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Most of the time when I write about something, I come to the ballpark expecting the opposite of what I just wrote about to happen. Baseball has this snarky sense of humor, almost its own conscience that comes out to humble somebody right when they think they know something. Or at least that happens to me.
Anyway, I wrote earlier today about how good the heart of the Nationals' order has been, fully expecting to get to the park today and see Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham go a combined 0-for-12 or something. For once, it hasn't worked that way.
Dunn and Willingham both homered in the fourth inning to give the Nationals a 2-0 lead over the Pirates, which is where we sit in the fifth.
Dunn, batting third today with a lefty pitcher (Zach Duke) on the mound, blasted a pitch to right to put the Nationals ahead. He's 8-for-19 in the No. 3 hole, put there against lefties so Zimmerman can protect him and in turn get some protection from Willingham. It's worked well so far.
Livan Hernandez has thrown 73 pitches through five innings, only giving up two hits and a walk. The Nationals are in good shape here, with a chance at their first sweep of the season.
