perez is 6-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 15 games, 10 starts. Outside of DC, the veteran left-hander is looking to reach the .500 mark to finish up the season. Perez is 4-5 with a 6.38 ERA and opponents are hitting a whopping .340 off him.
RHP Kyle Kendrick (11-9, 5.46) will get the spot start this afternoon, as the Phillies, who clinched the NL East yesterday, want to rest ace Cole Hamels for the playoffs.
Kendrick returns to the starter role, if for only one game, after spending time in the bullpen. He last two starts, one against the Nationals, have been horrible.
Kendrick didn't make it out of the second in his last start on September 9th against the Marlins. He gave up seven runs on six hits in just 1 1/3 innings in Florida's 10-8 victory. In his start prior to that against Washington, the 24-year-old allowed six runs on eight hits in four innings in the Nationals 7-4 win.
In his career vs. Washington, Kendrick is 1-2 with a 4.82 ERA in five starts. At home this season, he is 5-4 with a 4.50 ERA in 14 starts.
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