Good, Bad, and Ugly: Colome Disappoints, Nationals Lose to Braves 9-8

"Couldn't get the ball down at all. Every one of them. They hit him pretty good." --Manny Acta, on Ross Detwiler's performance, July 3, 2009.

THE RESULT: Recap and Box Score

THE TAKEAWAY: Why are we still being subjected to Jesus Colome? In the top of the seventh, he walked the first man he faced, Yunel Escobar, who has walked seventeen times all season for a .348 OBP. Colome managed a sacrifice and a ground out, then walked the number nine hitter, Casey Kotchman.

With two outs, up stepped pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad, he of just 20 major league at bats. Of course, he hit a three-run home run—the first of his big league career—taking a tied game and turning into a 8-5 Atlanta lead.

Simply painful.

All I wanted to do was write about Nyjer Morgan's terrific defense, walk-stolen-base-run scored in the first, and the return of the offense. And Colome has to go and ruin it for everyone.

The record now stands at 22-55-1.

Nats starter Ross Detwiler has one of those night where he couldn't find his release point and left everything up.  He was ineffective and got hit hard:  3.1 IP, 10 hits, two walks, five earned runs and just one K. 

THE GOOD: Cristian Guzman. Dropped into the sixth spot to accommodate Morgan at leadoff, Guz went 2-for-4 with three RBI, including a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the ninth off Rafael Soriano that made things interesting.

Also, nice crowd tonight: 33,982.

THE BAD: Josh Bard. Unfortunately, with Guz representing the tying run at second, and having watched Soriano walk the first two guys he faced, Bard swung at the first pitch and bounced out to first to end the game. Bard finished 0-for-5.

THE UGLY: Colome. In 15 innings pitched, his ERA now stands at 8.40. It doesn't get any uglier than that.

NEXT GAME: Fourth of July matinee tomorrow at 1:05 pm. Wear your sunscreen. John Lannan (5-5, 3.45) faces rookie Tommy Hanson (4-0, 2.48).