Nats Bulletin: Nats come from behind to win 5-4 against stingy Marlins

Washington Nationals Keep Coming Back, Beat Florida Marlins 5-4 - Patrick Reddington, Federal Baseball

"Matt Chico's BACK!! Regardless of the outcome, Nats' left-hander Matt Chico's first start in the majors since May 21, 2008 is number five on the list as it completes a hard-fought comeback after elbow reconstruction surgery. Nearly two years after his last major league pitch, Chico starts the game by hitting Cameron Maybin, but he settles in and strands the HBP in the first, strands a leadoff double in the second, a leadoff single in the third, a two-out single in the fourth, and throws a 1-2-3 fifth...5.0 scoreless from Chico before the Marlins get to him in the sixth."

Adam Dunn: "We would have lost this game last year" - Gene Wang, Nationals Journal

"Dunn had a lot to do with the Nationals comeback in the eighth inning, absorbing a pitch that connected with his right arm. As Dunn went to first with the bases loaded, Ian Desmond came home with the go-ahead run. Desmond had started the rally by reaching after getting hit by a pitch as the leadoff batter....Cristian Guzman followed Desmond with a bunt single down the first base line that was misplayed by first baseman Gaby Sanchez. That allowed Desmond to move to third. After pinch hitter Nyjer Morgan grounded out to first, Ryan Zimmerman drew an intentional walk to load the bases, setting up Dunn."

Dunn takes one for the team to lift Nationals - Pete Kerzel, Mlb.com

 

"The Nationals got a boost from Chico, who was recalled from Double-A Harrisburg on Saturday morning to start in place of left-hander John Lannan, whose turn was skipped because of a sore elbow. Chico hadn't pitched in a Major League game since May 21, 2008, after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his left elbow.

Chico tossed five scoreless innings before the Marlins opened the sixth by stringing together three successive hits, Jorge Cantu's double down the left-field line getting Florida within two at 3-1.

Chico's first pitch of the afternoon hit Maybin on the back foot, an inauspicious start that was quickly overcome. Chico got through his outing having allowed just two runs on six hits in five-plus innings. He walked none and struck out three."

Late Rally Steals Win Against Marlins 5-4 - Dave Nichols, Nats News Network

"Chico did a good job of keeping his pitches low in the strike zone, and induced eight ground ball outs in his five innings, to go with the three strikeouts.  He only found real trouble in the sixth inning, when two seeing-eye singles got through the infield, followed by the only especially hard-hit ball against him all day, Jorge Cantu's RBI double to left field."

Nationals give Marlins a taste of their own medicine - Ben Goessling, MASN Sports

 

"Remember that the Marlins had beaten the Nationals 30 of the last 40 times the two teams have played, winning by all manner of bizarre outcomes including, but not limited to: Weekend-long bullpen meltdowns, bizarre throwing errors, balls lost in the sun, inside-the-park homers and the occasional rain-shortened game ending just after Florida took the lead.

It's been a two-year sequence of events almost bizarre enough to border on the conspiratorial, as if the baseball gods were in on the job. Which made Saturday's win all the more delicious for the Nationals."