Orioles at Nats

[Jollay]

Orioles win the first game 5-3. Good attendance (27,378), but I was hoping for a little better.

David Hernandez gets his first win of the season, besting Scott Olsen, and Craig Tatum (backup catcher) drives in two runs for the O's. Willie Harris homers for the Nats in the seventh to make it interesting at 4-3, but the O's terrible bullpen hangs on.

Miguel Batista pitched four scoreless innings after a short night for Olsen, so he's unavailable for a while. Drew Storen gave up an earned run in the eighth, his first allowed.

Early start today (4:05pm) with righty Brad Bergesen (3-3 5.45 ERA) going up against Craig Stammen. Nats are now under .500 again at 21-22.

Should be a good crowd, although there could be a little rain.

[Jollay]

Nats win Game 2 with 15 hits and 11 men left on base

Nats win 7-6, Burnett a scoreless seventh, Clippard a scoreless eighth, and Capps his league-leading 16th save.

So, ordered a Nyjer Morgan T-Shirt from MLB.com (20% sale), got it today and wore it to the park. And never heard a home guy booed more than my man was in the fourth, and deservably so.

On an afternoon filled with offensive highlights, the most memorable was the second inside-the-park homer in the three-year history of Nationals Park—and the second in four days.

With a runner on in the fourth inning, Jones hit a drive to deep center that sent Morgan to the base of the wall. The ball hit Morgan’s glove and bounced out, and Morgan immediately went into a tirade. While the ball lay behind him, Morgan removed his mitt, slammed it on the ground and stomped angrily on the outfield grass.

Left fielder Josh Willingham(notes) retrieved the ball, but too late to prevent Jones from circling the bases for Baltimore’s first inside-the-park home run since David Newhan(notes) at Boston on July 21, 2004.

“I went back for the ball, leaped up and I thought the ball went over the fence,” Morgan said. “I guess it didn’t, and it was standing right there. … My emotions got to me there, because I knew I should have had the ball.”

On Wednesday, Angel Pagan(notes) of the New York Mets hit an inside-the-park homer when Morgan botched an attempted leaping catch in center.

This time, many of the 30,290 voiced their disapproval.

“The boo birds were out there, definitely. It was a thing where they had every opportunity to boo me,” Morgan said.

The jeers continued when Morgan came to the plate in the bottom of the inning, an at-bat that almost didn’t happen.

“My first instinct was to take him out of the ballgame, and then I realized … he thought he knocked it over the fence and it’s a home run and he’s showing frustration,” manager Jim Riggleman said. “That doesn’t excuse it—and I don’t want it to be perceived as an excuse—but it explains it.”

Riggleman added: “He made a human error. He didn’t not hustle. He didn’t do … a horrible thing. He made a terrible mistake, but it wasn’t malicious."

[Jollay]

I think this may serve as a wake up call for Morgan, who has been using his incredible range to get to alot of balls this year--just not catching alot of them.

The guy has four errors already and has dropped alot of balls that aren't errors just because he does a good job with his speed to get a glove on them.

Let's not even talk about being nabbed stealing eight times already...

Nats back to .500.

[Jollay]

Nyjer is back in the lineup today for the rubber match. Wil Nieves catches, as Pudge left the game early yesterday with back pain after an at-bat. Supposedly he's day to day.

Pitching matchup is Kevin Milwood versus John Lannan.

Really be nice to go a game over .500 before going on a long road trip against the Giants, Padres, and Astros.

In other news, Scott Olsen went on the DL. Not a great time to do that with the chosen one's arrival imminent, but he should only miss a couple of starts. I'll do a thread on the rotation Monday and how I'd like to see it evolve.

[Jollay]

Elvis Wigs and that Hangover guy (no way I spell it) at Nats Park per Dan Steinberg Saturday...had a chance for a good pic with him but my girlfriend had the camera.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcspor ... is_at.html

[craig01]

I think this may serve as a wake up call for Morgan, who has been using his incredible range to get to alot of balls this year--just not catching alot of them.

The guy has four errors already and has dropped alot of balls that aren't errors just because he does a good job with his speed to get a glove on them.

Let's not even talk about being nabbed stealing eight times already...

Nats back to .500.

At least Morgan played hard up until his temper tantrum.....LOL

[Jollay]

I think this may serve as a wake up call for Morgan, who has been using his incredible range to get to alot of balls this year--just not catching alot of them.

The guy has four errors already and has dropped alot of balls that aren't errors just because he does a good job with his speed to get a glove on them.

Let's not even talk about being nabbed stealing eight times already...

Nats back to .500.

At least Morgan played hard up until his temper tantrum.....LOL

No outbursts today, and no errors, thank goodness.

Nats win 4-3. Led 3-1 after the first inning after a bases-loaded triple by Roger Bernadina (on a ball Adam Jones got his glove on, to parallel Morgan), and then nobody scored until the ninth. Capps then blew the save, as the O's tied it 3-3.

Alfredo Simon pitched well for the O's through the ninth and into the tenth, when he tweaked his ankle or leg covering first. With one out Cla Meredith came in and promptly allowed a homer to Josh Willingham to end it. Hammer now leads the team in RBIs this year again.

Nats go to 23-22. John Lannan did a good job today, which was a welcome change from previous outings. Good game at the Park, I was fortunate enough to get Drew Storen's autograph and also witness his first MLB hit.

Day off today, then 10 games out west. I'll have some stuff Monday, then I'm going out west myself to Vegas/LA. Thinking about driving down and seeing the Nats at the Pads on Sunday.