{"id":3247,"date":"2008-05-11T12:27:00","date_gmt":"2008-05-11T12:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yurasko.net\/wfy\/2008\/05\/a-bloodbath-at-nationals-park.html"},"modified":"2008-05-11T12:27:00","modified_gmt":"2008-05-11T12:27:00","slug":"a-bloodbath-at-nationals-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yurasko.net\/wfy\/2008\/05\/a-bloodbath-at-nationals-park\/","title":{"rendered":"A bloodbath at Nationals Park"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"11-0<\/a>
WASHINGTON, D.C. — <\/span>There is something about playing the Marlins that is anything but inspiring. I have been to handful of Nats vs. Marlins games I don’t think any of them have been either interesting or victorious for the home team. Last night continued that trend. Something about that team with ugly uniforms just brings out the worse in the Nats. Last night, they played like a team that deserves all of the jokes that lazy sportswriters from other towns make about them.<\/p>\n

The first pitch of the game was hit into the left field stands by someone an .180 hitter Cody Ross<\/span>. It was just the start of an evening of dreadful pitching by Mike O’Connor<\/span>, making his first start since late 2006. Past balls\/wild pitches, walks and no command of his pitching led to him given the hook on a 2-0 count. In all of my life I have only seen a pitcher replaced for anything other than injury in the middle at bat once before and that too was a Nats vs. Marlins game in 2005. O’Connor joins John Halama<\/span> on that shameful list. To a degree you have to feel sorry for O’Connor — he just doesn’t have major league stuff and the fact that he has had any success at all is kind of shocking. You want to root for him, especially since he went to George Washington University, but he just isn’t good. He gave up nine earned runs over 3 1\/3 innings.<\/p>\n

After O’Connor was replaced, with the bases loaded, Joel Hanrahan<\/span> came in and threw a wild pitch, allowing another run to score. O’Connor had done the same in the previous inning. Hanrahan finished up O’Connor’s walk and then gave up a grand slam (which was thrown back!) to Dan Uggla<\/span>. After that, Hanrahan settled down and retired the next eight batters.<\/p>\n

The Nats offense provided all of five baserunners the whole night. Their best chance to score came in the ninth inning with Willie Harris<\/span> on first on a “throwing” error that was more like a tossing era between the first baseman and the pitcher covering. Aaron Boone<\/span>, ripped a drive to deep left that was caught at the wall on the run. It looked long enough, but just couldn’t get the extra five feet to set off “Bustin’ Loose.” Lastings Milledge grounded into a double play, ending the bloodbath 2 hours and 55 minutes after it started.<\/p>\n