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Nats Show Some Pop in Win at Old RFK
Washington's Austin Kearns bowls over Atlanta catcher Corky Miller to score in the 8th inning on Ronnie Belliard's single. Eight games remain at RFK.
(By Preston Keres -- The Washington Post)
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That was enough for right-hander Jason Bergmann, who was down on his performance. "The first half of the game, I really didn't have a feel for any one pitch at any one time," he said. But Bergmann lasted six innings, allowing a three-run homer to Chipper Jones and a solo shot to backup catcher Corky Miller.
With that, the Nationals handed a 5-4 lead to the same two men who couldn't protect an advantage the night before. Unlike Jimenez and Fick, Jon Rauch and Cordero figure to be in the new bullpen on Opening Day next April, when a new era in Washington baseball begins.
But Friday night at RFK, Rauch gave up a run in the eighth, Cordero a run in the ninth, and the Nationals lost in 13. This time, Rauch pitched a scoreless eighth. The Nationals scored twice in the bottom of the inning, including when Austin Kearns ran over Miller in a thunderous collision at the plate. Thus, it was Cordero -- who seems to have something of a mental block against the Braves -- who made it interesting.
"I know he has a little bit of a rough time against them," Acta said, "but we can't be switching closers depending on the series."
Yet here was Cordero, loading the bases with one out, bringing Chipper Jones -- with his .429 career average against Cordero and game-tying double from Friday night -- to the plate.
"Nothing's in my head," Cordero said of the Braves. "I have the same mentality as I do against every other team. It's just for some reason, they just put the bat on the ball every time. They just kind of frustrate me."
Finally, he frustrated Jones, getting him to ground a fastball to shortstop to start a game-ending double play.
Thus, there are just eight games left at RFK, countless more at the new park.
"It's getting there," Zimmerman said. "You can see how it's going to be. It's pretty cool. I think we're all ready to see how it's going to end up. We can't wait."
