Marlins 9, Nats 5
Scott Olsen got shelled and the Nats never recovered on Wednesday night. About the only encouraging news was that Olsen’s velocity was up. Read more in our game story here. So for now health isn’t an issue. Since returning from two months on the disabled list with a sore shoulder Olsen has had one good start, one mediocre start and one of the worst starts of his career. The Nats need to see more consistency than that down the stretch as they evaluate starting rotation candidates for 2011.
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Florida seemed to hit every ball hard in the first two innings. Cody Ross singled home a run in the first, Donnie Murphy had an RBI double and rookie Mike Stanton added a two-run double of his own. Hanley Ramirez launched a pitch into the upper reaches of the red seats in left-center field for a solo homer to start the second against Olsen. A walk and two singles later – the latter another RBI hit by Stanton – and he was finished. Murphy’s run-scoring single off reliever Miguel Batista made the score 7-1 after just two innings.
Washington tried to fight back. Ryan Zimmerman batted 3-for-4 with an RBI hit in the first inning, a double and a stolen base. Ian Desmond homered in the third inning and again in the seventh. That was the rookie shortstop’s first multi-homer game and the 13th of the year by a Washington player. Of course, he also committed error No. 27. That’s by far the most in the majors. But the Nats have long said that – for this season – defense isn’t an issue with Desmond. A more consistent bat will have the front office feeling better heading into 2011. Desmond now has nine homers and his OPS climbed to .706. That’s not great. But it’s also the highest it’s been since June 18. He’s been on the right track since the All-Star break thanks to some slight adjustments after watching video.
Meanwhile, Adam Dunn blasted his National-League best 31st homer to dead center in the fifth. That was Dunn’s seventh homer since Major League Baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline expired on July 31, if you’re counting. And, no, he didn’t sign a contract extension after the game. Sorry. Dunn snapped an 0-for-13 skid with his single and homer.
Batista kept the Marlins off the board in 4 1/3 innings save for a Zimmerman throwing error in the top of the third that allowed Logan Morrison to score all the way from first base. But for all their power at the plate – three homers and three doubles – the Nats managed just five runs as they tried to cut into the Florida lead. Washington finished with 12 hits.
Nats Notes
» Attendance at Nationals Park on Wednesday night was announced as 15,061.
» Nats catcher Ivan Rodriguez was 3-for-4 with an RBI single in the sixth inning.
» Josh Willingham had a pinch-hit double in the sixth inning. He was given the night off thanks to a sore knee and you could see why as he limped into second. Pitcher Jason Marquis was immediately used as a pinch runner. Had an earlier blog entry on injury updates to Willingham and a host of other Nats.
» Joel Peralta gave up a bomb of a home run to Mike Stanton in the seventh inning, the first batter he faced in relief of Miguel Batista. But after that he struck out four batters over two innings to keep the score 9-5. Closer Drew Storen got some work in the ninth with a hit and a strike out in a scoreless frame.
» If you have any idea how to retire Stanton, the Marlins rookie phenom, could you please call Jim Riggleman? The 20-year-old batted 5-for-5 with a homer, two doubles and four RBI. In five games against Washington since the All-Star break Stanton is 7-for-16 with five walks, three doubles and a homer against the Nats.
» While you’re at it, please send some advice about Hanley Ramirez, too. The Marlins shortstop is 15-for-41 (.366 average) with four doubles, five homers and nine RBI against the Nats in 2010.
» Chris Volstad earned the win for Florida. He improved to 6-8 with a 5.11 ERA. Olsen dropped to 3-4 and saw his ERA balloon to 5.11. It was 3.67 after his first start off the disabled list on July 29.
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