Nationals Don’t Lose, 16-15

The only true contest in this game was determining which was worse — the sloppy play on the field or the unseemly call on the radio.

Somehow, the Nationals didn’t lose despite committing a week’s worth of errors in one inning while the Braves scored nine times to take a 14-6 lead at the game’s midpoint.

Thanks in large part to the Atlanta relievers issuing 11 walks^*, Washington made the most out of its 12 hits and a pair of sacrifice flies to erase the eight-run deficit with a pair of five-spots in the 5th and 6th innings.
^{* Jim Powell and Don Sutton, too busy trolling the DC fans, failed to notice this while wondering how the Nationals were scoring so many runs while being outhit, 25-11}

The win went to newly acquired Felipe Rivero, who gave up a run on three hits in the 6th with no walks and no strikeouts. Luis Ayala earned the save by stranding two runners with an inning-ending double play in the 8th and worked around a hit in the 9th.

Jordan Zimmermann got the start and threw two scoreless innings, allowing a hit and fanning one. Matt Purke, Blake Treinen, and Josh Roenicke were touched (torched?) for 14 runs in the 3rd, 4th, 5th innings on 16 hits combined, including five doubles.

Here’s a rundown of how the notable minor-leaguers fared at the plate:
• Brian Goodwin, 0-for-1, 3R, RBI, 2BB
• Jeff Kobernus, 0-for-2, RBI
• Matt Skole, 1-for-1, R, BB, RBI
• Sandy Leon, 0-for-1, 2R, 2BB
• Steve Souza, 1-for-2, R, 2B, RBI, SB
• Michael Taylor, 0-for-3, R

Taylor was charged with two of the five Nats errors, both coming on the same play as the 22-y.o. Floridian missed a catch and air-mailed the subsequent throw while playing right field as part of the disastrous 5th inning.

The Nationals will send Doug Fister to the hill tomorrow for Game 3 of the Grapferuit slate against the Marlins, which will also be the first MASN telecast.