Mets at Nats

[Jollay]

Nats handled 'em twice two out of three up at Citi, we'll see if they can get it done down here.

Adam Dunn is back in the lineup against the Mets' pitcher, R.A. Dickey. He's an elderly (35) silly knuckleballer they just called up from AAA to replace Jonathan Niese.

Dickey has spent parts of seven seasons on the major league level with Texas, Seattle and Minnesota, combining to go 22-28 with a 5.43 ERA in 144 games, 48 starts. He most recently appeared in 35 games with the Minnesota Twins during the 2009 season, making 35 appearances, one start, and going 1-1 with a 4.62 ERA (33 earned runs/64.1 innings).

Nats on a five-game losing streak which ends tonight. I will be giving a heckle/bleacher report live from the game on Overtime with Bill Rohland on 106.7 The FAN!!!!

[Jollay]

Nats go to 21-20 with a 5-3 win.

Strange night at the Park. Saw an inside-the-park homer (first ever at Nats Park) by Angel Pagan and a triple play executed by the Mets, which the Nats got absolutely burned on. Pagan started the triple play on a sinking liner that pretty obviously fell in, but the umps apparently thought he caught. He was the first player in 55 years to start a triple play and hit an inside-the-park homer.

Mets seem sort of tame without Carlos Beltran and David Wright in the lineup tonight. Drew Storen got his first major league win by retiring two batters in the seventh. Things seem so much better now in the pen with Storen and Slaten available, as opposed to Bruney.

Nats did a good job tonight getting sac flies when they needed it to score runs. This offense needs to continue to do the little things to win games, as it really hasn't been all that explosive so far this year.

[Jollay]

Good job by Livo tonight as well. He didn't get the win, but he gutted out 6.1 strong innings on short rest.

[Jollay]

Atilano against John Maine tonight in the series finale.

Nice post by Adam Kilgore on the importance of Atilano this season. Add Matt Chico's one spot start to Atilano's importance as well, BTW.

I don't agree with him that Atilano should be the first to go (Stammen), but its a nice piece as usual from Kilgore.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/nation ... tance.html

David Wright should be back in the lineup for the Mets today after a day off yesterday.

[Jollay]

Mets even up the short series, 10-7. Atilano gets shelled and the Mets go up 10-1, although John Maine only lasts five pitches.

http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... arly_hook/

Nats made it interesting in the eighth with Adam Dunn up with the bases loaded down 10-6, but he weakly popped out to end the comeback.