Game 2: Rockies def. Nationals

The Nationals climbed to 40 wins yesterday with a win over the Rockies, but we can't let them get too crazy with this whole winning thing.

Final Score: Rockies 3, Nationals 1
WP: Cook (6-6, 4.37 ERA)
LP: Traber (2-1, 4.20 ERA)

I guess you could call it a hard-luck loss for Traber. He gave the Nationals about what they expected as a bullpen guy sent to the mound for an emergency start. 56 pitches over four innings. One earned run (two overall) on three hits with only one walked batter. Possibly not wanting to push it with Traber, Acta did not allow to pitch into the fifth inning. Traber took the loss against a dominant Aaron Cook. Cook went seven innings and allowed no runs on four hits with eight strikeouts.

Tough luck for Brian Schneider too, who had a near homerun stolen from him at the yellow line by Spilborghs out in right field. Not sure if it had enough to get out of the park, but it was certainly extra bases if not snagged.

The lone Nationals run was driven in by the bat of Ryan Zimmerman from a Jorge Julio offering. Seems like no matter where that guy shows up, he's always giving the Nationals runs. With one out in the 8th, however, Zimmerman forgot the number of outs and was doubled off of second base after Austin Kearns hit a fly ball to Kaz Matsui. There were runners on second and third at the time.

After Traber and Schroeder, King, Rivera, and Rauch combined for no runs on only two hits. With that outing, Rauch upheld his MLB-leading number of game appearances by a pitcher with 52. He is trailed closely by fellow Nationals reliever Saul Rivera, tied with Scott Downs of the Blue Jays with 50.

For any curious, Scott Proctor of the Yankees is tied with eight others for third place with 49 relief appearances this season.

Believe it or not, the Nationals have secured a spot in the FOX line-up for Saturday afternoon with a 3:55 start time! Whether any market outside of Colorado or DC will actually air that game is another story.

LHP Mike Bacsik (2-6, 4.87 ERA) and the Nationals will try to secure a quick turnaround against former Oriole great Rodrigo Lopez and the Rockies. Bacsik has been fairly consistent for the Nationals since he was called up from the minors. He averages around 5 innings and three runs a start. Not the best stats in the world, but at least he's a predictable pitcher that a manager can pre-plan their bullpen use around. In his July 16th start, Bacsik allowed one earned run in 5.2 innings.