In the end a .500 record is not enough for the Nationals. That is not a place in the standings where championship clubs reside. But as a small step on the road to contending? For now it is an acceptable spot. And that is exactly where Washington stands heading into Major League Baseball’s All-Star break.
Starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann tossed 6 1/3 shutout innings, the bullpen added 2 2/3 more and Roger Bernadina’s RBI single in the sixth held up as the winning run in a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park.
The Nats enter the break at 46-46 and in fourth place in the National League East. They snapped a three-game losing streak, salvaged at least one game in this weekend series and are at .500 this late in a campaign for the first time since the waning days of the 2005 season.
“I don’t think we’ve been at .500 at the break in a while now. I know I’ve never been,” said star third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. “I guess it’s kind of a mini-accomplishment. But we’re not by any means happy with it. We know that we have a good team here and we want to win this year.”
Right-handed reliever Tyler Clippard – Washington’s lone All-Star representative when the game is played in Phoenix on Tuesday – escaped a first-and-second with one out jam in the eighth inning. He struck out pinch hitter Jason Giambi looking with a breaking ball and then got Mark Ellis to fly out to center. Closer Drew Storen recorded the final three outs in the ninth inning for his 23rd save.
“Ending the first half on a good note is really key even if .500 isn’t where we want to end up,” Storen said. “But I think that’s a big step forward from where we were in the beginning of the season, a good stepping stone to where we want to be.”
Zimmermann (6-7) lowered his ERA to 2.66. In 120 innings so far this season he has 88 strikeouts and 21 walks. On Sunday he struck out six Colorado batters and walked none. The Rockies managed just four hits against him. After Clippard escaped his eighth-inning troubles, Rick Ankiel – who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the top of the inning – hit a solo home run off Colorado reliever Matt Reynolds to add an insurance run.
Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin (8-7, 3.16 ERA) had matched Zimmermann pitch for pitch. He needed just 84 pitches to go seven innings and allowed his one run on Bernadina’s single. Ian Desmond opened that frame with an infield hit to the left side and Zimmermann sacrifice bunted him to second base to set up the RBI hit.
Otherwise, Washington posted just three other hits against Chacin, who walked one batter and struck out four. Michael Morse did double in the seventh inning, but Chacin got Jayson Werth to pop out to second and Wilson Ramos to fly out to right.
Zimmermann didn’t get much run support again on Sunday. In 11 of his 18 starts this season the Nats have scored three runs or less. In nine of those starts it’s been two runs or less. Despite 14 quality outings in 2011 Zimmermann has just a 6-7 record. But he’s pitching at a level far above that now.
“I feel great and I feel if I keep pitching the way I am and keep the team in the ballgame the quality starts are going to add up,” Zimmermann said. “Just one of those streaks where I got on a roll there and everything was clicking for me.”
Nats notes
» Nats Reliever Tyler Clippard was offered a ride to the All-Star game in Phoenix aboard a private jet by Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
» Reliever Ryan Mattheus pitched 2/3 of a scoreless inning in the seventh with a Colorado runner at first to hold a 1-0 lead. His ERA is now 1.32 in 13 2/3 innings and 10 appearances.
» Washington outfielder Jayson Werth is 7-for-57 since June 25 with six walks and 21 strikeouts. That’s also 16 games with just one extra-base hit.
