Yesterday morning, I had a little twitter conversation with a college classmate, Kyle, about the Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds series:

@doubleuefwhy: Nats won game 1 of the #Reds series which means they probably lose the next 2, right? http://ow.ly/65kju Also, DINGUHZ

@NLP49: @doubleuefwhy If it’s a close game Nats will win. Reds far back of StL despite very similar runs scored differential.

@doubleuefwhy: @nlp49 I don’t expect it to be close tonight, #Nats SP Ross Detwiler is proving to the world this season that he’s a long-man, not a starter

So, that’s just how it went down last night, right?

Actually just the opposite.

Ross Detwiler pitched pretty well last night, probably his best major league outing. A 2 out home run to Joey Votto in the bottom of the first was the only run he allowed in six innings. Detwiler struck out seven and threw over 100 pitches for the first time. He did not get any run support though.

Sean Burnett allowed an 8th inning run, putting the Nats in a 2-0 hole.

In the ninth, a scenario that was not unfamiliar began for the Nats. A reliever named Cordero came out and gave up a home run. Then he loaded the bases with a walk, single and an error. With one out and the tying run 90 feet away and the winning run on second, Cordero got the ground ball he needed for a high wire save. Only, it wasn’t Chad Cordero of days of yore, it was the Reds’ Francisco Cordero. Ryan Zimmerman hit that lead off home run, his second in 2 days. Wilson Ramos though, with the bases loaded, grounded into a double play on the first pitch he saw, to end the game.

The rubber game of the series is tonight. Jordan Zimmerman is scheduled for what is likely his penultimate start of 2011. Bronson Arroyo is scheduled for Cincy.

LINKS

Nationals vs. Reds: Johnny Cueto outduels Ross Detwiler, then Cincinnati holds off late rally – The Post

THOMAS BOSWELL: Washington Nationals need to think long term over this season’s stretch run – The Post
Boswell thinks the Nats will be playing for the future in September and hoping that they don’t limp out of the season with call-ups like Chris Marrero and Brad Peacock getting their first major league exposure. Oh yeah, some fireballing pitcher with elbow problems should be up too.