Nationals shut out by Lowe, Braves

By Guy Curtwright / Special to MLB.com

ATLANTA -- Although the Nationals are stuck in last place, how they play the last three weeks could determine who wins the National League East. Of the final 19 games, 12 are against the Phillies and Braves.

"I wish we were the ones competing for the playoffs, but since we're not, at least we get in that atmosphere," manager Jim Riggleman said before the start of a three-game series against Braves. "I think it's good for our young players to be in these situations, and we're going to take the games very seriously."

But to impact the pennant race, the Nationals need to get out of their funk and fast. On Monday night, they didn't look much like the team that had split its previous 12 games against the Braves and beaten Derek Lowe three times.

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Washington AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Espinosa, 2B 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 .294
Desmond, SS 4 0 0 0 0 4 1 .279
Bernadina, LF 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 .259
a-Gonzalez, Al, PH 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .280
Zimmerman, R, 3B 4 0 2 0 0 2 0 .303
Dunn, A, 1B 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 .263
Morse, RF 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 .296
Detwiler, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Morgan, CF 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 .260
Ramos, W, C 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 .261
Maya, P 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 .500
Harris, W, RF 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .187
Totals 31 0 6 0 0 15 9 .255
a-Struck out for Bernadina in the 9th.
Atlanta AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Infante, 2B 4 0 2 1 0 0 0 .343
Heyward, RF 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 .288
Prado, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 2 5 .313
McCann, C 3 1 0 0 1 0 1 .274
Lee, D, 1B 3 1 0 0 1 0 1 .251
McLouth, CF-LF 4 1 1 1 0 0 1 .190
Gonzalez, A, SS 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 .265
Diaz, M, LF 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 .239
Ankiel, CF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .234
Lowe, D, P 2 0 0 0 1 1 1 .125
Wagner, B, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Totals 29 4 5 3 4 3 14 .261
BATTING
2B: Morgan (15, Lowe, D).
TB: Espinosa; Zimmerman, R 2; Morgan 3; Maya.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Espinosa.
GIDP: Dunn, A.
Team RISP: 0-for-3.
Team LOB: 4.

BASERUNNING
CS: Espinosa (1, 2nd base by Lowe, D/McCann).

FIELDING
E: Desmond (33, fielding).
DP: (Desmond-Espinosa-Dunn, A).

BATTING
2B: McLouth (11, Maya).
3B: Diaz, M (2, Maya).
TB: Infante 2; McLouth 2; Gonzalez, A; Diaz, M 3.
RBI: McLouth (22), Diaz, M (30), Infante (41).
2-out RBI: Infante.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Prado 2.
GIDP: Diaz, M.
Team RISP: 3-for-8.
Team LOB: 6.

FIELDING
DP: 2 (McCann-Gonzalez, A, Gonzalez, A-Prado-Lee, D).

Washington IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Maya(L, 0-2) 6.0 5 4 4 3 2 0 6.55
Detwiler 2.0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2.65
Totals 8.0 5 4 4 4 3 0 4.17
Atlanta IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Lowe, D(W, 13-12) 8.0 6 0 0 0 12 0 4.22
Wagner, B 1.0 0 0 0 0 3 0 1.48
Totals 9.0 6 0 0 0 15 0 3.58
Balk: Maya 2.
HBP: Heyward (by Maya).
Pitches-strikes: Maya 90-58, Detwiler 27-15, Lowe, D 105-66, Wagner, B 12-10.
Groundouts-flyouts: Maya 10-5, Detwiler 3-2, Lowe, D 7-4, Wagner, B 0-0.
Batters faced: Maya 27, Detwiler 7, Lowe, D 28, Wagner, B 3.
Umpires: HP: Dan Iassogna. 1B: Dale Scott. 2B: Paul Nauert. 3B: Jerry Meals.
Weather: 81 degrees, clear.
Wind: 5 mph, R to L.
T: 2:13.
Att: 18,647