Nationals let one get away

By Mark Selig / MLB.com

WASHINGTON -- To the Nationals, Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano was like an eight-foot bass they almost caught while fishing at the lake.

After their work on Friday night, the Nationals discussed Zambrano's greatness and how close they were to catching him early.

But like the many hackneyed fishing stories people come home with, this one ended without triumph. They let him off the hook. And because of that, the Nationals lost, 3-1, despite another solid outing from rookie starter Craig Stammen.

Nationals let one get away....

Chi Cubs AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Fukudome, CF 4 0 2 0 0 0 1 .255
Theriot, SS 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 .296
Lee, D, 1B 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 .286
Ramirez, A, 3B 4 1 1 1 0 0 4 .320
Bradley, RF 3 1 1 0 1 0 2 .239
Hoffpauir, M, LF 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .237
Blanco, A, 2B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .222
Fontenot, 2B 3 1 1 0 0 0 2 .232
b-Johnson, Re, PH-LF 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .258
Hill, K, C 4 0 0 0 0 2 2 .208
Zambrano, C, P 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 .238
Heilman, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
a-Fuld, PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .389
Marshall, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231
Marmol, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Gregg, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Totals 32 3 7 3 2 4 14

a-Grounded out for Heilman in the 7th. b-Struck out for Fontenot in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Fukudome (18, Stammen), Fontenot (12, Stammen), Zambrano, C (2, Stammen).
HR: Ramirez, A (5, 3rd inning off Stammen, 0 on, 2 out).
TB: Fukudome 3; Lee, D; Ramirez, A 4; Bradley; Fontenot 2; Zambrano, C 2.
RBI: Zambrano, C 2 (7), Ramirez, A (18).
2-out RBI: Zambrano, C 2; Ramirez, A.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Fukudome; Fontenot.
GIDP: Ramirez, A; Bradley.
Team RISP: 1-for-9.
Team LOB: 5.

BASERUNNING
CS: Fukudome (7, 2nd base by Stammen/Bard, J).

FIELDING
E: Theriot (10, fielding).
DP: (Hill, K-Ramirez, A).


Washington AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Morgan, CF 5 0 3 0 0 1 1 .286
Johnson, N, 1B 3 1 1 0 1 0 4 .302
Zimmerman, R, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 2 5 .285
Dunn, A, LF 3 0 0 0 1 2 0 .260
Willingham, RF 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 .291
Harris, W, 2B 3 0 0 1 1 1 0 .248
Bard, J, C 4 0 0 0 0 2 3 .258
Gonzalez, Al, SS 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 .339
Stammen, P 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 .235
Clippard, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
a-Kearns, PH 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .195
MacDougal, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Beimel, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
b-Belliard, PH 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .190
Totals 33 1 6 1 4 12 14

a-Struck out for Clippard in the 7th. b-Singled for Beimel in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Johnson, N (16, Marshall).
TB: Morgan 3; Johnson, N 2; Gonzalez, Al; Belliard.
RBI: Harris, W (17).
2-out RBI: Harris, W.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Bard, J 2; Zimmerman, R 3; Johnson, N; Morgan.
Team RISP: 0-for-8.
Team LOB: 9.

BASERUNNING
SB: Morgan (26, 2nd base off Zambrano, C/Hill, K).
CS: Morgan (11, 3rd base by Zambrano, C/Hill, K).

FIELDING
E: Gonzalez, Al (8, fielding).
DP: 2 (Gonzalez, Al-Harris, W-Johnson, N, Harris, W-Johnson, N).


Chi Cubs IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Zambrano, C (W, 6-4) 5.0 4 1 0 4 6 0 3.36
Heilman (H, 6) 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4.22
Marshall (H, 5) 1.1 1 0 0 0 1 0 3.92
Marmol (H, 20) 0.2 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.50
Gregg (S, 17) 1.0 1 0 0 0 2 0 3.38

Washington IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Stammen (L, 2-5) 6.0 6 3 3 1 2 1 4.46
Clippard 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.12
MacDougal 1.0 1 0 0 1 0 0 4.43
Beimel 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.47

IBB: Dunn, A (by Zambrano, C).
HBP: Hoffpauir, M (by Stammen).
Pitches-strikes: Zambrano, C 113-64, Heilman 16-10, Marshall 12-11, Marmol 10-7, Gregg 17-12, Stammen 96-59, Clippard 19-14, MacDougal 16-10, Beimel 11-8.
Groundouts-flyouts: Zambrano, C 4-4, Heilman 0-1, Marshall 2-1, Marmol 0-1, Gregg 0-1, Stammen 11-4, Clippard 1-1, MacDougal 2-1, Beimel 1-1.
Batters faced: Zambrano, C 23, Heilman 3, Marshall 5, Marmol 2, Gregg 4, Stammen 25, Clippard 3, MacDougal 4, Beimel 3.
Umpires: HP: Gary Darling. 1B: D.J. Reyburn. 2B: Mike Estabrook. 3B: Paul Emmel.
Weather: 75 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 8 mph, L to R.
T: 2:39.
Att: 27,581.
July 17, 2009