Saturday, June 17, 2006

That's Fighting BABY!!




Nats320
Down 9-2 to the Hated Yankees before a Sellout Crowd of 45,083, our Nationals appeared to be in dire straights and on their way to a 6th consecutive loss. A 2 Run Monster Home Run by Alex Rodriguez to Dead Center Field, followed by a Jorge Posada Home Run off Ramon Ortiz made the score 5-2. But, when Saul Rivera gave up the GRAND SLAM to Johnny Damon to right center field, helped by a brutal error off the glove of Marlon Byrd in center, giving the Bronx Bombers a 7 run lead after 4 and 1/2 innings you could smell the kill at RFK stadium today. But, AMAZINGLY, THE NATIONALS FOUGHT BACK AND WITH STYLE!!. In the Bottom half of the 5th, Soriano walked, Vidro singled to right, Soriano to 3rd. Daryle Ward (today's true PLAYER OF THE DAY!!} subbing for the injured Nick Johnson, drove a single to right scoring Soriano and moving Vidro to 3rd. 9-3 Yanks. With 1 out, Zimmerman doubled down the right field line, scoring Vidro and moving Ward to 3rd. 9-4 Yanks. Yankees replace starter Shawn Chacon with Lefty Matt Smith, and Schneider greets him with a smack to right center scoring both Ward and Zimmerman. 9-6 Yankees after 5. In the bottom of the 7th, Ward slams a TITANIC BLAST INTO THE UPPER RIGHT FIELD DECK AT RFK, SECTION 470, 6 ROWS DEEP off TJ Beam, making his first MLB appearance. Jose Guillen follows with a double to left center and would score on pinch hitter Robert Fick's bloop double to left center making it 9-8 after 7 innings. The Wookie, John Rauch, comes on in the 8th to shut down the Yankees, despite a double by Derek Jeter. And, in the bottom of the 8th, the Nationals get a lead off walk from Alfonso Soriano. And, with the ultimate Closer, Mariano Rivera, now in the game and Daryle Ward at the plate, Soriano first steals 2nd base and then 3rd, and while stealing, Yankee Catcher, Jorge Posada throws the ball into right field and Soriano trots home tying the game at 9-9 and the RFK Stadium Nationals Crowd went bonkers. And, the Yankees loud mouths just shut up!! It was fabulous. Ward would go on to Walk on a full count and THEN SCORE ON A JOSE GUILLEN TRIPLE INTO RIGHT CENTER FIELD. WARD WAS HUFFING AND PUFFING ALL THE WAY, BUT DID SCORE STANDING UP, TO MAKE THE GAME 10-9 NATIONALS!! Zimmerman then singles Guillen home to give a 2 run cushion. And, THE CHIEF, one of the bullpen goats the previous night, came on to finish out the Yankees in 4 batters to give the Nationals a exhilarating 11-9 win for the faithful and sent the Yankee Fans home with their tails between their legs. IT WAS A FABULOUS WIN!! On consecutive nights, Cordero and Rivera gave up the game for their teams, when it counted the most. So far, this has been as exciting of a series as anyone could want watching baseball. And the crowd, whether for the Nats or Yankees has been into it. Its a WONDERFUL WEEEKEND OF BASEBALL AT RFK!!

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