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First, the good for the Nationals: With someone heading out of the Nationals' rotation in the next three days, Luis Atilano is having a strong night against the Reds. The bad news is, they can't get anything going against Mike Leake, and they trail 2-0 in the sixth.
Atilano has thrown 100 pitches, 78 of them strikes. He's done a good job pounding the zone, though the Reds have made him work by fouling off pitches. But he's allowed two runs on six hits, striking out four.
Leake, the rookie from Arizona State, has been superb, though. All six of the Nationals' hits have been singles, and Leake hasn't walked anyone. He's thrown just 66 pitches through five innings, and has a shutout working. If the Nationals want to see the standard for Stephen Strasburg when he gets here, this is it.
The Nationals will have to make Leake work to knock him out of the game, or try to rally against him.
