Game 65 Recap-
In a game that featured 7 home runs, the last one won it. Nationals super prospect Lastings Milledge homered off of Pirates closer Matt Capps with 1 on n the 9th to win the game for Washington over Pittsburgh, 7-6 Tuesday at PNC Park.
“We all know that Capps is an aggressive guy, and Dukes and I are aggressive hitters, so we were trying to get to him early in the count,” Milledge said. “We knew we were going to get that fastball and that’s what we were looking for, and both of us got it.”
Capps(0-1,2.64 era) had been 15 for 15 in save situations, seemed to have the right approach in the locker room after this tough loss, “They beat me tonight,” Capps said. “I felt like I had good stuff tonight. They just beat me.”
In the brutal 90+ degree heat, Both starters pitched well. Nationals RH Tim Redding(6-3,4.29) continued his strong season, over 6 innings he allowed 8 hits & 4 runs with 3 strike outs and 1 walk. Pirates LH Paul Maholm(4-5,4.55) was also competitive and battled. In 6 2/3 innings, he gave up 10 hits & 4 runs with 4 Ks.
This game featured 13 runs and only 4 scored without a home run(3 by the Pirates). Pittsburgh had a 3-0 lead in the 1st after an rbi groundout by 2b Freddy Sanchez and newly returning C Ryan Doumit’s(.345) 2 run homer. In the 5th, Nationals 2b Ronnie Belliard hit his 1st of 2 homers. Doumit answered with his own solo shot in the 6th.
The game turned in the 7th when Maholm gave up 3 homers over 4 batters, as 1b Dimitri Young, C Jesus Flores & Belliard all reached the stands. The Pirates rallied in the 8th with RF Xavier Nady’s single & PH Doug Mientkiewicz sacrifice fly giving Pittsburgh a 7-6 lead going into the 9th. RF Elijah Dukes doubled with 2 outs and Milledge homered to left center. Nationals closer, LH Jon Rauch(2.56 era)- all 6′9 of him-retired the side in order with a strike out mixed in and recorded his 13th save.
Star of the Game-
Milledge- Game winning homer with 2 outs
Pirates Notes-
Game was delayed 12 minutes with lightning and thunder threats, whole Midwest-East coast is facing weather issues……Doumit was 4 for 4 to lead the offense, he had 3 rbi and 3 runs as well as 2 homers. To say the team missed this talent is a MAJOR understatement!
Next Game-
Wednesday,7:05 PNC Park
Pirates RH Ian Snell(2-6,5.65) vs Nationals LH John Lannan(4-6, 3.47)
