WASHINGTON, D.C. — The rain that had people tubing down US 29/50 in Fairfax was playing havoc with the Washington Nationals. Two days earlier, they somehow got Stephen Strasburg’s start in against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but lost after a rain delay. The previous day’s game was postponed until yesterday as part of a doubleheader. I had already planned on going to the scheduled day game, so the though of an extra game was a welcome one. I had never been to a doubleheader.

After waiting all morning to see if the game would be played, I got a ride to the Metro and arrived at Nationals Park in the 1st inning. L.A. had already scored 2 runs. Starter Chien Ming Wang would give up 2 more runs in the 3rd. In the bottom of the inning, the Nats caught fire. Ian Desmond led off with a single and rookie Stephen Lombardozzi moved him to second. Ryan Zimmerman doubled in Desmond. Michael Morse doubled in Zimmerman and Jayson Werth homered for the 19th time to put tie the game. Morse’s double was critical, because he let a ball he was charging go over his head in left field during the top of the inning.

Scoring those 4 runs chased Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley after only 2 2/3 innings. The worked a high pitch on him, a job well done.
After that though, the bats went silent.

Wang hung on for six innings, not giving up a run after the 3rd. Todd Coffey, who stopped sprinting before he got to the infield dirt, pitched a scoreless inning, as did Tyler Clippard. Underworked Drew Storen, however, did not have similar success. With rain coming down, Storen hit a batter, gave up 3 hits and walked a batter. He only recorded two outs with Colin Balestar having to come and mop up.

The second game of the doubleheader was postponed but will almost certainly be cancelled since the Dodgers are not heading east again and they are all but out of contention. I wonder if I can use my ticket to get into another game.

11 loses in 14 games, ooff.