Nats fall in series opener with Braves 9-8
Tied at five in the seventh, right-hander Jesus Colome entered the game and issued a lead-off walk and a two-out free pass.
Up stepped pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad, who was called up from Triple-A prior to tonight's game, and his 19 career big league at bats.
Colome threw a 0-1, 97-MPH fastball on the inside corner and Conrad turned on it and sent it into the Nationals bullpen in right for his first career home run, giving the Braves the 9-6 victory.
Manny Acta talks with the media after the Nats' 9-8 loss to the Braves
Cristian Guzman's two-run double in the bottom of the ninth made it a one-run game, but Josh Bard grounded out to first to end the game with the tying run 180 feet away.
Washington had led the game on three different occasions, but start Ross Detwiler couldn't make any of them hold up.
Detwiler allowed five runs on 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings, the shortest start of his nine-game, big league career.
New center fielder and lead-off batter Nyjer Morgan got things going for the Nationals in the first when he walked, stole second and scored on Josh Willingham's single, giving Washington the 1-0 lead.
Morgan went 0-4 with two strike outs, a walk, stolen base and a run scored in his Nationals debut.
Tied at one in the second, Detwiler and Nick Johnson singled home runs to put the Nationals up 3-1, but Detwiler gave them right back in the third.
Chipper Jones doubled home a run and Yunel Escobar singled home Jones, tying the game at three all.
Adam Dunn's 21st homer and 299th of his career, put Washington ahead in the bottom of the inning, but again, Detwiler couldn't hold the lead.
With one out, Martin Prado, Jones and Brian McCann hit consecutive singles, tying the game at four and chase Detwiler from the game.
Tyler Clippard entered and quickly gave up an RBI double to Escobar, giving the Braves their first lead of the night.
Bard's ground out in the fifth scored Willingham with the tying run, which held up until Colome gave up the three-run shot to Conrad.
Six different Nationals drove in a run tonight.
The Nationals are now 10-11 when scoring six or more runs, 4-38 when trailing after seven innings and 10-22 when they score first.
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Really Manny?
You pick Clippard to bag on the worst out of all the relievers when you put Jesus out there who gives a three run bomb?
Seriously, I feel like the veterans get a pass from this guy like they can do no wrong.
Everyone knows Colome should have been gone a long time ago... well everyone but Rizzo/Acta.
Guys like Bergmann, Clippard, etc. all get Manny's wrath for getting the job done, yet when it comes to Colome... Manny says its the ball clubs spot for not putting him a spot he can succeed in.
I wish at my job every time I screwed up I had a boss that would blame himself for not making me look good... sure would make everything a whole lot easier.
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I'm hearing Colome will be gone after Saturday's game. Your prayers are answered