William World News William F. Yurasko's blog v.14 – Nats, Penn State, Redskins, greater DC , travel, more

A whirlwind 34.5 hours trip to the Garden State has just ended. We did an awful lot while we were up there, but only saw a few minutes of the Penn State victory during the second half. Hopefully, we successfully programmed the VCR so that we can watch the blowout that we missed.
I can’t wait [...]

Philadelpia 4 WASHINGTON 1 (10 innings) (CBS Sports Boxscore)Last night, Cliff’s Phillies beat my Nationals for the tenth time to clinch the season series. He avenges last year’s defeat and wins a half-smoke from Ben’s Chili Bowl for his victory.
Phillies Make Manager Sweat Out Win Over Nats – The Post
Nats waste chances in defeat – [...]

I know that I have been alluding to an impending absence for a while now. It may appear that I am just going down the Shore, but the truth is that this will be a working vacation. I’ve recently signed with a major publisher to write a series of books. You’ll be able to find [...]

PHILADELPHIA 4 Washington 3 (CBS Sportsline Boxscore)
Jason Bergmann is the latest starting pitcher to get hurt…again. He hurt his hamstring running the basses in the second inning and had to leave in the third after pitching 2 1/3 innings. Nationals Journal has the sequence of events here.
Bergmann had given up two runs in his brief [...]

We had our annual La Coupe Hauxer ceremony at the Vienna Inn yesterday. Read about it here.
©MMX William F. Yurasko

Shawn Hill pitched really well yesterday (The Post):
…where Hill became the first Nationals pitcher to complete eight innings, where he allowed three singles and Aaron Rowand’s solo homer, where he faced 29 men and went to a 2-0 count on only three of them. The Nationals beamed about Hill’s performance in beating a more highly [...]

PHILADELPHIA 9 Washington 3 (ESPN Boxscore)
Just to be different, John Patterson pitched better than he had been, but poor fielding by Felipe Lopez and LF Robert Fick (Fick in left field — why?!) doomed him. For the night, Patterson gave up six runs in 5 1/3 innings. Ouch.
Patterson Doomed By Nats’ Defense – The Post
Struggles [...]

PHILADELPHIA 6 Washington 3 (ESPN Boxscore)
The Nats blew a 3-1 sixth inning lead and solid Jason Bergmann pitching to lose to the Fleas. The bullpen had to falter at some point. Bergmann will get a win, someday. Micah Bowie (0-1) gets tagged with the loss while Antonio Alfonseca (1-0) gets the win.
Nationals’ Bullpen Lets One [...]

After a travel day, the Nats take on the Phillies tonight at Citizens Bank Park to resume the 2nd Annual Half-smoke/Cheesesteak Challenge.Each year I have a “mayor’s bet” with my friend Cliff (aka The Ombudsman*) on the Nats vs. Fleas series. I put up a half-smoke from Ben’s Chili Bowl and he puts up a [...]

Philadelphia 4 WASHINGTON 2 (ESPN Boxscore)
The 2nd Annual Half-smoke Cheesesteak Challenge is tied. The Fleas tagged “ace” John Patterson for three runs in four innings before manager Manny Acta had enough. On the radio, Charlie Slowes and Dave Shea noted that Patterson was not using his lower body well in his pitches and that Patterson [...]