Rockies at Nats

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Four game set featuring two 6-6 teams. Starts off with Aaron Cook for the Rockies against Craig Stammen for the Nationals. Performance thus far of the Nats' starting five:

1. Hernandez
2. Lannan
3. Olsen
4. Stammen
5. Marquis

This is important as Wang will likely be replacing someone in May, and perhaps Detwiller and/or Strasburg in May or June. Stammen has been God-awful in two starts, sporting a 15.63 ERA. He does not have lots of money investing in him like Marquis does, so his leash is much shorter.

Unfortunately for him the Rockies boast a collection of lefty bats that rival the Phillies' ones that roughed Stammen up earlier this year. Ian Stewart, Carlos Gonzalez, Seth Smith, Todd Helton, and Brad Hawpe all are rapidly improving to good hitters.

Stammen pitches to contact (1K so far this year), but he better have better location or his stay in Washington will be short. The Rockies will be unforgiving should he be up in the zone and not mix speeds well...

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Stammen gets it done going 8, count 'em, 8 innings for the win. Really looked pretty good all night. Capps pitched the ninth for his sixth save. Willie Harris did the major damage with a three run bomb into the Nats' bullpen, but Pudge continued his ridiculous assault on baseball history (OK, slightly premature) with another two-hit day to raise his average to .450.

Some props to Ian Desmond, who was steady in the field and also made a ridiculous play on a sharp grounder. Also props to Miguel Olivo of the Rockies, who managed to throw out Willie Tavares and Nyjer Morgan in one night--no small feat. Nailed Morgan easily as well.

Question for Rockies fans--why is Corpas a long reliever coming in for Cook in the fourth? Guy has closer stuff...

Game 2 Tuesday features two lefties, Olsen versus De La Rosa....

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Olsen gets shelled, as well as Tyler Walker in the initial stages of his long relief outing as the Rockies go up 10-0 by the third. They win, 10-4 to put the Nats back down to .500.

Jorge De La Rosa threw alot of pitches, as he often does, but got into the fifth inning, and came up with two key hits at the plate early. Zimmerman did have a two-run shot off him before he left.

Riggleman had to let Tyler Walker bat twice, which I thought was sort of a questionable move, but it was true he was down Miguel Batista, who was the de facto starter Sunday after Marquis couldn't record an out.

A little disappointed in Nyjer Morgan, who continues to show his amazing range but hardly ever catches balls at a dive, or at full stride/extension. Made a great play on a ball that he missed on a dive, but should have had one he got his glove on where he was only running hard. His defense has been sort of overrated this year so far, as he needs to catch those. He left kind of early for Tavares, didn't notice the point of it for a double switch or anything (although I may have missed it)--perhaps he tweaked something in the field.

Third game tonight with Lannan versus Jason Hammel.

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Going into the seventh inning stretch its a tie ballgame, 4-4.

Lannan wasn't great, but he battled through six innings, which so far this year is all the Nats need from their starter (and to just keep it close). Lefty batters continue to hammer him, though, batting around .400 against him. (Carlos Gonzalez is 4-4).

Clippard just pitched a scoreless seventh, although he made a dumb 0-2 curve over the plate to Tulowitzki, who rapped a single. No damage done, though, and Clippard has just been amazing.

Hammel pitches into the seventh, he's retired the last ten batters. The Nats scored all their runs off him in the fourth, thanks in part to some shoddy Colorado defense.

2 outs for the Nats now, but I like their chances if their bullpen holds (I am master of the obvious).

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Catchers get it done in the eighth!

Nieves a double to drive in one with runners on first and second. Kennedy was intentionally walked to get to him...

Then Pudge with the pinch-hit sac fly to make it 6-4.

If Capps can close it, Nats will go to 8-7 for the series finale.

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Done deal!!! Capps allows two baserunners but retires Ian Stewart to end it.

Nats go to 8-7.

Great pitching matchup Thursday with an early (4:35pm) start. Ubaldo Jimenez, who throw a no-hitter his last time out, against Livan Hernandez, who throw a complete game shutout for the Nats in his last start.

Winner gets the inside track to the Cy Young....

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Despite another good performance by Livan, Jimenez and the Rockies shut out DC 2-0. Zimmerman didn't play as he rested the hammie he slightly re-aggravated on Wednesday, but I doubt it would have mattered if he had played the way Jimenez is throwing.

Marquis gets placed on the DL, will not go against the Dodgers Friday. Luis A. called up from AAA.

I'm sure it's a very serious ailment...LOL