NATIONALS NOTEBOOK
Church Gets Credit for His Work in Center
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Friday, April 20, 2007
Philadelphia center fielder Aaron Rowand hit a laser-like line drive in the fifth inning of the Phillies' 4-2 victory over the Washington Nationals yesterday, and Ryan Church began to gallop across the vast expanse known as center field at RFK Stadium. He eventually tracked down the ball for an out, the latest indication of how much better Church has gotten defensively since taking over for the injured Nook Logan in the middle of Opening Day.
"I've always been comfortable," Church said. "It's just that I know where to play now. . . . Start on the warning track and work your way in."
Church leads the Nationals with nine extra-base hits, including a team-high three homers, but his defensive play has helped the pitching staff build confidence.
"He's been our savior," Manager Manny Acta said. "He has played a terrific center field."
Church, though, still isn't a fan of RFK. "Hate, that's too nice," he said, smiling.
"It just [stinks] when you go up there and barrel a ball," Church said, "and . . . guys are on you, 'Oh, that'd be a home run if we were in Philly.' "
Stopped Cold
The Nationals put themselves in position to tie yesterday's game by getting back-to-back doubles from Ryan Zimmerman and Dmitri Young to start the ninth. When closer Tom Gordon hit Austin Kearns and Church blooped a single to left, the bases were loaded with none out in a 4-1 game.
Robert Fick's sacrifice fly made it 4-2, and then Gordon fell behind Brian Schneider 3-0. Schneider took one strike, and then faced a dilemma: risk allowing Gordon to get the second strike, or swing and risk being over-aggressive.
"You want to be aggressive and swing at a good pitch," Schneider said.
He got a fastball, but bounced out to first, advancing the runners.
Gordon got ahead of Chris Snelling 0-2 with a pair of fastballs, went back to another fastball -- which Snelling fouled off -- and then came with a knee-buckling curve.
"I was looking for a strike," Snelling said, "and I took one."
