Brewers at Nats

[Jollay]

In a battle of 4-5 teams, Gallardo versus Lannan tonight. Lannan had best have his stuff, as the Brewers can hit you hard from the right side, but Lannan does a pretty good job keeping most RH hitters off balance. In fact its been the lefty hitters that have hit him harder this year (well, the world-class Phily ones at least).

Should be fun although there could be showers. I'm doing a bleacher report on 106.7 THE FAN probably in the 8-9 hour in which I will haze the Brewers bullpen as per their instructions...

Hawkins and Hoffman are old, Coffey fat, and the rest failed starters. Stetter, well, I got nothing on him. Seems normal.

As a Milwaukee native and Brewers fan, there is no way I leave the park happy tonight. Or unhappy. Or perhaps at all.

[Jollay]

Note: My friends on the Brewers board say Stetter just got sent down. Probably couldn't use him against Adam Dunn at some point...

Wow.

[Jollay]

Zimmerman again sits, with Adam Kennedy starting at third. Nieves for Pudge as well.

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Good win last night for the Nats, 5-3. They're now at 5-5 with a chance to go over .500 with a win in the early game today.

John Lannan pitched seven good innings for the Nats, but it was Brian Bruney getting the win, although he again did not look all that impressive. Riggleman made a nice move bringing in Sean Burnett to get the first batter of the ninth (Counsell), and then Capps closed out the last two batters.

Livan Hernandez today versus Randy Wolf.

[Jollay]

Hernandez shuts out the Brewers in a complete game, and the Nats win 8-0 over the reeling Brewers. His second start without giving up an earned run. Impressive return at a bargain basement price...

Maxwell with a two-run bomb; the Nats would love to see him step up and claim at least 400 AB in right.

Final game is tommorrow with Marquis taking on Doug Davis. With the way Marquis has been giving up runs and the pace Davis pitches at, I'm pretty sure this game will be vastly longer than the 2 1/2 hours todays game was.

[craig01]

Nats over .500

Way to go.

[Jollay]

Lineups, Game 3

Taveras, CF
Guzman, SS
Zimmerman, 3B
Dunn, 1B
Willingham, LF
Rodriguez, C
Maxwell, RF
Kennedy, 2B
Marquis, SP

Weeks, 2B
Counsell, SS
Braun, LF
Fielder, 1B
McGahee, 3B
Edmonds, RF
Zaun, C
Gomez, CF
Davis, SP

[Jollay]

Marquis can't get one batter out to start the game, and the Brewers take a slight lead in Game 3...

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Ryan Braun a little disappointed as the Nats storm back....Hoffman gets up....

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But (Hoffman) not necessary as the Brewers win 11-7.

Marquis has had three bad outings now. The convential logic was Lannan and Marquis were/are secure as the #1 and #2 starters, but if this continues you have to wonder if the Nats won't send Marquis to the pen or replace him temporarily in a month or two.

Wang/Detwiller/Strasburg are coming...

Nice job by the Nats battling back and grinding out 16 hits. Pudge continues to knock the crap out of the ball. He had three hits to raise his average to .444. You also have to wonder if the Nats can adhere by their plan to limit Pudge to 75-90 games or so.

Per USA Today:

It's an embarrassment what I'm doing out there right now. I've got to find an answer quick," said the right-hander, who threw in a hitting cage under the stands after leaving the game. "I just don't feel like there's anything behind the ball. I don't feel any power. ... The movement's not there. The location's not there."

Both Marquis and Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said the pitcher is not hurt.

Riggleman said he will consider skipping Marquis' next turn or sending him back out on short rest, but won't drop him from the rotation. "We made a commitment to him over the offseason."

[Jollay]

Washington back to 6-6 with the Rockies in for a four-game set.