2009 Game #29 - Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals
Final Score: Nationals 9, Diamondbacks 2
Hot Dog - 4/5
Looking at our schedule a week ago, we thought, “Oh yahoo. A Nationals vs. D’Backs game.” The reason for this disappointment, of course, is that both teams stink. (Of course, our disappointment pales in comparison to Amanda’s when she finds out we didn’t get souvenirs for anyone.) As it turns out, the Nats had won 7 in a row going into yesterday’s game, which they also won. Who’d have thunk it? It was a pretty good game through the 8th, when the Arizona bullpen blew up and allowed 4 runs. Adam Dunn hit a homer in the bottom of the first, and it was all more or less downhill for the D’Backs from there.
The rookie Nationals starter J.D. Martin was actually pretty good, going 5 innings and giving up only 1 run to earn the win. His one run was on a bomb in the first inning by Arizona’s leadoff man Trent Oeltjen. Martin’s counterpart from the Diamondbacks, Yusmeiro Petit, was not as good. He was also not good when we saw him pitch in Arizona. He only survived 4 innings, giving up 4 runs, only 3 of which were earned. The Diamondbacks defense was less-than-stellar yesterday, goofing up thrice. After Petit was pulled from the game, it was a parade of bullpen guys, including Scott Schoeneweis who gave up all 4 of the Nationals’ runs in the 8th inning. So, it was the eighth consecutive “Curly W” for the Nationals.
Nationals Park was mostly nothing special. It was new, and spiffy in that respect, but that’s about it. There is no standout feature or characteristic that makes it memorable. There is a view of the Capitol building, but only from certain angles in the park. As I said, it was comfortable with all the new stuff that the other parks have, just non-descript.
The Nationals (sadly, like most other Major League teams) have a stupid mascot. His name is “Screech” and I’m guessing he’s supposed to be a bald eagle. Seeing as it was about 100 degrees on the field (though our cheap seats were blessedly shady), Screech appearances were few and far between. Now, even though the park itself was rather blah, their “Stuff Race” was AWESOME. In my opinion, the best Stuff Race of all the Stuff Races. At Nationals Park, in Washington, D.C., the Stuff that Races are… Presidents.
That’s right, Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt battle for Presidential Racing supremacy. At the start of yesterday’s race, Teddy was the perennial loser, while Abe leads on the season with 28 wins. Out of the gate, Thomas cheated, leaving early. But, he soon wilted in the heat and Teddy took the lead. Coming into the home stretch he had a significant gap between him and Abe, but Mr. Lincoln showed an impressive turbo boost and won the race. Teddy loses again. Like I said, the BEST Stuff Race ever.
-Karyn
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