Beautiful Day At Nats Park, Fans Don't Care Yet

Saturday afternoon was one of the best "baseball days" I have ever experienced in my life in terms of weather.  It was a weekend game, nobody had to go to work.  The weather was beautiful.  It was sunny and warm, but not too hot.  Then as a bonus the "best pitcher ever" Stephen Strasburg was starting for a first place Nationals team.   And even with all that, half the stadium seats were empty.

It is kind of sad that people aren't coming to Nats Park, but I guess it is early in the season.  People maybe thought it was going to rain?  I don't know.  All I know is they missed one amazing day at the ballpark.

Strasburg pitched alright, got into several jams, but always made it out unscathed.  He pitched 6 scoreless innings giving up 4 hits and striking out 6.  The Nats even gave him 2 runs on a BLAST by Ian Desmond and a solo shot by Werth, but as the Nats do, they blew the win for Strassy.

In the 9th inning Brad Lidge trotted to the mound to close.  I told the girl next to me, not a baseball fan, that Lidge closing was not going to be easy to watch.  I said "he typically walks the first batter or gives up a hit".  Lidge proceeded to do so.  I then told her "Ug now you have the game tying run at the plate and it could be tied in one pitch."  One pitch later...Tied...Sorry Strasburg.

That one pitch was a 2-run homer for Logan Morrison and Nats Park erupted in boos.  Lidge stayed out there to finish the inning, but the damage was done, another blown save (his 2nd).

Gorzelanny threw a perfect 10th and then the Nats started the bottom with a single from Wilson Ramos.  Adam LaRoche grounded into a possible double play but the Marlins shortstop dropped the throw and Ramos ended up at 3rd base with 0 outs.  In came Ian Desmond.  

Desmond came up swinging hard on 2 straight pitches getting a quick 2 strikes.  However he didn't disappoint as he sent a fly ball deep to center to send Ramos home for the game winner on the sacrifice.  

Desmond isn't just coming up big on offense, he is making some amazing defensive plays.  This could be an amazing year...

The Nats mobbed Dezy at 1st and dumped the Gatorade on him, and all of a sudden the Nats had won all 5 series of the season.  12 wins, 4 losses, and 8 wins in their last 10 games.  Nats go for the sweep tomorrow afternoon.