Span picks up where he left off in series finale (Reds win 2-1)

"I had a good day," Nationals center fielder Denard Span said Tuesday night. "Today was my day. I saw the ball good, and got to do it again tomorrow." Wednesday arrived and he did it again. Fresh off a career-high-matching 5-for-5 performance in Tuesday's 9-4 Nationals win over the Reds, Span launched the second pitch from Reds right-hander Alfredo Simon into the Nationals bullpen in right field, and the Nationals lead 1-0. Span now has eight hits in the series. Right-hander Tanner Roark had a 1-2-3 first inning, including a strikeout of Brandon Phillips. The Reds got a man in scoring position in the second, but Roark then got Brayan Pena to ground out and Chris Heisey to strike out looking. Update: The Reds got the offense going in the fourth. Zack Cozart hit a double to open the inning. Phillips followed with a RBI single and the Reds tied the game 1-1. Devin Mesoraco reached on a fielding error by Kevin Frandsen. Phillips went to second. Todd Frazier, who has been hitting the ball very well during the series, flew out to deep center field, and Phillips tagged and went to third. Pena then slapped a single to left, scoring Phillips, and the Reds had their first lead of the game, 2-1. After pitching coach Steve McCatty went out to speak with Roark, Heisey also flew out to deep left field for the second out. Nate McLouth made a great catch as he bounced off the wall. Roger Bernadina flew out to right field to end the rally. Reds lead 2-1 heading to the bottom of the fourth. Update II: Today's game is in a rain delay, which started at 5:47 p.m. With two outs, Frazier was called out stealing third. Reds manager Bryan Price challenged the ruling. The call stood. Update III: The game resumed at 6:48 p.m. in the top of the sixth inning. So, it was a one hour and one minute rain delay. Roark still pitching for the Nationals. Update IV: Facing Reds reliever Jonathan Broxton, Span led off the eighth with a line shot to center field, and he was called out by on a diving catch by Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton. Nationals manager Matt Williams challenged the call. Video replay showed Hamilton trapped the ball. The call on the field was overturned. The delay took one minute and 35 seconds. Span got to third base after a couple of outs. Wilson Ramos struck out to end the threat. Update V: Reds closer Aroldis Chapman came on in the ninth for the third save in his five games so far this season. Ian Desmond popped out to second base, Tyler Moore struck out and Danny Espinosa struck out looking. Chapman was clocked at 103 mph on one of his pitches to Espinosa. Span finished with nine hits in the three-game series. The Reds edge the Nationals 2-1 to win the series. The Nationals fall to 24-22 and end up 3-3 on the homestand, and they now head to Pittsburgh.