Sports

Capps blows first save, but Nats drop ‘The Hammer’ on O’s, 4-3

By Brian McNally
Published May 23, 2010 4:00am ET
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Nationals outfielder Josh Willingham waited patiently in the on-deck circle, preparing for a steady dose of Baltimore Orioles closer Alfredo Simon and his blazing fastball.

Except the chance never came. Simon, covering first base on a ground ball in the bottom of the 10th inning, stepped on the bag and sprained his ankle. He was done for the game. Into the breach stepped Cla Meredith, a right-handed reliever with a funky motion.

Willingham didn’t have much time to think about the change and adjust. He simply deposited a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left field to lift his club to a dramatic 4-3 victory at Nationals Park.

Nats notes» Washington reliever Drew Storen had to use the bat boy’s batting helmet when he hit in the sixth inning. It was also his first plate appearance in a game since high school.» Nats OF Roger Bernadina put his team ahead 3-1 in the first inning after a three-run triple with two outs.» Orioles starter Kevin Millwood tossed 6 1/3 innings, giving up just three earned runs on eight hits and striking out eight Washington batters. He received a no-decision.

Washington (23-22) took two of three games over the weekend in this inter-league rivalry series and climbed back over .500 as it leaves town for a 10-game road trip. The Orioles (14-31), meanwhile, lost another heartbreaker after tying the game off Nats’ closer Matt Capps with two runs in the top of the ninth inning.

“Hitting a home run like that is something you dream about when you’re a kid,” Willingham said. “You can’t go up there trying to do that, though. It just doesn’t happen. I was just trying to get a good pitch to hit.”

Nats starter John Lannan went 5 1/3 innings, leaving after 88 pitches. Washington is still being cautious with its 25-year-old left-hander after a sore elbow sidelined him for a start earlier this month. He gave up just two hits — both in the first inning — and struck out two batters. Lannan also induced eight ground-ball outs, including a double play — always a sign that he’s pitching well.

Nats reliever Drew Storen was outstanding in just his fourth major-league appearance. Manager Jim Riggleman brought the 22-year-old into the game to relieve Lannan in the sixth. He escaped a first-and-second jam with two outs. Then in the bottom of the frame Storen delivered his first career hit when manager Jim Riggleman allowed him to bat. He followed that with an easy one-two-three seventh inning.

Neither offense scored after the first inning until Capps entered the game. With one out, Matt Wieters produced an RBI ground out. Julio Lugo then popped a 2-2 pitch into shallow right field that scored Adam Jones to tie the game at 3.

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