Zimmermann's next-to-last start, father-son D.C. dingers

by Phil Wood

Jordan Zimmermann's penultimate 2011 start looks pretty good from here: no runs and only three hits through six innings. At 95 pitches, Davey Johnson is letting him go out for the seventh, maybe a tad surprising since no one is currently warming up. Tyler Clippard was up last inning, but he's seated now.

Dumb moment of the night: Arizona right fielder Justin Upton was hit by a pitch with one on and no one out in the fourth inning. He slammed his bat down and gave Zimmermann the stink eye, as if it was intentional. In the bottom of the inning when D-Backs starter Ian Kennedy hit Michael Morse, home plate ump Marvin Hudson warned both benches, but it seemed rather pointless.

Well, it turns out that the seventh inning is ZImmermann's undoing. After retiring Lyle Overbay on a ground ball to short, he walked Chris Young. A brief mound visit by Steve McCatty was followed by a first-pitch home run by Sean Burroughs and a double by pitcher Ian Kennedy. Exit Zimmermann and enter Clippard.

Seems somewhat reminiscent of the recent Cubs game where Zimmermann allowed back-to-back home runs to Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena in the seventh inning at Wrigley Field when he had also passed the 105-pitch threshold.

By the way, Sean Burroughs' home run comes 40 years and nine days after his dad, Jeff Burroughs, hit his only home run in the District of Columbia. On Saturday, Aug.14, 1971, Jeff Burroughs hit a two-run shot in the seventh inning off California Angels' southpaw Clyde Wright in a 2-0 Senators' victory. Burroughs was 20. He hit five home runs that year, but only one at home.