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With Manning, Game Is Going, Going, Gone
San Diego's Jody Gerut launches a three-run homer off Charlie Manning in the eighth to give the Padres a 5-2 lead.
(By Lenny Ignelzi -- Associated Press)
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They scored again in the seventh with a similar formula -- a one-out walk by Dukes, a stolen base, a pinch-hit single by Ryan Langerhans.
On the day, Washington collected a season-high four stolen bases; Acta later said, "That was the only way we could basically score today."
At least for one game, the Nationals also had success taking scores away. In the eighth, with Rivera still pitching, San Diego third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff socked a ball to left field that enabled Langerhans -- just inserted as a defensive replacement -- to make one of the most spectacular plays of the season.
Langerhans tracked the fly ball to the fence, near the 357-foot sign, and then leapt. His black mitt extended two feet above the wall. His right arm almost hit that of a fan, also going for the ball. Then, in an instant, Langerhans landed. Those at Petco paused.
Only when Langerhans removed the ball from his glove did everybody realize that a home run had been robbed, a tie game preserved.
"We were playing [to prevent] doubles, so I was already back pretty close to the wall," Langerhans said. "And I just went back and tried to get myself lined up. And just, you know, sometimes it's tough with a real high one like that. I just tried to time my jump right."
Said Acta: "It was an unbelievable play. It's too bad it's not going to be part of a win."
