Natinals swept by Cardinals, fall below .500 for first time since 2011
The Washington Nationals’ offense may have reached its lowest depths of wretched ineffectiveness in Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The lineup, which scratched out its first run in 20 innings, had a fruitful opportunity to prevent a sweep at the hands of the team that ended its season last October. The Nationals dropped below .500 for the first time since the final day of 2011 and have now lost nine of their past 12 games, worse than any stretch last season.
With runners at first and third base in the seventh inning and trailing by two runs, Manager Davey Johnson sent pinch-hitter Steve Lombardozzi, one of the team’s lesser-used hitters this season, to the plate. Cardinals reliever Joe Kelly was struggling, after allowing back-to-back singles and throwing three straight balls to Lombardozzi to start the at-bat. Once Kelly fought back to 3-2, Johnson called for a hit and run, a desperate move to try prevent a double play with catcher Jhonatan Solano at first and potentially score two runs with one hit.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/nats-swept-by-cardinals-fall-below-500-for-first-time-since-2011/2013/04/24/910ae69a-ad1a-11e2-b6fd-ba6f5f26d70e_story.html?hpid=z3
BTW, they are 1.5 games behind the fourth place team in the NL Central, the Pirates!!
