The Nationals are hitting enough to win games. But their bullpen is preventing them from having a chance to enjoy even one victory so far.
Washington's 9-8 loss to the Phillies on Monday, its seventh straight to begin the season, bore some striking similarities to its previous defeats. What was a tight, close game for much of the afternoon turned into a four-run deficit after the Nationals bullpen imploded. Right-hander Saul Rivera was the biggest culprit in this one; he entered in the seventh inning of a tie game and proceeded to plunk two batters and surrender two homers. The Nationals tried to rally late, getting homers from both Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman, but the deficit was too large to overcome.
This has become a recurring problem for Washington, which has seen its bullpen post a 5.93 ERA to date and frequently turn close contests into blowouts.
"(Our position players) are hitting the ball pretty good, they keep battling," Rivera said. "It's kind of tough for us. My personal opinion, we should put some zeros up and help the team out."
PHILLIES 9, NATIONALS 8: On a somber afternoon in Washington, with players and fans learning shortly before game time that longtime Philadelphia announcer Harry Kalas had died, the Nationals once again made costly mistakes and lost their seventh straight to open the season. Washington committed three errors, stranded seven on base and watched as its bullpen imploded, rendering a late rally insufficient. Adam Dunn, Elijah Dukes and Ryan Zimmerman all homered in the home opener. Cristian Guzman went 5-for-5 but strained his left hamstring in his final at-bat and had to be helped off the field.
