Washington 13 NEW YORK 4 (CBS Sportsline Boxscore)

Nationals, Chico Extend Spoiler Role – The Post

Nats, Chico overwhelm Mets – The Wash. Times

Matt Chico didn’t pitch too well for the Nationals (5.2 IP 3 R), but he didn’t need to last night. 2B Ronnie Belliard and PH Ryan Langerhans each had 3 RBI with the latter’s coming on a home run. 3B Ryan Zimmerman scored three runs and RF Austin Kearns hit his 15th homer. That puts the team at 70 wins with five games remaining to try and exceed last year’s total of 71. I reluctantly say the “magic number” to clinch fourth place is three games; fourth place isn’t magical unless you are the Devil Rays or Royals.

Okay, that was the good news, the bad news is that Shawn Hill has been shut down for surgery (The Post). Naturally, he has a compressed radial nerve which are like torn labrums in 2006 — everybody has one (The Wash. Times). The ailment has plauged John Patterson as well.

Mark Zuckerman of The Wash. Times says Dmitri Young is the club MVP. He gives out several other “awards” as well.

Harry Jaffe takes the opprutunity of RFK closing to recall what it took to get baseball back in D.C. (The Wash. Examiner)

A columnist for The News Leader (Staunton, Va.), a paper with which I am familiar, was at RFK both times it closed for baseball.

Baseball attendance was up overall, but down 10% for the Nationals. Is that part of The Plan, Stan?

Also, check out my RFK Memories.