Nationals lead Braves 3-1 in fifth

We've played 4 1/2 innings at Nationals Park, and the Nationals have a 2-1 lead over the Braves, having scored their two runs on Jair Jurrjens thanks to the first and the last hitters in their lineup.

Rick Ankiel led off the game with a solo shot - the first first-inning homer of his career, and in the second inning, after the Braves walked struggling catcher Wilson Ramos, Livan Hernandez (who has a double and a homer in his only two plate appearances against Jurrjens) poked a single into right field.

It gave the Nationals the lead back after Dan Uggla homered off Hernandez to tie the game in the second, and since then, Hernandez has been sharp, getting double plays in the last two innings. He's gotten three tonight (the first one coming after Ryan Zimmerman doubled Michael Bourn off first base on a liner), and Hernandez, who has been struggling lately, looks set up for a long start tonight.

Update: Ankiel blasts his second home run of the night, this one to right field, extending the Nationals' lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth. It's Ankiel's fifth home run of the season and fifth-career multi-home run game.

blog comments powered by Disqus