Sox Pound Nats Bullpen at Fenway South
What else did you expect?
By CHRIS NEEDHAM
Updated 9:15 AM EST, Wed, Jun 24, 2009
Nats fans can't say the ending result was unexpected. The Nats bullpen gacked the game away -- it's what they do best! Red Sox batter after Red Sox batter ripped hits, blowing open a close game and turning it into an 11-3 laugher.
The largest crowd in Nats Park history saw a close game early on. John Lannan wasn't his sharpest, but he still battled away through 6.1 innings while giving up just three runs.
The Nats got on the board first when Adam Dunn doubled past first base. Right fielder J.D. Drew couldn't handle the carom off the fence in foul territory. While he muffed it, Ryan Zimmerman streaked around the bases to give the Nats their only lead of the game.
After the Sox scored twice, the Nats loaded the bases in the fourth. But as per their usual, nothing came of it, save for a run-scoring wild pitch. The Sox took the lead again in the 6th, but the Nats rallied right back on a Willie Harris double.
The game was tied at 3, heading to the 7th, and Nats fans actually started to believe. But there's a reason this team is almost 30 games under .500 this far into the season.
Ryan Zimmerman threw another ball away -- one of those simple, routine grounders he just overthinks and lets sail. A single to left had Adam Dunn futilely trying to throw a runner out at third, which allowed the batter to move to second, since Dunn missed the cutoff man. A sac fly followed, and that was the beginning of the end.
In the 8th, Ron Villone allowed a hit. Kip Wells walked everyone. Jesus Colome "relieved" and gave up solid hit after solid hit. Add it up and six more runs were on the board.
When Joel Hanrahan pitched the 9th, the extra run he allowed was just gravy. The bullpen -- with an assist from the lousy defense -- blew another one.
It was just another night in NatsTown.
Copyright NBC Local Media
First Published: Jun 24, 2009 7:56 AM EST
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