Topic 2011, week 2. Discuss amongst yourselves...

Game 7 - WAS 1, MIL 0 (5-2)
A great pitcher's duel between Washington's Joe Nathan and Milwaukee's Dennis Sarfate. The only run of the game came when PJ Phillips tripled in Jimmy Rollins with two outs in the third. Joe Nathan went 8 innings before handing the ball over to Richie Wilhite for his first save. Nathan gave up 3 hits, walked 4 (3 of them intentionally?) and struck out 10. The sellout home crowd could not have asked for a better performance to open up the season at RFK Stadium.

Game 8 - WAS 2, MIL 1 (6-2)
The 2nd game at RFK of the season provided the 2nd pitcher's duel. Shawn Hill got the win this time throwing a complete game, giving up 1 run on 6 hits and striking out 6. Grady Sizemore batted in both runs with a solo home run and a single. Him and Miguel Cabrera accounted for all 5 hits the Nationals would record, as Miggy enjoyed a 3 for 4 night.

Game 9 - WAS 8, MIL 4 (7-2)
The Nats fell behind early but Beau Jones could not tame the powerful Washington lineup. Hits were scattered throughout the lineup as Bill Hall enjoyed the only multi-hit day going 3 for 4. Michael Durant and Mike Napoli each hit pinch hit home runs. Grady Sizemore also went deep for the Nationals. Jimmy Gobble picked up his 1st win in relief of Colton Willems. Richie Wilhite got the final 2 outs with the tying run in the on-deck circle to record his 2nd save.

Game 10 - ATL 5, WAS 4 (7-3)
The Nationals had the lead early but Gabby Hernandez struggled in his 2nd straight outing and took the loss. Miguel Cabrera went 2 for 4 with two RBI's and Brian McCann added 2 hits on the offensive side.

Game 11 - WAS 8, ATL 0 (8-3)
Rich Harden extended his dominant start throwing 7 scoreless innings and striking out 12 Braves' hitters. His record jumps to 3-0 on the young season. The offensive stars for the Nats were Grady Sizemore and Miguel Cabrera. Sizemore went 2 for 3 with a home run, triple and 2 RBIs while Cabrera went 2 for 5 with a homer and 3 RBIs.

Game 12 - WAS 5, ATL 0 (9-3)
As hard as it may be to show up Rich Harden, Joe Nathan is managing to do it this season. Andres Blanco was the only Braves hitter to get a hit off Nathan to lead off the 7th inning. Nathan worked 8 innings and struck out 11 in his 1-hit performance to lower his ERA to 0.38 and improve his record to 3-0, matching Harden's. PJ Phillips homered for the Nationals as well as Mike Napoli, who hit his NL leading 5th home run of the season. Brian McCann added 3 singles on a 3 for 4 night.

Well Week one was a rough trip to Texas and Oakland that saw the O's go 2-4, so we were glad to return home for 2 home series vs the Angels and Yankees.

Game one vs LA was close the whole way. Hurley gave up his only 2 runs in the first before shutting the Angels down through 7 1/3. The O's tied it up in the 6th, then took a one run lead in the 7th. Closer Britton couldn't get the save though and the game went to the 11th, when Nixon hit a 2 out double, and Renteria followed with a single to knock in the winning run. Ryan Howard had a big week, and started it off in game 1 with 2 HR and 3hits. After game one the O's offense scored 13 in game 2 and 11 in game 3. In game 2 Lester went 7 2/3 innings, striking out 10 and allowing only 4 hits. Three O's had 4 hits.. Renteria, DeJesus, and Paulino, and the team totalled 22 hits. Game 3 saw a great performance from Rupe, as he went 8 innings giving up only 6 hits and no runs. James Loney led the offense with a 4-5 game, including 3 RBIs and 2 HR.

This was followed by a big series with the Yankees, in which Ryan Howard was HUGE! Game one was an impressive 14-3 blowout, in which the O's totalled 7 HR. Howard had 3 solo shots to lead the way. Others to homer were Gotay, Hermida, Loney, and Delgado. Game two was another blowout win, as the O's took an early lead and never looked back, ending in a 9-2 win. This game saw Hoard go yard two more times, and rack up 5 RBI. Delgado also hit two out. Jerome Williams went 7 strong innings, giving up only 2ER in his first win of the season. The O's couldn't pull the sweep off though, as Eric Hurley struggled in the final game, giving up 4 ER in 5 2/3 innings. Ryan Howard added on 2 more Home Runs, bringing his 3 game series total to an amazing 7.

After 2 weeks the O's have moved into a tie for first in what looks to be a tough AL East. At this point though things look good. The team ERA is 3.68, and the team is hitting an amazing .316, with 24 Home Runs. The 24 Home Runs puts them in a tie with the Mets for first. Next week is a BIG test.... we go on the road for 7 games versus all 3 East teams. 2 games at Boston, followed by 2 in Toronto, and 3 in New York.

Week two sees the Mariners again go 4-2 but the starting pitching gets hammered all week long.

the recaps

Game 7- Mariners 0 @ Cutthroats 11
Starter Dan Haren gets clobbered for 5 runs in 2 2/3 innings followed by Logan Kensing giving up 4 in 1 1/3 innings. the bright spots in this embarrassing shutout loss to new division rival California are one scoreless inning each by Switzer and Beimel and Jose Lopez 2-4 performance at the plate.
(4-3)

Game 8- Mariners 9 @ Cutthroats 8
Jose Lopez continues his torrid hitting with a 3-6, 1 HR, 1 2B, 2R, 2RBI performance. Yuniesky Betancourt goes 2-4 with an inside the park home run and 3 RBI. Starter Clay Hensley gives up 4 runs in 4 1/3 innings, followed 1 2/3 scoreless innings by Roberto Novoa, then one inning for Beimel giving up a run followed by Delusto who blows his first save opportunity of the year but ends up picking up the win, with Kensing getting the save.
(5-3)

Game 9- Mariners 6 @ Cutthroats 10
The Mariners get 2 hits each from Lopez, Garciaparra, Ordonez and Betancourt with a 3 hit performance by Chris Snelling and a home run from catcher Dioner Navarro. Starter Zack Greinke goes only 1 inning giving up 5 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks, reliever Logan Kensing doesn't do much better going 1 inning and giving up 3 more runs on 3 hit 2 of which left the yard, Lefty Jake Woods then takes the mound for 2 1/3 innings followed by Roberto Novoa for 1 2/3 and Delbusto for 2 more each allowing one run, Overall a pretty rough outing for the pitching staff.
(5-4)

Game 10- Mariners 12 @ Rangers 7
After ace Matt Cain gets shelled for 5 runs in 3 Innings the bullpen takes over and between Woods(2 Innings, Winning pitcher in the game), Novoa(1 2/3 innings), Beimel(1/3 inning), Kensing and Switzer(1 inning each) hold the rangers to only 2 more runs. The offense came alive led by Snelling who went 4-4 with a home run and 5 RBI's and Larry Broadway who went 3-5 with a home run and 4 RBI's.
(6-4)

Game 11- Mariners 9 @ Rangers 3
Dan Haren pitched 5 innings giving up all three runs, only 2 earned. Delbusto picked up a four out save for his second save of the season. The offense was led by Jason Bay(2-51 HR, 2RBI) and Chris Snelling (2-4, 1HR, 3R, 3RBI).
(7-4)

Game 12- Mariners 8 @ Rangers 5
Starter Clay Hensley only lasts 4 2/3 innings giving up 4 runs, Roberto Novoa picks up the win with 2 1/3 innings, Beimel pitches a scoreless inning followed by Delbusto with a scoreless inning to pick up his third save on the year.
The offensive stars were Todd Linden(2-3, 2BB, 3R, 1HR, 1RBI, 1 SB)and Chris Snelling(2-4, 1HR, 3RBI).
(8-4)