All spring, Nationals starting pitcher Shawn Hill has dealt with lingering soreness in his right forearm.
It was an ominous sign for a pitcher with the makeup to be a staff ace — if only he could stay healthy. But, after a stint on the disabled list to open the season, Hill decided the injury was something he could pitch through. Slowly, but surely, he is proving that assessment correct.
Recommended Stories
Hill kept the Nats close with eight innings of sparkling four-hit, one-run ball on Wednesday afternoon. He was long gone by the time that effort finally paid off for Washington, which beat the Atlanta Braves, 3-2, in the bottom of the 12th on an RBI base hit by Felipe Lopez.
It was the fourth win for Washington (11-17) in its last at-bat this season and the third time it has accomplished the feat at Nationals Park. The Nats swept the brief two-game series with the Braves (12-15) and are now 5-2 on their 11-game homestand.
Hill needed just 94 pitches to get through the eighth inning and more than matched Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens, who allowed two hits, no walks and one run through seven.
The Nats left runners in scoring position in the ninth, 10th and 11th innings. Lopez himself grounded into a double play with the bases loaded in the 10th.
Mark Kotsay’s RBI single off Saul Rivera in the 12th appeared to doom Washington. But a walk to Austin Kearns, an infield single by Willie Harris and a fielding error by Braves reliever Manny Acosta set the stage.
Pinch hitter Ronnie Belliard drew a bases-loaded walk from Acosta to tie the game. Lopez then took advantage of his second chance with a loping liner to left off reliever Buddy Carlyle that sailed over the head of the drawn in outfield.
