Thank you…..for holding the pitching staff together through this season — for adjusting to endless injuries, for trusting relievers to start games, for polishing the veterans and teaching the young rookies….Thank you for your very important role in our 57 wins. Happy Birthday!

The Nationals fell to the Astros last night but not for lack of trying, the final score was 3-2. Compared to Monday and Tuesday’s game, last night’s went very quickly. Losing after a blow out seems to happen to the Nats with a little too much frequency. I wish we could have saved a couple of the 11 runs scored on Tuesday and used them last night. Still a solid performance from our boys though, I am sure they will come back strong tonight for the last game in the series.

Last night’s game was all about the pitchers. Mike Bascik did a solid job. He pitched six innings, and gave up 3 runs on seven hits. He gave the Nats a chance to win. However, our guys left seven men on base - five of them in scoring position. We did see some great plays though. How about Nook Logan?! He seems to have come alive as of late and had a nice single tonight. He also had a stellar catch in center field. He consistently amazes me with the amount of ground he can cover out there. Austin Kearns also had a great night. After Dmitri hit a double - it was a close play at second- Kearns smashed one out of Minute Maid to put the Nats on the board. Then in the 8th with Zimmerman on base, Kearns had a fantastic at bat, drawing a walk. The Nats had lots of chances tonight, they just couldn’t seem to follow through.

We make it a point to be positive and support every player on our team, but sometimes we get a little frustrated or question a few decisions. Just a few issues from last nights game…

1) Felipe Lopez - why oh why did you try to stretch a perfectly hit double for a triple only to get thrown out at third in the first inning? You are the lead off guy, its your job to get on base! If you would have stayed at second - still in scoring position - you would have scored safely when Nook hit his single. Who knows how a one run lead might have changed the game. We forgave you for that play because it was the beginning of the game and maybe you got a little over excited about your hit (which was really nice), but then you did the thing we hate the most. With two runners on base and only one out, you grounded into a double play and squashed our chances for runs that inning. Lets shake last night off and start fresh shall we?

2) Manny Acta - we just don’t understand the use of Robert Fick! In the top of the 9th of a one run game with two outs, why do we keep seeing Fick up to bat? We understand that you like him, he is apparently a great guy in the clubhouse, but lets be honest, his bat hasn’t brought us much this year. With guys like Tony Batista and Jesus Flores still on the bench, why Fick? We are hopeful that you know something we don’t and that Fick will surprise the heck out of us sometime soon.

In other baseball news:

Brandon Webb’s 42 inning scoreless streak came to a halt last night. He gave up a run in the first inning off a single hit by Prince Fielder. The Arizona ace still won his sixth consecutive start however, when Arizona beat the Brewers 3-2.

Finally, how about that game in Baltimore? Holy crap. 30-3 is a football score -not a baseball score, and it’s still a BAD football score! It was the first time in about 110 years that so many runs had been scored in a game. The Rangers also set the record for the most runs ever scored in a single game for the American League. It wasn’t a good start for the O’s new manager Dave Trembley, or for the first game of a double header. All you can say is just…OUCH!

We are looking forward to the last game in Houston tonight.

It seemed like it would never come though — at least according to Don Sutton.

Last night’s long (3 hours and 44 minutes) game seemed to be never-ending despite our huge lead over the Astros throughout most of the night.

Fortunately, we were able to spend that long game having a blast at ESPN Zone. Last night, the girls headed out to our first Nat Pack Night. I don’t know why we didn’t check these events out earlier this season. It was definitely a lot of fun to watch the game on a huge screen with lots of Nationals fans.

We’ll post pictures later. The Nat Pack - led by Clint - did a great job getting people pumped about the game and had trivia contests and prizes throughout the night. Our new friend (by the way — we’re on to you, teachers. What a great occupation for a baseball fan) was selected to be the honorary Nat Pack member for an upcoming game. Congrats!

Lindsey and Steph won some Nats gear for answering trivia questions - but the best part of the night came….okay I should say when Ryan Zimmerman blasted that homerun out of Minute Maid park to secure our win.

Even better! The young girl at the table next to us won on-field batting practice passes! We were thrilled for her and continued to enjoy the game when she approached us to see if we could use the passes. She was returning to school in Pittsburgh this week and wanted to make sure the passes weren’t wasted or unappreciated. She definately picked the right set of fans! We bought her dessert of course — We wish we could have done more to show how grateful we were.

Game Highlights:
Ryan Zimmerman almost hit a cycle. We were hesitant to leave ESPN Zone for fear of missing a final double, but he settled for a homerun, a triple, and a single with 4 RBI.

Nook Logan also had a fantastic night — going 5 for 6 - a new franchise record.

Tony Batista continues to be consistent off the bench.

Belliard is finding his way back to his stellar first half of the season; he had a good night and drove in a run.

Far be it from me to complain about NOT having to watch Rauch pitch (a 7 run lead seems like a safe environment for him as of late), but Colome, King and Ayala (33 pitches in one inning!) drove us crazy taking their time and dragging the game out. Schroder must have struggled in the 9th giving up 2 runs, but we had to catch the metro.

Quote of the Night:
“Chicks don’t dig foul-outs, Don.” — B. Carpenter

The Nationals broke their four game losing streak last night against the Houston Astros. Tim Redding pitched 7 shutout innings against his former club and lead the Nats to a 7-0 victory. It was only the sixth time this season the Nats have held on to a shutout. It was an exciting game to watch. I hope this win gives the boys the motivation they need to not only survive the brutal 15 games in 15 days, but to win a few more of them. Also with the win last night, we are tied again with the Marlins for 4th place. Lets win a few more and put Florida in last place for good.

Game Highlights:

Wily Mo Pena - hit a monster shot homer in the 2nd inning. Reuniting with his best friend in baseball here in Washington seems to have lit the spark under Wily Mo. Too bad it hasn’t seemed to work for the other half, Felipe Lopez (he made Yahoo Fantasy Sports, “Not Hot” list last week).

D’Meat - launched a 3-run shot over the right field wall in the 3rd inning with two outs on the board. His shot triggered a big inning where the Nats scored 5 runs.

Austin Kearns - moved back to right field and was thankful because he doesn’t like the hill or the flag pole in center field of Minute Maid Park. He looked comfortable on the field. He had an awesome throw to home which helped keep the Astro’s from scoring. Kristen commented that she wished he would use his powerful arm like that every game, I have to agree. Austin even surprised me with a couple of nice hits offensively. I really want to cheer for this guy, so I hope he continues hitting with some consistency.

Jesus Colome - is back and in action. He pitched the 8th and 9th last night. Its nice to have him back. I really appreciated not having to see Jon Rauch pitch last night, who knows what would have happened to our 7 run lead! Bob and Don called Colome a “very deliberate” pitcher last night. After watching him, and then watching Manny’s reaction in the dugout, I think the guy just takes a long time to set up. It looked like Manny was trying to speed things along and keep the game tempo up. Anyway Colome wrapped up the game well.

Ryan Wagner - made an appearance last night in the dugout. He is out for the season due to rotator cuff surgery, but lives about a 120 miles away and made the journey to visit and cheer on his teammates.

I hope the Nats keep hitting and we have a successful stand in Houston. The good news is that the hurricane looks like it will miss Houston. Phew…

We were excited to sit down with Nationals Radio Broadcaster Dave Jageler a few weeks ago for an interview about his career, baseball and the Washington Nationals.

Can you tell us about how you prepare for a game?
My day usually starts 3 or 4 hours before the game. I check the line up, try to interview players or coaches, listen to Manny’s pre-game press conference, ask players about previous games, update my scorebook, and then grab something to eat before the game. We go on a half hour before game time.

How did you get into broadcasting?
I was 12 or 13 when I really became interested, but it’s something that I have always wanted to do. I was growing up in Windsor, CT and played baseball in high school. I would call the game under my breath in my position in left field. It probably resulted in me missing a few fly balls but it was paid off I guess. In high school I volunteered at a local public access TV station and called basketball games for three years.

You do some play-by-play announcing for other sports, right? What’s different about baseball?

Yes, mostly basketball. I worked for the NBA Celtics when I lived in Boston and I do some college games during the off season. It’s different to call baseball games. The action in the game is more spread out, not as fast paced as basketball. Sometimes there is not a lot of action, so it can be more challenging to try to fill the space, but that’s what makes it interesting and unique everyday. People still listen to baseball on the radio more than other sports to hear the announcer’s perspective and description.

Who were your favorite broadcasters?
I listen to Vin Scully on satellite radio, but I grew up a fan of Ken Coleman, Sean McDonough and Joe Castiglione who were outstanding broadcasters for the Red Sox. I also used to listen to Jon Miller when he was with the Orioles; he is a great broadcaster.

What is your first baseball memory?
As a Red Sox fan, I have sort of been trained to expect the worst in baseball. I remember the Red Sox blowing the ‘78 playoff game against the Yankees. Then the World Series in ’86, I think I still need therapy from that one. In 2003, I was in agony when the Yankees beat the Red Sox in Game Seven, but 2004 was the best feeling in the world when they finally won the World Series.

What do you think of the Nationals and “the plan?”
I think it’s a good plan. It’s like the Tigers, the Rockies and the Diamondbacks trying to develop the farm system rather than spending tens of millions on one player, and it takes time. It’s fun to see players work their way up from the system, like John Lannan.

What are your thoughts on the new ballpark?
It’s going to be a great place to watch the game. The fans in DC deserve it. In order for the plan to be successful the new park is needed. It’s going to be nice that it will have other features besides a great view of the game. The park will allow the fans to enjoy the whole baseball experience. It’s also going to be great to watch baseball with a view of the Capitol.

What’s the hardest part of your job?
Saying goodbye to my kids before long away trips. The trade off is being able to take my family on trips to Philly and New York and spend the long off-season with them.

What’s your favorite park?
My favorite place to watch a game would be Wrigley Field or Fenway Park. They are historic and the atmosphere makes it a special place to watch a game. The great views in Atlanta and Philly make them great places to call a game.Do you prefer the AL or NL?
As a broadcaster, I prefer the NL. There is much more strategy involved and it gives me more to talk about on air. I grew up with the AL however, so I am also used to that style of play.

Can you tell us about a funny on-air blooper?
Last year Charlie was talking about a batter at the plate, he meant to say, “He is checking his swing,” instead he said, “He is checking his thing.” We spent 5 minutes laughing afterwards.

What’s your favorite place in DC?
My son loves the Spy Museum; it’s a fun and interactive place to take the family.

What’s your favorite memory from a Nats game?
It would have to be Zimmerman’s homerun last year against the Yankees. It was a great moment — first because the Yankees were defeated, and second because it was on Father’s Day. I think that moment sent the tone for the future of this club.

If you had a batting song what would it be?
Smooth Operator, because I try to broadcast with a laid back smooth style.

What are your thoughts on Charlie?
We met during the winter caravan last year and hit if off. We seem to bounce off of each other and have a lot of inside humor. We enjoy interaction and laugh with each other. I think it makes it more enjoyable for the listener when they hear the broadcasters having fun.

Any thoughts about trades?
Last year I was surprised that Alfonso didn’t go. The trade deadline might be overrated because teams aren’t trading prospects anymore. I would expect trades would happen at the end of August before the playoff rosters are set.

What is it about baseball that is so special to you?
Everyday is new; you never know what is going to happen. You could see a no hitter, or you could see 3 homers in one game, or you could see a play you’ve never seen before like Zimmerman losing the ball in his shirt. That’s what makes baseball a great game and a fun game to broadcast.

After missing last nights game, and with Hill on the mound today, Kristen and I were excited to head to the game. When the Nats took the lead it looked like we would finally give the Mets a run for their money, and avoid a sweep. Hill pitched well for 7 innings, but it looked like he was getting lucky on a lot of pitches. In my opinion it wasn’t his best outing, but he was able to keep the Nats in the game. It looks like Wily Mo likes Washington. He had a couple of good defensive plays today in right field, as Kearns moved to center. Pena also hit a rocket home run to left center. However, it wasn’t enough as the Nats fell to the Mets 8-2.

As the Nats entered the 8th inning with a tie game (2-2) Hill was relieved by Jon Rauch. I still haven’t gotten over the last few blown games, and have a chip on my shoulder when it comes to this guy pitching the 8th. He sure didn’t help his case today. He got hammered, and gave up 4 runs on 4 hits. Sure one was on a grounder that either Lopez or Jimenez might have been able to field, but no error was called so the run was charged to Rauch. It was his 68th appearance, and I think the guy needs a nice long break. Hopefully that will come with the reappearance of Jesus Colome.

It was painful to watch the Nats get hammered in the 8th. We were sitting by the bullpen today, and the highlight of the inning was watching Colome show up. He walked into the bullpen late in the 8th inning and looked a bit disheveled. He greeted his fellow teammates and got a hug from Aponte. Kristen and I commented that it looked like Colome had just made it the stadium. Turns out we were right! Colome was due into DC early this afternoon but after a series of flight delays only made it to the game in the 8th inning. It’s a shame, I would have liked to see him pitch instead of Rauch today. Anyway, we are very glad he is back and his butt is healed.

Its going to be a long road trip for the Nats and we hope they can regain some of the magic they had been playing with at the end of July. Only 16 home games left at RFK…were did this summer go?!

Well, we missed that dissapointing game and knowing little about what happened via gameday on a blackberry — all I can say is Thanks Felipe. I turned to Steph (at a concert at the Somerset County Fair where my aspiring country-singing cousin performed) and said that Felipe couldn’t possibly screw up again with the bases loaded and 2 outs when we really needed a rally. Oh, but he did. We also missed Abe Lincoln bobbleheads, Flores starting on a Saturday night and apparantly — a HUGE crowd.

And all of these roster moves: Chico’s in Columbus, Colome’s back, Langerhans is gone, Pena made his debut.

So much happens in a day!

But Shawn Hill is on the mound today and we have some hope about that. See you at RFK in a few hours!

Another question and answer blog — this time with MetsGrrl. You can read our answers here.

1. What do you think of Shea Stadium?
I have a love-hate affair with Shea. I love it because it is so improbably antiquated and because I fell in love with baseball there. I hate it because the seats require extreme force to push down, because the ushers are nasty, because the bathrooms on the upper deck flood during a weekend day game. But I love that the Mets have always played there, and that the Beatles played there. I saw the Who and the Clash play there, and I saw Bruce Springsteen there. Now I am just mad that I didn’t take advantage of having sat on the field level for Springsteen. I walked in through the visitor’s bullpen and then out through the Mets bullpen! I should have paid more attention!!

2. Will you miss it once the new park is there?
Of course I will, because I am a bundle of contradictions. I will hate that it has been torn down and is gone, and I will hate that my seats at the new ballpark will not be nearly as good as they are at Shea, at least for the first few years. However, I am reasonably sure that after a season of not having to jam myself into seats from the 70s and not having to spend half the game yelling at morons to not block my view of home plate, I will get over it.

3. Do you have a favorite section that you always sit in? Season tickets?
I have the Tuesday-Friday plan, which is 25 games this year. I am in the same seats we were in last year, which was my first year as a planholder. I went out to Shea in December when snow was on the field and picked the seats out. I sit in Mezzanine section 12, which is to me the perfect section, because we are straight up from third base, which is a great angle on David Wright and Jose Reyes, and we can see into the Mets dugout, which is always a source of great interest and amusement.

4. How do you get to the games?
“Take the train to the game” - the #7 train, which runs from Times Square to Main Street - Flushing. There is no parking any more (or less than none), because they are building Citi Field in our parking lot, so all the off-street parking is now taken. It takes about an hour for me to get to Shea from my office, which is downtown, near the Holland Tunnel.

5. Are there any fun fan traditions?
We sing “Meet the Mets” every single game, no exceptions. And everybody knows the words, and everybody sings along. Even teenagers there with their parents who would never be caught dead doing something so uncool. Also, I’ll put our fan participation level for the 7th inning stretch against anybody’s. Everybody, repeat, everybody, sings.

6. How do you feel about your in-game entertainment?
We have Jose Reyes giving Spanish lessons, which is the highest of high comedy. The best thing is to watch him and the other Spanish-speaking players while it’s on the Diamondvision. I worry someone is going to break a rib from laughing. Like your park, they’ve decided to try to institute an 8th inning sing-a-long to “Sweet Caroline” which is far more popular than I would like it to be. We boycott it. I hate and despise it. I want something New York-centric. The rest of the in-game entertainment is pretty crappy. I have a soft spot for the Kiss Cam, but that’s only because I want to be on it (and it never, ever goes to the Mezzanine). After going to Wrigley Field, where there is no Diamondvision, I can safely say that if they got rid of everything except “Meet the Mets” and The Jose Reyes Spanish Academy, I wouldn’t miss it at all.

7. Do you have a usual group of people to go to games with?
Strangely enough, most other people I know don’t follow baseball. I have TBF, and now, through writing the blog, I have met other Mets fans. And then of course there are the Section 12 regulars, who are awesome people. Pretty much it’s just me and TBF (aka my other half, for those who do not read MetsGrrl.com though.

8. Any fun/interesting player nicknames?
We call Ramon Castro “Melonhead,” because he has the largest head you have ever seen. Also “Darth” or “Lord Vader” since his at-bat music is the imperial march from Star Wars.

9. What player do you love to hate?
That should be obvious from the answers to #8.

10. Favorite baseball memory:
Right now, it is my trip to Wrigley Field this year. It helps that the Mets actually showed up and played that day. But the entire trip was magic for so many reasons. My second favorite memory is going through the 2006 playoffs with TBF. We were at every single home playoff game. No matter how it ended, we were there for the whole thing and went through it together.

11. Favorite Moment for the Mets:
After they clinched the NL East in 2006, we got in line at the merchandise stand to buy shirts. Of course, the Mets didn’t stop to consider that 50,000 people might be wanting to buy shirts, and they didn’t staff the merchandise booths with extra help, so it took us forever. But this was a good thing, because by the time we were done, we heard someone yell, “The Mets are on the field and they are letting fans down on the field level,” so we ran downstairs and watched the team celebrate on the field. Paul Lo Duca turned on the infield hose and proceeded to spray all of us until one of the groundskeepers turned it off. David Wright walking around with a bottle of champagne and a cigar, shaking hands with every cop, security person, groundskeeper, you name it. Lo Duca and Reyes clearly having one of those “I love you, man!” conversations. Shawn Green and his kids running around the infield. It was all on TV, and you probably saw some of what happened better on tv than we did from where we were standing, but I would never trade that moment for the world.

12. What’s your favorite baseball food, and do you ever get sick of it:
The sandwiches from Mama’s are worth the surcharge you pay for buying them at Shea as opposed to getting off the 7 train in Corona and walking to Mama’s to get them yourself. That said, nothing beats a Nathan’s hot dog. I do get sick of them, however. I love love love the Carvel ice cream with rainbow sprinkles in the mini-batting helmet, but if you saw my house and how many things we use the mini batting helmets for, you would understand why I have only had one this year.

13. My batting song would be “Even Better Than The Real Thing” by U2.

14. My favorite overlooked Mets player: Damion Easley! He’s just such a cool, composed, articulate guy.

Wow - So, this is unexpected news? Jim Bowden’s been busy.

Nats acquire Wily Mo Pena of the Red Sox in exchange for an unnamed player.