Bobby Cox Out-Duels Jim Riggelman as Nats Fall To Braves in Extra Innings

Despite late inning heroics from Josh Willingham to push the game to extra innings, the Nationals fell in the 10th inning Wednesday night as Matt Diaz singled in Brandon Hicks with the winning run in a 7-6 victory by the Atlanta Braves.

It was a thing of beauty in its own right. Bobby Cox, a manager who has been underappreciated for his greatness, manufactured another win in the same way he has for the last 30 years.

After slugging first baseman Troy Glaus reached on a single, Cox pinch ran for him with Hicks. With a runner on and no outs, Cox gave the order to have slumping Melky Cabrera lay a sacrifice bunt to put Hicks in scoring position. The very next batter, Matt Diaz, poked a single to right scoring Hicks. Just the way Cox wrote it up, and just the way he has led his teams to 2,425 wins throughout his career.

The crushing blow came against Nationals closer Matt Capps, who up until this point, had been perfect. The loss was his first on the season. In 15 appearances the closer has registered 11 saves, 16 strikeouts, and has allowed only two earned runs.

The 69-year-old Cox's rendering was a response to some great moves by Nationals manager Jim Riggleman earlier in the game. In the top of the sixth, down 6-4, the Nationals couldn't afford to give up any more runs. They had allowed two runners to reach base with no outs. After Luis Atilano struck out Tommy Hanson, Riggelman brought in Sean Burnett as well as two defensive replacements. Burnett retired the next two batters before intentionally walking Chipper Jones, and in doing so loading the bases. Riggleman's move paid off as Brian McCann struck out to end the inning, and the Nationals escaped unscathed.

Cox's club got up early by getting to the young Nationals Starting pitcher Luis Atilano, who had the worst outing of his short career. Facing the team that drafted him 22nd overall in 2003, the 24-year-old allowed six earned runs on seven hits. Atilano walked five batters while only striking out four, meaning he allowed 13 base runners in only 5.1 innings pitched.