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After Big First, Nationals Outlast Houston
Nook Logan scores the first of the Nationals' five first-inning runs, sliding past Astros catcher Eric Munson. Logan scored from first base on Ryan Zimmerman's double.
(By Pat Sullivan -- Associated Press)
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"He's just going to do a lot of watch and learn," Acta said. "He might pick up an inning or two here and there out of the pen."
Lannan, though, said he feels fine physically.
"I feel good," he said. "My arm feels good, feels like it's holding up. . . . Whatever they decide to do is good. I've enjoyed this year."
He enjoyed it more because the Nationals hung on and won. After Lee's first homer -- one that barely squeezed into the first row of the stands in left -- pulled Houston to 6-3, the Nationals' bullpen took over. With the Nationals up 7-3 in the seventh, Lee managed a flare of an RBI single off Luis Ayala with two outs, bringing Houston within three again.
Jon Rauch worked a scoreless eighth, an inning that started with a groundball hit by Mark Loretta to third base. On many nights in many major league parks, it's a leadoff single. But Zimmerman, himself just 22, ranged far to his right, scooped it up, and flipped a throw from foul ground to easily get Loretta. It was his third difficult play of the night.
"That definitely saves runs," catcher Brian Schneider said. And other people notice, too. Schneider said the next hitter, Chris Burke, came to the plate and said, "I don't care what anyone else says. He's the best."
All that was left, then, was for Cordero to finish it off. But he hadn't pitched since Saturday, and he allowed Hunter Pence a one-out double. With two outs, Lee came up, that short fence in left looming.
The key: Lee wasn't the tying run.
"I was going to go right after him," Cordero said. "If he hit it out, he hit it out."
He did, and hearts palpitated a bit. But pinch hitter Orlando Palmeiro popped harmlessly to left. Lannan had another win, Cordero had another save, and the Nationals had another victory -- no matter how difficult it was.
