Dunn's Baserunning Sinks Nats

Clutch hitting stunk too

By CHRIS NEEDHAM

Updated 9:46 AM EST, Tue, Jul 7, 2009

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Even when the Nats hold the Rockies to a measly run in Coors Field, they can't win. Yesterday's 1-0 loss (obviously) featured some great pitching. But the Nats lost not just because Jason Marquis was on, but because they can't run the bases well and they have a hard time hitting in key situations.

Adam Dunn gets the base-running goat award. With the Nats down by a single run in the 7th inning, he led off with a line drive down the right-field line. Play-by-play announcer Bob Carpenter bellowed out, "If it's fair, it's gone!" It was fair, but it most certainly wasn't gone. The ball ricocheted off the wall, rolling back down the line toward the infield.

It should've been an easy triple. But there was Dunn, holding up at second. Not the fastest of guys anyway, he didn't bust it out of the box. Like Carpenter up in the booth, he likely assumed the liner was gone. Like Carpenter in the booth, he was wrong -- derelict in his duties. But unlike the announcer, his laziness directly affected the outcome of the game.

Josh Willingham hit a single to left. Dunn (of course) couldn't score on it from second, whereas he would've were he on third.

When the next batter hit a high comebacker to Marquis, Dunn screwed that up, as well. Instead of freezing, waiting to see the play, he made a move to the plate, and Marquis was able to pick him off third. Josh Bard singled to right and Willingham couldn't make it around from second.

And with the bases loaded and one out, the hacktastic Ronnie Belliard was at the plate. You know what's coming, don't you? The only drama at this point was whether Ronnie was going to hit into a 5-4-3 double play or a 6-4-3.

He elected for the latter, ending the inning. And for all intents and purposes, the game, too.