Score one for The Maryland Bureau Chief. He said the Nats would beat the Pirates in the first game of this week’s series and then lose the rest. That is precisely what happened. Washington still won the season series, 4-3, though, so I still get my bourbon.

Perhaps pitching to Pittsburgh C Ryan Doumit in the first with a runner on was a poor decision, no? I was hoping they would walk him. Bob Carpenter said that if the runner had been on second, walking Doumit would be the right thing to do, but what difference does it make? Either situation leads to runners at first and second.

RF Elijah Dukes is easily the most exciting player on the Nats right now. Sometimes that is good (key hits, stolen bases), sometimes that is bad (baserunning errors, snubbing manager). Dukes has “your potential is going to cost me my job” written all over him.

Nationals’ Patience Pays LittleThe Post
Nats can’t put it togetherThe Wash. Times
Doumit walks the walk in walloping WashingtonPost-Gazette
Pérez Will Miss Second Straight StartThe Post
Lo Duca coming, Perez goingThe Wash. Times

Interleague play begins again tonight, in Seattle, d’oh! Only Sunday’s game is at a reasonable hour — 4:10 p.m. The others start at 10:10 p.m.

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