Nats vs. Dodgers: 3/19/07

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Looks like the Nats gave the Blue a little bit of a beating today getting 6 runs in the bottom of the 8th for a 9-1 ST win.

Does anyone know how the Nats are doing this ST compared to last?  I looked everywhere for 06' ST standings but couldn't find them anywhere to compare.

[Evolution33]

I remember it being pretty ugly last year. With our pitching staff regularly giving up 10+ runs, and the offense unable to score. I also remember almost dailey team meeting with Frank. The stats have to be somewhere on the internet. Everything else is.

[tomterp]

Looks like the Nats gave the Blue a little bit of a beating today getting 6 runs in the bottom of the 8th for a 9-1 ST win.

Does anyone know how the Nats are doing this ST compared to last?  I looked everywhere for 06' ST standings but couldn't find them anywhere to compare.

Nats were worst in the majors at 9 - 23

http://www.springtrainingmagazine.com/history5.html

[ZIM4MVP]

great day for Hill, hopefully he will have a big season

[shoeshineboy]

I got to see this game in person. Hill started the first inning with a little shakiness, but quickly got into a groove.

He was charged with 4 hits over the 5 innings, but that could/should have been only 1 (maybe 2.) A ball was hit hard that Guzman was in place to field, but the ball got past him. I have seen him make plays like that before. The only reason that I would still score it a hit (even if he had touched it) was that there was no guarantee he would have made the throw in time. Still, Nomar is not that fast. Besides that, two balls were grounded past Young. He made a decent effort for both, but these would have looked relatively routine for Travis Lee.

Later, while Wagner was pitching, Lopez and Guzman almost turned a double play with bases loaded to end the inning. It was bang/bang at first. Guzman didn't really give the throw the gusto it needed to pull it off. that was the only run the Dodgers plated. It was a good battle back for Wagner, who had some trouble finding the zone at first.

This was a solid outing for the Nats. The competition on the Nats is actually pretty good, which is why there doesn't always seem to be a dropoff when subs are made. Getting Lee, Casto, Nunez, Fick, and Wilson into the game doesn't exactly hurt the lineup. But the score got out of hand thanks to an absolutely pathetic performance by Jonathon Broxton. I was really looking forward to seeing how our guys would do against a tough young, pitcher. But Broxton couldn't find the plate. He was Eichenesque.

[Dave B]

Looks like the Nats gave the Blue a little bit of a beating today getting 6 runs in the bottom of the 8th for a 9-1 ST win.

Does anyone know how the Nats are doing this ST compared to last?  I looked everywhere for 06' ST standings but couldn't find them anywhere to compare.

They are doing much better in the error department. And most of them this year have been committed by one guy, Jimenez

[Senators2005]

Nationals 9, Dodgers 1
Stadium: Space Coast Stadium, Melbourne, FL
Associated Press

VIERA, Fla. (AP) -- Washington Nationals starter Shawn Hill went through his typical first-inning struggles Monday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 25-year-old right-hander then did something else typical this spring -- he settled down and dominated his opponent.

Hill pitched five scoreless innings in Washington's 9-1 victory at Space Coast Stadium. He allowed only four singles, struck out four and walked two.

After yielding two hits and two walks in the first inning, Hill gave up just two singles the rest of the way, retiring the side in order in the second, third and fifth.

"He's pretty sharp. He's a smart guy who was able to make adjustments," Nationals manager Manny Acta said. "His main thing -- I've probably said it 100 times -- is staying healthy."

Hill had Tommy John surgery in 2005 and missed the entire season. Last year with the Nationals, he started six games and went 1-3 with a 4.66 ERA.

In four starts this spring, Hill has a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings. He is slated to be the Nationals' No. 2 starter behind John Patterson.

"The thing I was happiest with today was the changeup -- I was able to mix that in a lot more than I typically do to lefties," Hill said. "And I didn't make any mistakes with that one, which for me, it's typically my third-best pitch. So, if I can use that more, I'll be better off."

Los Angeles starter Randy Wolf allowed one hit through four innings, but was chased in the fifth after giving up three runs and three hits.

In the eighth, the Nationals scored five runs off reliever Jonathan Broxton, who started the inning but could not get an out before being replaced by Elmer Dessens. Broxton walked three and gave up a double to Kory Casto and a two-run single to Robert Fick.

Washington's Chris Snelling, competing for a spot in the outfield, went 1-for-1 with three walks and two runs. Snelling is batting .310 this spring and leads the team with three homers.

For the Dodgers, Nomar Garciaparra went 2-for-4 with a run and Larry Bigbie had two hits and an RBI.

Game notes
The Nationals released five non-roster invitees: pitchers Colby Lewis and Luis Martinez, INF Jose Macias, INF Jorge Toca and OF Wayne Lydon. ... The Dodgers announced seven roster moves, reassigning INF Tony Abreu, OF Choo Freeman, pitcher Jonathan Meloan and pitcher Matt White. The team optioned pitcher D.J. Houlton, pitcher Eric Stults and OF Delwyn Young to the minors.