--RHP Shairon Martis has quietly turned into the Nationals' stopper. The 22-year-old right-hander, who improved to 5-0 Wednesday by beating the Giants, has earned six of Washington's last 12 wins (dating back to last September). He's also stopped three losing streaks already this season, including a three-game slide that ended Wednesday. "It gave me a lot of motivation, because I wanted to break (the losing streak) up," the rookie said.
--OF Adam Dunn was out of the starting lineup Wednesday for the first time this season. Manager Manny Acta said the plan never was for Dunn to start all 162 games, and that Wednesday's day game against Giants LHP Barry Zito seemed like a perfect opportunity to sit his slugger. Dunn did wind up pinch-hitting in the eighth inning, and he popped out to third base. BY THE NUMBERS: 4 -- Homers hit by Adam Dunn over the weekend in Arizona, the most ever by a Nationals player in a single road series.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's just one of those feelings like when you're going down really fast in an elevator and you feel your stomach go out from underneath you. It's like that feeling. I had no idea where this ball's going to go." -- Left-hander Mike Hinckley, on losing his grip on a pitch and throwing it to the backstop on the fly.
