Sweet Victory

When you're at your lowest performance, in a funk, it's tough to pull out of it. It's tough to put bad showings behind you. So when the Nationals fell behind tonight 4-1, it was easy to say this team was finished. But not all was done, and the Nats, thanks to a huge seventh inning and a huge contribution by a lot of players, stormed back to knock off the Pittsburgh Pirates, IN PITTSBURGH, by the score of 7-6.

Ronnie Belliard came off the DL today and had a FANTASTIC game. Three hits in four at bats, including TWO home runs. Two home runs that showed everyone the Nationals can be an offensive minded team. Two home runs, that when joined by three others, proved to be the difference. How about Elijah Dukes, Cristian Guzman, Lastings Milledge, and Jesus Flores continuing to swing hot bats? Milledge and Flores had two of the other home runs tonight (Dmitri Young had the one not yet mentioned). Guzman had another two-hit night and so did Dukes. Just a few of the folks who continue to step up in the face of all the injured players.

The lineup simply hasn't been the same without Johnson, Zimmerman, and Kearns in it. Young and Boone - I love having you both in the lineup, but you have been struggling late and Johnson was really performing quite well this season. Kory Casto just isn't the same as Zimmerman. And let's face it - Wily Mo Pena is just flat out bad. A slugger who only has ONE home run as of tonight. A 298 pound Dmitri Young has more than that. Pena has been pitiful. Also, the bullpen suffers without Chad Cordero. When he is back, Luis Ayala and Saúl Rivera will have less pressure on them. So will Jon Rauch. Or will Jon Rauch be the closer? That's a question for another day.

Until these guys all get back off the disabled list, for now let's enjoy Curly W #26, and let's give a tribute to Ronnie Belliard, who really stepped it up tonight. Maybe he's the spark this team needs to get back on track. We'll see tomorrow.