Nats knocked by Brewers 6-2 OR Brewers sing Nats Blues

Another hot summer evening (though a touch humid, 87 degrees), another Nats loss. Tonight it was the Milwaukee Brewers, who haven't forgotten how to hit against these Nationals, and they made starter Mike Bacsik their sacrificial lamb as they put up 4 runs before the Nats even took to the plate, eventually losing 6-2 before 18,900.

This series has had me worried ever since the Brewers swept the Nats in 3 games back in May. Despite a mini-slump and some losses to the Pirates, the Brewers are still a team to contend with. My hopes were not high.

Bacsik was rocked early, allowing 6 runs on 8 hits, 3 of those homeruns. He threw 90 pitches in 5 innings for 60 strikes (67%) but the bullpen of Chris Schroeder, Billy Traber and Saul Rivera did just fine, with only Schroeder allowing any hits (3) and no runs.

Ronnie Belliard saved the Nats from an embarrassing shutout, he had a terrific evening, going 4 for 5, with a homerun. He was a triple away from the cycle, too, and when he came up for his 5th at bat, he was 4 for 4 and everyone was hoping that he'd nail that triple.

The only other Nats run was on a sac-fly from Austin Kearns in the 8th which, due to a fielding error on the Brewers right-fielder, allowed Ryan Church to score from 2nd.

Ryan Report: Church went 1 for 3, Zimmerman went 1 for 5, Langerhans went 0 for 4, and Austin Ryan Kearns went 1 for 4. Rough night for the Ryans.

It isn't as though the Nats didn't get any hits, both they and the Brewers each had 11. The other Nats hits came from Dmitri Young (2 for 5), Felipe Lopez (1 for 4), and Nook Logan (1 for 1 in a pinch-hitting role).

I arrived after the game had already started, and by the time I hit the parking lot, it was 4-0 Brewers and I joked to people that I almost turned right around and left. Saw Rico, saw Ellie. More Capital Q beef brisket for me, and a Budweiser from Howard. I sat with my friends Kate and Zeke and chatted with my usher friend Tim.

I got a big laugh when, during the President's Race, 'Teddy" unveiled a message on a sign, which read, "Where are the Sausages?" (a reference to the Milwaukee Brewers Racing Sausages) and he ran right up to the Brewers dugout flashing that thing. There's been a theory that I've heard recently (from Nats320) that the Sausages might make a surprise visit to R.F.K. I thought that this whole concept was absolutely hilarious.

It was a good evening, and I managed to have a good time despite the loss. That's a must.

Better luck on Saturday.