Soriano serves one up in the ninth (Nats lose 3-2)

Entering in a 2-2 game in the top of the ninth inning, Rafael Soriano only threw five pitches before the game was no longer tied. Andre Ethier took a 1-2 slider from Soriano and golfed it just over the high wall in right-center for his sixth homer of the season, giving the Dodgers a 3-2 lead over the Nationals. It was Ethier's first homer since June 11. Soriano, meanwhile, has now allowed a run in two of his last three outings. He had been pretty solid for much of the season but has hit a bit of a funk recently. The Nats are now three outs away from yet another maddening loss, and with a defeat tonight, they'd drop into third place in the National League East. The Phillies are in the process of winning (and winning big) tonight, and would move a half-game above the Nats if these scores holds. Atlanta also leads the White Sox 5-2 at the moment, and if the Nats lose and the Braves pick up a win tonight, Washington's deficit in the division would be seven games. Ian Desmond, Chad Tracy and Wilson Ramos are due up in the ninth. Update: Desmond, Tracy and Ramos went quietly and in order, and the Nats fell to the Dodgers 3-2. The Nats have now dropped six of their last eight dating back before the All-Star break and they've scored two runs or fewer in 42 games this season.