Nats nip Pirates 3-2, OR Bacsik beats Bucs (..barely)

If someone had asked me on Thursday, "Which Nats pitcher is most likely to get a win this weekend, Chico, Bergmann, or Bacsik?" I can tell you right now that Mike Bacsik wouldn't have been my answer. I have nothing against the guy, but comparing these guys records and numbers, the safe money would have been on the other 2 starters. Congratulations, Mike. You deserved this.

Congratulations, too, to catcher Jesus Flores, on his first major league home run, a 2-run shot which put the Nats on top for good today.

Bacsik allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits, and walked 1 in 6 innings. He threw 50 strikes on 79 pitches (63%). The bullpen of Luis Ayala, Jon Rauch and Chad Cordero allowed no runs.

Ryan Report: Very quiet. Church had the day off, Zimmerman went 1 for 4, Langerhans went 0 for 1, and Austin Ryan Kearns went 1 for 4.

Once again, the Nationals have the SAME record as they did exactly a year ago, and that is without Alphonso Soriano, Nick Johnson, Jose Vidro, Jose Guillen, Daryl Ward, Marlon Anderson, et. al. And the payroll is roughly half of what it was, too. And once again, I say to the prophets of doom who predicted an historically-bad season for the Nats, "Oh, ye of little faith".

The Nats are undefeated so far in the month of July, let's see how long they can extend the streak.