NL Beast

What a game, as two of the division’s great young pitchers dualed in a matchup that stretched into the 12th inning today at Nationals Park. Both Shawn Hill and Jair Jurjjens left the game without decisions, but both pitched extremely well. Hill went 8 full innings, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits, an RBI single to Yunel Escobar in the 6th inning. Jurjjens also impressed, going 7 full innings and also allowing just 1 run on 2 hits with no walks and 3 strikeouts.

For the Nationals, Felipe Lopez continues to play extremely well, driving in a run on a fielder’s choice in the 6th and hitting a long fly ball to win the game in the bottom of the 12th off of Buddy Carlyle after Manny Acosta loaded the bases and walked a run home.

The Braves lose their 14th straight one-run decision (going back to last year) and the Nationals have won 6 of 8 going into this weekend’s series against the also-mediocre Pirates. Suddenly things are looking up for Manny Acta and the Nats (not so much for Bobby’s Braves).

By the way, Saul Rivera, the most used releiver in baseball last year, pitched again today in the 11th and 12th and picked up the win. He is 3-1 on the year.