Three errors in the fifth lead to an ugly 8-2 loss
It was as bad an inning as the Nationals have played all season.
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Ten batters. Three errors. Two long home runs. Coming one day after its most devastating loss of the season Washington isn’t in a very good place right now.
The Houston Astros took advantage of those three defensive miscues in the fifth inning against Nats starter Livan Hernandez, who bore the brunt of an 8-2 loss on Monday night.
Hernandez had allowed just one run on two hits through the first four innings. He had struck out three batters and walked none. But the fifth was a disaster. First baseman Adam Dunn, center fielder Roger Bernadina and left fielder Willie Harris were each charged with an error. Hernandez (10-12, 3.75 ERA) didn’t help matters, giving up a home run to No. 8 batter Humberto Quintero and later a three-run blast to Geoff Blum. In all it was a seven-run inning for Houston – the most runs it has scored in one frame all season. Hernandez gave up eight runs on eight hits, but only four were earned.
“It’s disappointing, especially after a game tonight where errors cost us,” said Harris, who tracked a hard line drive to left in the fifth only to have the ball nick off his glove. “We should be able to play better than that … . Those are stupid errors. Those are errors we cannot make, myself included.”
After a shaky first inning where Dunn doubled home two runs, Astros starter Bud Norris (9-8, 4.85 ERA) retired 13 of the next 15 batters he faced. Norris allowed two runs on six hits with four walks and six strikeouts. He lasted 6 2/3 innings.
As if the loss wasn’t bad enough, the Nats (62-88) and Astros (73-77) played the game before a record-low crowd of 10,999 at Nationals Park. That is the team’s lowest paid attendance since baseball returned to the District in 2005. Washington has lost four in a row, 10 of its last 12 games and 13 of 18 since Aug. 31. Despite a strong start to the season the Nats have more wins than just five other teams in Major League Baseball. They rank 23rd out of 30 teams in home attendance.
“For what our record is I think our fanbase has been pretty awesome,” said Dunn, who pushed his RBI total to 95 with his two-run double. “It would be tough for me as a fan to come watch us when we’re playing bad.”
