nothing more than just chopping right town on the ball. sweeping it. sweep technique. boom. just trying to put it in play, not a lot of body behind it. he knows his game is speed. >> bob: a great level swing. jamie moyer for the phillies, tim hudson for the braves. no score early in thrabts. >> rob: castillo has two world championship rings, one with livan hernandez and the other one in '97. '97-2003. >> bob: he was there '96 to '05. >> rob: no, my -- last year he was just coming out of the marlins in '96 without retiring. >> bob: david wright bounced out to zimmerman last time. off the plate inside, 2-0. >> rob: that '97 team going out, had a ton of talent. won it, didn't get the attendance they wanted, '98 fire sale. >> bob: then history repeated it. >> rob: well the one key is they got in the evaluation deal with dave.com brow ski where they had a ton of talent down this the minor leagues because have the trades. they all seemed to come together. then you add a few nuts and bolts. >> bob: pudge rodriguez to anchor that pitching staff. >> rob: and then you gee you are been a down the stretch. >> bob: yeah. a high drive to left center and willing ham crowds it um against the wall. he had a long way to go, it's about 390 where he caught that ball, and i tell you, if i'm david wright, i don't know what my thoughts are about this ball park when this continues to happen. he has hit only 10 home runs this year. >> rob: i'm goin' over the arc tech with my back. he hammers this ball and, because of all the different levels here at this new ball park as opposed to where they stopped at shea, this probably would have been a home run at shea stadium. >> bob: ey. >> rob: beaten down, willingham goes down and makes a tremendous reaching grab. >> bob: here is beltran. you know, the other think about david wright. he hits the ball as hard to right field -- >> rob: yup. >> bob: -- as any right-handed hitter as mike piazza retired, and that ridiculous cut out in right field has cost him over there as well. this is not a good hitter's park for right-handers. >> rob: the difference between wright and ryan zimmerman's power, zimmerman was able to hit it farther down the right field line with authority and he hit it out of here and, as you said, david wright hits it into that motel canyon. there is the home run by zimmerman right there on that plunge in the corner. and that modell's in the bullpen, those balls at right just go to die. >> bob: yeah, at best, a double. . >> rob: but you're right. >> bob: you know, but if the mets want to be last in the major leagues in home runs every year they certainly built the ball park for it >> rob: well, if you're going to build a pitcher's type park -- there's howard johnson the hitting instructor, wore me out when we played against each other -- a big 3030 guy, build a pitcher's ball park. go down pitching. they went out and got a few guys in the bullpen but you got to get some better pitching next year. >> bob: 1-1 to beltran who singled his first time up >> rob: remind he of st. louis in the '80s, got a lot of speed but got to get some pitching in here too. i mean even if you look at pelfrey, he is a fly ball pitch earn. he gets way more fly balls, doesn't give up a lot of home runs. >> bob: and the fact he has only given up 16, that in it is a testament to this ball park. >> bob: but he still has a 5- earned run average. he pitches very well in this ball park. >> bob: but that left field where he caught that is almost 16 feet high. up the middle. the nats keep playing beltran to pull and he keeps singling up the middle. and it's a tie game. african identical hit to the one he had back in the second inning. so we'll pay special attention to see where they play him with the second baseman next time up. >> rob: well i think it's apparent that ian desmond is over matched at second base. a normal second baseman makes this play. he is late on the break, can't get that first step down. >> bob: hmm. >> rob: he is a step late, that's why he has to dive for that ball. no, i think alberto gonzales gets to that, belliard gets to that, but right now you have got a shortstop trying to learn how to play second base and he is getting worn out by the mets. >> bob: daniel murphy a swing and a miss. lead run on third base, the mets a double, sacrifice, three singles, to tie the game in the third. >> rob: i still think he is too far towards the first base bag. >> bob: well that's where they have him playing. i'm sure he is not doin' that on his own. >> rob: but j. dmp is throwing four-seam fastballs against these lefties, they are gonna keep driving the ball up the middle. . >> bob: with the second bas not playing to pull -- >> rob: those are made. >> bob: -- desmond gets to both of both of carlos beltran's singled. >> rob: i don't know why he is so far the to the right and then we're pitching him away. short center field, willie harris makes the call ched and the mets will tie the game. they have put four hits together, 2-2, zimmerman coming up, tied thanks to josh. no peanuts or nothin'. and then if your bag wants to bring one of its little bag friends for company, they charge another $30. that's just plain mean. why do they hate your bags? at southwest airlines, bags fly free. grab your bag. it's on! ( ding ) . >> bob: nats coming up in t top of the fourth inning in a 2- 2 ball game. ryan zimmerman, adam dunn and company coming up. a couple of small things like where you put your infielders and how you pitch to left- handed batters coming in to play. >> rob: i don't think you can take away from j.d. martin's game. this is a shortstop trying to play second base at this level and it just shows you, you know, you have to have a lot of talent to play at this level. it's not easy to try to play a new position. i give adam dunn a lot of credit for learning first base. it's gonna take some time. only been a week for ian desmond, you can't expect miracles out of the young man. it's that first step. got to be quick on that first step, got to go to his right and your left. . >> bob: ryan zimmerman went other way for his 30th home run first time up tonight. pelfrey gets inside on him time. if you missed it that swing back in the first >> rob: you saw where schneider was set up. the ball came back over the plate. and it hits off the wall and almost hits that guy right in the ga nosh. >> bob: they want the ball up and, boy, did they get it. 1-2. >> rob: you got 30 out of the way, why don't you try get 35 before the end of the sea section, by the way, when ryan touched home plate that was his 100th run of the year. .330, 100 r.b.i.s,. >> and only three players in the league have scored more. ryan braun and chase utley. 2-2. zimmerman drives it up the middle. >> rob: watch your lips. >> bob: on a 2-2 count he goes 2 for 2. adam dunn back with a man on base. . >> rob: well they have been wearing out jm dm martin, why don't we wear out pelfrey. great swing, head down, drove it down. . >> bob: almost as if the me while building a quirky ball park, made it bigger up the middle somehow. i'm pretty sure the dimensions are the same from ball park to ball park but it seems like there's tons of room there tonight. dunn takes one low and away. . >> rob: it also makes you appreciate the range of guys like robbie alomar out at second base. these guys have amazing ran going to the right, going back up the middle. frank did a great job. catcher, second base, center field. >> bob: and then back. >> rob: yeah. >> bob: dunn goes to left. circling behind it angel pagan >> rob: and he didn't catch that. that was -- >> bob: hard times cafe, budweiser americanal invites you american ail on the rooftop party deck next thursday. a game ticket, all inclusive access to the party, nationals.com,/octoberfest with a k, or call 62527 nats. off day monday, after this series the nats back home with the dodgers. willingham gets it. muscles that ball into center field. >> rob: at a baby. center field seems to be the place to go. dwriewfd slap me. willingham just head down, drives it up the middle, and hopefully the hammer can now get back to hammering. orlando hudson of the dodge brian roberts of the orioles, brandon fluches, clinton bar miss, saw him, he ate up a bunch of balls against us. their entire infield at colorado is fantastic. . >> bob: dukes singled off t foot of mike pelfrey first time up. >> rob: come on elijah, step into one right here. >> bob: in this streak of his hitting own .375, on base average way over 400 and drawn half of his season total of walks in the last 20 games. way inside, 2-1. >> rob: this kid has mad talent. as much as he has done in those 20 games he is -- he can hit better than that. he can just drive the gap, hit home runs. i see him getting on fire, being just every bit as strong as a ryan zimmerman with that bat. >> bob: slow roller. elijah is gonna have to hustle. they got him. the nats hit into another double play. 6-4-3, also one back in the second, and the game stays tied. al al if you don't have it. that's why you need it. need what? aflac. well, if you get hurt and miss work it won't hurt to miss work... aflac? and they give ya' cash which is as good as money. aflac. we've got you under our wing. what is it to lead? at pnc, it's doing what most benefits our customers. whether that's building more certified green buildings than anyone on earth. creating online banking tools for the next generation. or making a 10 year, $100 million investment in kids. it's how we've always done business. and will for a very long time to come. pnc. leading the way. . >> bob: nationals baseball masn brought to you in part by southwest airlines. book your next trip at southwest.com and by land rover designed for the extraordinary. it's a beautiful night in new york, 71 degrees at game time, mid-70s in the big apple today. lovely day or the a walk. and a lovely friday night for a ball game. a little dry for med wick though. . >> bob >> rob: yeah, he wants some water. >> bob: two players with connections to the mets hit a home run before 20 and one after 40 years of age. how young was willie mays when he came up? he played for them at the end of his career. >> rob: but you have robbie alomar. >> bob: and after 40. >> rob: sandy jr.? did sammy jr. play after he was 40? i think it's the alomars or the alous. >> bob: that ball hit hard to left by francoeur, bangs off the wall, might be a play at second base. the throw comes in and he is in there. >> rob: this game scalded off the bat of francoeur, that is hit as hard as you can hit a baseball off the wall, one hopped to desmond. francoeur coming around first, trips, still able to leg it out. >> bob: j.d. martin is leaving lots of balls, as rob mentioned, right in the heart of the plate. here is brian schneider. brian has only played 53 games this year counting tonight. he has driven in 24 runs.. he'll be 33 next year. ball 3. . >> rob: roberto hit his fir home runs when he was 20, i wonder if he was 19 when that year started. >> bob: four-pitch walk to a .201 hitter. j.d. d. martin is struggling here now these last two innings. and tomorrow night johnny -- tomorrow afternoon, actually, johnny lannan goes against former national tim redding. that's an early ball game, on the air at 1:00, first pitch 1:10. d.c. joins us sunday for garrett mock and johnny main on monday, then the dodgers for three. valdez won't be bunting. bard goes straight out to the mound. >> rob: it was sandy and robbie. sandy hit one at 40 with the white sox. >> bob: ha ha. they thought they had you. >> rob: i played with both of them, played with their dad winter ball. >> bob: i still would have said willie mays. >> rob: i'm starting to learn the way they do it here though. it's -- you got to see the way they phrase the question with the connection to the mets. >> bob: i know, but willie mays played for the mets. >> rob: right. but did he hit a home run before he was 19? or 20? >> bob: don't know. that's a double play ball. desmond, guzman, 4-6-3. >> rob: nicely done. nicely done. >> bob: now you've got do the pitcher coming up with two outs. nationals turn their 137th of the year. the mets have now hit into 158. here is pelfrey. he has driven in four runs this year on five hits. an .088 career hitter. might have broken the bat as he hit it right off the top of the barrel. it's strike two, he'll have to go get another. the matchup of national league east teams tonight had to head orr one on the road, the home team has scored. the reds lead the marlins and the braves lead the phillies. j.d. d. martin has it, lobs it over to dunn, and that's it. the double play really helped. top of the fifth coming, ian desmond leads off in a 2-2 game. you can do that with cable! living room. bedroom. kitchen. thank you. (announcer) get the amazing multi-room dvr from verizon fios free for 3 months. you can watch recorded shows in up to seven different rooms. plus get all three fios services, tv, internet and phone for the price of two. hurry, this offer won't last. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v . >> bob: nationals baseball masn, brought to you by southwest airlines. book your next trip at southwest.com. and by mcdonalds. feeling thirsty? try a refreshing 32-ounce mcd sweet. i'm loving it at participating mcdonalds. masn chopper high over times square in a split second over to flushing. top of the fifth coming up. desmond bard and martin. let's pay off our trivia which rob dibble says is all about the alomars tonight. for how about that. rusty stob and gary sheffield. gary was a teenager when he got called up. >> rob: he was. >> bob: and we're told that ty could be is the only other player to do that, homer before 20 and after 40. >> rob: they may want to check that. robbie alomar hit his first home run with san diego, didn't turn 20en till september, and husky hit one after 40. >> bob: but did one do both, before 20 and after 040. >> rob: no. >> bob: so one did one and the other did the other. >> rob: and their other is connected. >> bob: yeah. >> rob: there is sandy senior. 15 years in the major leagues. 13 home runs. then he had two sons that just were amazing players. >> bob: 0-2 to desmond. robbed of a hit up the middle by castillo first time. >> saw rusty the last time we were here. one of those great expo's. >> rob: those black gloves. four, batting glove. >> bob: desmond waiting for that breaking ball and he is gonna have another breaking ball hit. he hit it hard. going to fake three until pagan stops him, he is at second base leading off the fifth. % >> bob: for ian desmond, his fifth double him 6 tra basehits and he is still hitting .500. you keep hitting like that we can wait for you play second base for a long time. wait perfectly on the breaking ball like you said, not many big eagueso it that well. he is just a kid. shoots it right by david wright. . >> bob: josh bard looking advance that runner. >> rob: member when ibanez was dointhat early year to us. looked like he knew exactly what pitchers were go w to him. that's what he remind me of, looks like he knows what is coming. . >> hm kept by schneider. ian desmond now 11 for 22 as a major league hitter. bard on 2-0 anhe hits th ball a long way to right field. it is gone. >> rob: yeah. >> bob: into the screen above the bulln. josh bard's fifth of the year. and, for josh bard, his 33rd career home run. 4-2 nationals. >> rob: bard with a blast. well, northrop grumman will show you where he throws it. pelfrey right in the dead central of the hitting zone, and it is crushed by josh bard. when you watch him take batting practice, bob, he has got that in there. >> bob: here is j.d. martin and the nats lead by two again. >> rob: you have to wonder, if his groin wasn't killing him and his hip flex or wasn't all storen up what this guy would be doin'. he can hit. . >> bob: there are no cheap homers in this ball park, out there. >> rob: no, no, not out there. not out behind the xerox sign and into the bullpen. doesn't it just feel like it's -- there is a dead air in here because it's so enclosed? >> bob: uh-huh. >> rob: it would be great to pitch in here. >> bob: shea stadium was completely open in the outfield. grand stand on both sides extended to just beyond the foul poles and then j.d. martin takes one outside, 3-2. >> rob: the worst thing an opposing pitcher can see is that giant apple come up out of the hat and they brought one here. that's -- oh, they are gonna call him out. i thought he had walked. he is down on strikes and that's pelfrey's second k of the night. >> rob: pelfrey after the home run comes right back and pounds the corner of the strike zone there. just nipping the corner. . >> bob: willie harris, flie out to center field twice tonight. citi field in flushing, york, capacity 42,000. the nats are trying to make the mets a sub-.500 team at home here this year. they are 36-36. washington leads it objection zimmerman and bard's two-run homers, 4-2 here in the fifth inning. willie harris is gone for the second out. >> rob: pelfrey has given up 12 runs and 5 home runs in his last two innings in five starts. >> bob: the gospel musicfest at nationals park. performances by d.c., maryland and virginia church choirs,y lab i don't, and hosted by artist and composer jeff majors. giuliani the featured soloist. all fans in attendance get into the festival for free. come in the ball game, the festival after the game. tickets start at $9 at nationals.com. that's/gospel or call 202675 nats. guzman taps it by the mound pelfrey, helps to be 6'7". got it goin' with a lead-off double, josh bard his fifth home run of the year, 33rd career. the nats lead it half-way through 4-2. . >> deb: nationals back on t by a score of 4-2 now as we move to the bottom of the inning. j.d. martin like many of his fellow young starters says he has learned a lot by watching former met livan hernandez. >> he always seems like he is in control, doesn't let anything speed up on him, comfortable up there, hits the spot. and he is just, he is a professional, a good player. he has got a lot. >> deb: he also said he appreciates livan's willingness to take questions and answer them. he is very good with that, bob. >> bob: been there done that since 1970. livan heron. david wright. j.d. martin's pitch count doesn' figure to have him in this game longer than 6 innings at the most it appears. 74 pitches through four. so he is ankling 18 pitches per inning, or thereabouts. pelfrey has thrown 70 pitches in five innings. hit hard right side, desmond got behind it, on to adam dunn for the first out. well they finally hit a ball where he was playing over there along with the double play ball of valdez last in. >> rob: he'll get that first step though. that's something you can't teach outfielders. that's what we talked about about lastings milledge. it's something he is gonna have to work on, hopefully he gets some reps at shortstop and maybe at second base. he could be your every day second baseman. if he could hit like that, hit .275, .280, with the pop in his bat, he is your every day second baseman or shortstop. . >> bob: ryan howard has hit his 39th homer of the year. and the phillies lead 2-1 at atlanta. . >> rob: i'm not worried abo their offense. you face that pitching staff, ooh, they are pretty tight. >> bob: throwing j.a. happen tonight. >> rob: well, happen happ happen is not gonna make that rotation. looks like hamels, lee, and pedro. >> bob: i got to check something. happ was supposed to pitch but now i see a report that says jamie moyer. >> rob: wrote, happen is hurt. >> bob: they were wrapping that series up in philly so evidently jamie moyer a last- minute substitute. >> rob: yeah, florida still had manny acta as our manager on that, and they also had -- >> bob: their lineup sheet. >> rob: they had bolstad in their bullpen every day including when they started. >> bob: personable guy. 72 outs, this might be the quick inning he was looking for, but a very good hitter stands in his way. we thought david wright hit a three-run homer last time up. >> rob: nice breaking ball. watch him bail on this. watch him bail right on this, this is a great breaking ball. it's when you know it's a good one when a guy like david wright does that. come on, get back in there. >> bob: good pitch, outside corner. >> rob: looked like a cut fastball. but as i was saying when you talked about the movement on fastball. sometimes you grip a four-seam erin correctly and it worked perfectly. >> bob: and david wright couldn't even reach that one. a good one-two-three. coming up in the sixth, ryan zimmerman, a two-run homer, dunn and willingham, the nats lead by two. ♪ ♪ tell me who's watching. (announcer) it's right here. it's easy. ♪ i always feel like somebody's watching me. ♪ it's the money you could be saving with geico. . >> bob: onto the sixth inni 3, 4, 5 you the up for the nationals, and they lead 4-2. this copy wrighted telecast presented by authority of the washington nationals and may not be reproduced or retransmitted in any form. and the accounts and descriptions of this game may not be disseminated without the express written consent of the washington nationals. so a pair of home run balls have the nats their offense tonight and ryan zimmerman is 2 for 2. you'll find two big swings that box score, zimmerman's swing into first, josh bard's in the fifth. and zimmerman hits this one hard. >> rob: a laser. >> bob: pagan had to reach up for it. >> rob: wow. >> bob: he has hit three balls on the sweet spot tonight. >> rob: right on the screws. >> bob: interesting list here rob. guys who have dewon to a new team and who has hit the most home runs. >> rob: well the guy at the top only got 20 million to come here. ibanez got 30 to go to philly and teixeira, in that ball park, $1,780,000,000 to become a yankee. >> bob: you're looking at the best bargain in baseball for a power hitter this year. >> rob: agreed. the kind of guy who has also made a lot of other buys better in this lineup. >> bob: he has improved that atmosphere in that clubhouse, interacts with everybody, has a great time for everybody, always has time for us, and we appreciate that. he just got under that one. jeff francoeur, two outs. . >> rob: he is also going to doing some post-season work for me on serious xm. >> bob: going to put him to work, even on college fab saturdays. >> rob: might have to let him watch football. >> bob: might have to leave him alone on saturday. >> rob: might have to negotiate that one. we were talking some hunting, he is looking forward to going back to his ranch in texas. don't want to upset the conservation fists so i won't discuss what we discussed. >> bob: well they say, if it's in the clubhouse, leave it there. what what you see her, what you hear here, what you do here, let it stay here when you leave here. . >> rob: yup. i agree. i asked pat corral, i said "why don't you write a book, you got to know so many stories, nowhere a lot of skeletons are," it's like"i'll take it to my grave." >> bob: i would love to sit down and interview him for an hour. >> rob: just talk about when he used to hang out with mickey mantle and whitey ford. i could listen to pat corral less all day and all night. what he has seen and witnessed and been a party to. very special to have those guys around. >> bob: willingham turns on one, josh has a base hit tonight. 1 for 2. >> rob: i've said this before and i'll say it again. if the young players on this team are smart they'llness will next to him and pick his brain and get that baseball knowledge from him. >> bob: and the other think about him, it doesn't take long. he says as much with few words as anybody i've ever seen. it doesn't take him long to explain this game of baseball. >> rob: talking to steve mccaddy. i mean these young pitchers, in the early 80s, he is facing molitor and yount and thomas and that crew in milwaukee with some filthy hitters in the major leagues at that time. the american league. and that man, steve mcaddy, had to face a lot of them. >> bob: pelfrey gets willingham on a high fastball. he struck out four tonight, but has given up four runs, half- way through the sixth. nats by two. omer service. omer service. - low fares. - frequent flights, that's what we're known for. - customer service. - low fares. - we're known for a lot of things. - bags fly free. the lowest fares. great pilots too. - customer service. - low fares. we're not saying other airlines are bad; we're just awesome. low fares, customer service, frequent flights, on time performance... bags fly free. come on over here and fly with us. ( ding ) . >> bob: time to bring you u speed with the at&t rapped re- wind. this 4-2 game a story of big swings. some smaller ones by the mets. and some really good defense. wonk pitcher into his sixth inning, at&t, the fastest network. that young pitcher is j.d. martin, 26 years of age, martin and bell core in the sixth. he'll be up around 100 pitc even if he has a quick inning. . >> rob: well the one thing need to revisit with our young pitchers, he said "we just want to go 5 innings. we don't want to hear that. we want you to think 9 innings and if you fall short about 5 or 8, that's sure. but -- >> 7 is acceptable. >> rob: 5 is a lot of jive. >> bob: a lead-off walk. beltran on for the second time. j.d. martin, second walk. i think i just saw steve mcaddy walking toward the phone. . >> rob: but i like when he talks about low pitch counts, we saw that with cole hamels, what is he, 13, 14 an inning. that's fantastic. anything from 12 to 15 is excellent as far as per inning. >> bob: hamels through 8 innings tonight on -- last night on 109 pitches. . >> rob: to think our guys t 20, 25 pitches per inning, you've got to be out there after 25. you have got to pin mice those pitch counts in certain situations, just pitch to the contact and get ground ball double plays like right here. . >> bob: beltran's running g has been slowed this year. he has only played in 70 games, 11 steals. >> rob: that will work. >> bob: that will play in center field for willie harris. >> rob: we got a hot rot out there. . >> bob: francoeur is next. there is a rumor the nationals have their bullpen busy here. jason bergmann and, somewhere back there, ron villone. >> rob: we sent a carrier pigeon to try to find out. >> bob: yes. bergmann is trying to see over the awning to see the top of the field. it's a joke what the mets have done to the visiting teams here in their bullpen. >> rob: it's just ridiculous. >> bob: what are we, 6, 7 miles from the office of the commissioner. i think they know about it. he looks like he is pitching in jail back there. >> rob: part of being in the bullpen is to kind of watch the game. not on a monitor. i mean look, you got a flatscreen. >> bob: thank goodness they can watch masn hd back there. >> rob: there you go. watch what you say about those guys in the bullpen. >> bob: hi guys. how you doin' out there. >> rob: you guys look marvelous. >> bob: francoeur rocked a double off the left field wall last time. the key is get ahead. with a runner going he singles up the middle. >> rob: ooh, and their parent. >> bob: first and third with one out. he went down and got that one. >> rob: a very good pitch. watch the low trajectory of that ball. but it's just smacked right back up the middle. i think that francoeur acquisition with the trade of ryan church going to workout for the mets eventually. >> bob: i think it already has. he is hitting .315 or better. he only goes 5 1/3, the nats still have the lead, and here comes ron villone. in the dark. no peanuts or nothin'. and then if your bag wants to bring one of its little bag friends for company, they charge another $30. that's just plain mean. why do they hate your bags? at southwest airlines, bags fly free. grab your bag. it's on! ( ding ) get it fast. sarah! you're home! (announcer)ú on the nation's fastest 3g network. at&t. . >> bob: each manager making move here in the bottom of the inning. nationals first off will go to ron villone with runners at first and third and one out. he thought he'd be pitching against a left-hander but the interesting thing is lefties are hitting .301 against him this year, right-handers are hitting .268 and there will be a right-hander walk to go the plate as we speak. fernando tatis. >> rob: we say this all the time though. he faces more right-handers. throws his breaking ball down and in on righties and away from lefties. ref lefties probably take that the earth 0 way and get a higher average against them. when we were in the reds pen with norm charleston and his four ball, he got out lefties better than i did and i got out righties better than he did. our stuff matched up against the opposite guy. so we liked it. but go ahead, pitch to some lefties. villone definitely in his career earlier with that change- up he had used to throw a lot harder. . >> bob: fastball up to fernando. tatis. >> rob: god to be careful. the this guy will run into a fastball. didn't he hit two grand slams in one game. >> bob: same inning. same pitcher. >> rob: same inning. . >> bob: if i wasn't there i wouldn't believe it. >> rob: you got to tell me about that. same pitcher stayed out there. >> bob: yeah, chan ho park. he came around 9 spots later and tommy le sort a still had chan ho in the park. how does that happen. >> rob: how do you get two grand slams in the same inning but off the same guy. >> bob: i heard tommy was going to be in washington this week. you can ask him. >> rob: i will. >> bob: well the hammer hit two grand slams in one game but not off the same guy. >> bob: in the same inning. goodness sakes. rob running back that is pretty impressive. you can tell your children about that. >> rob: i don't think so. >> bob: like i said. if i hadn't been there, i wouldn't believe it. 2-1 pitch. >> rob: did he give up about 10, 12 earned runs in one inning? >> bob: i'd have to go back and look. i remember the inning being a double digit inning. it would have to be. >> rob: your e.r.a. would never come back down after that. . >> bob: that was at dodger stadium. >> rob: bases loaded, two walks in the inning. pipitching, pitching, pitching. whether it's a young starter only getting 16 outs on 100 pitches, or relievers trying to keep the score the way it is, the nats have really struggled at this stage of ball games all year. now, wilson valdez will be walking in. gary sheffield to hit next for the pitcher. the nationals need a double play ball in the worst possible way. . >> rob: all right. chan ho park, our wonderful truck, 2.2 innings pitched, 11 runs, only 6 were earned. >> bob: how many runs that inning? >> rob: 11. well 2.2 innings he lasted in the game. all 11 runs came in that third inning. 0 tommy was trying to get five out of park. but -- >> bob: please. >> rob: 11 runs? that has got to be one of the worst line scores ever. >> bob: this is the dodgers we're talking about. >> rob: wow. by the way, tommy, by the way, he doesn't have it working today. >> bob: oh, lets give him 9 more hitters. >> rob: then you are "okay, he can get this guy this time, he only has one grand lamb." >> bob: the only other guy to do it twice in one game was a pitcher, tony colon then generator of the atlanta braves. . >> rob: right. that was in like '64 or '66 or something. >> something. >> bob: i think that's the first year they were in atlanta. >> rob: and josh, our own hammer. . >> bob: 1-2 now, big pitch coming, and a drive to left. here comes willingham. he has got it. runner coming. throw coming. and got him. out at the plate. a great job by josh bard, ron villone runs over to pick him up out of the dirt and the nats are out of the inning on a 7-2 double play engineered by a great willingham throw. not a bad picky they are. what is it to lead? at pnc, it's doing what most benefits our customers. whether that's building more certified green buildings than anyone on earth. creating online banking tools for the next generation. or making a 10 year, $100 million investment in kids. it's how we've always done business. and will for a very long time to come. pnc. leading the way. . >> bob: josh willingham made outstanding play against the left field wall in philadelphia last night. another one here in new york tonight. and then he goes and gets a fly ball, rob, and finishes the play off perfectly. >> rob: valdez hits a line drive in front of him. running forward. beltran has got speed, a one- hopper, play is made by bard. blocks home. beltran has to go around and picks a short hop in front of him, a very difficult play for a catcher and he shows him the ball and villone, yeah, got him. >> bob: then he came and picked up josh. >> rob: well, josh probably needed a little bit of picking up. that guy has left some parts around this league this year on the field. >> bob: mike pelfrey still in the ball game but after they pinch hit for him that's josh thole. >> rob: thole. >> bob: they just called him up. elijah dukes, desmond to follow. they have new life. a chopper in front of the play. thole throws it away and elijah dukes goes to second base. brand new catcher, a little bouncer in front of the plate, testing him. a good throw gets dukes at first. i don't know if they'll give him a hit or not. there will be an error assessed. whether it's a one-base or a two-base error. >> rob: going to be a bang bang play. as a catcher you still got to set yourself. step and throw. you see him off balance. kind of short-arm it. i was more worried about it hitting elijah and it just missed hitting him. . >> rob: hit with an error. >> bob: elijah dukes has two infield hits tonight. >> rob: but you would think, too, that a catcher coming in the game this late, he is not gonna be loose, so that's not an easy play with a speedster like dukes. >> bob: elijah has a multi-hit game tonight. his batting average over .260 now. desmond is in there, he hit the ball hard twice. castillo went to his right to take a base hit away he doubled down into right in the fifth. scored off josh bard's home run. >> rob: ooh, look out. >> bob: right off the top of the mets dugout. then it ricocheted to the front row by the rail. >> rob: pelfrey still throwing in the mid-90s, a heck of an arm. >> bob: 81 pitches coming into the second inning. . >> rob: i like the way pelf repeats his delivery, very smooth. call that an easy gasp, but he generates a lot of torque without having to have his arms and legs flailing all over the place. >> bob: you said something earlier i want to ask you about after we see what desmond does here. and a bouncer right side. >> rob: nice job. >> bob: you said earlier he has "mad talent." what did you mean by that? >> >> >> that?bob. >> rob: elijah dukes has a lot of talent. he hasn't even learned how to steal bases. you have to learn how to run and steal best bases. davey lopes shows the stolen bases over there in philadelphia and right now he is, you know, going to learn a lot here in winter ball but he is learning about himself every day. >> bob: now the mets are gonna talk about this because, since jim wriggleman took over the 234589, there's been more squeezing, more bunting and running in situations like this. you have a fast wedding at third base. >> rob: the guy just hit a two- run home run. >> bob: yeah, and now they are thinking he might bunt. but you do have the pitcher coming up. well you don't have the pitcher coming up. you have pete orr >> rob: you have pete orr with a bat in his hand. i don't think elijah tapped into his talent pool yet. >> bob: mad talent. >> rob: or sick talent. >> bob: infield in, bard sort of swinging at that one. >> rob: an emergency hack? he had a decision to make right there. >> bob: yeah. well an emergency hack is when you decide late. this one he decided early, tried to stop it. so i'm not sure what you call it. but the nats want at least a fly ball here to make it 5-2. >> rob: i say an emergency stop hack. kind of like when you pull the string on the train. >> bob: and it takes a mile for it to stop. >> rob: oh, i can't stop it. the thing with dustin maxwe when he tapped a couple back to the pitcher. swing. even if you're not, you know, don't be so indecisive that you just have to back -- the pitcher 0 polls on tuesday to swing at it. >> bob: the bunt is off now, obviously, 0-2, if it was ever on or if it was considered. and bard will drive the ball center. that's plenty deep to score dukes. great job by josh, 3 r.b.i. night, and the nationals lead 5- 2. . >> rob: nice. . >> bob: now, instead of pet orr, with nobody on base jim riggleman will go to the more powerful hitter, mike morse. . >> bob: there's times in a game. jerry manuel is thinking abou taking him out. . >> bob: maybe he stays because it's a righty righty match up. >> rob: he is thinking about that. because there's times where a guy is great, a power guy, still in the 90s, just a great hatch up. >> bob: mike morse as a pinch hitter, 4 for 13, 5 r.b.i.s. hitting for villone. that ball was reading on th chalk. it evidently did not hit morse in the leg. he took off running, that told everybody it was a fair ball, scored another run. >> bob: took . >> bob: tonight's masn tele celebrating the birth of the united states air force brought to you by dynna corp. international. tough book for a tough world. and by navy federal credit union. we serve where you serve. in sell probation of the birthday of the united states air force, today, roughly 500,000 active guard and reserve airmen that are proud to serve america, the united states air force, stands ready to fly. bob carpenter, rob dibble. welcome back to new york. good ball game for the nationals so far. a nice night for josh bard. been a great night for josh bard. you got your other catcher, will nieves hurt, will go out and get a trade for somebody. big home run, great play. j.d. martin, 5-2 lead, josh bard plays hard every day, like pete orr, guys like that. watch them come out here at 2:00 this afternoon, yes, two weeks left in the season, these guys are still taking extra batting practice early in the day, so it's nice to take josh bard and having to pay off for them. >> bob: a lot of these guys are wondering about their jobs for next year and they have to come down to every game. >> rob: your work ethic goes a long way. the more you show up the more you're working in the cages and with the hitting coach those are the kind of players going to be on this nationals team. mike rizzo is going to want them. sam cassel is going to want them, and jim riggleman. >> bob: gary sheffield for the pitcher sean burnett. slips one by and down and away. and the count is even, 1-1. . >> rob: i think one of the be compliments i ever got was at the end of my career with the brewers, one of the reasons we brought you in here, we know your stuff isn't the same as it was years a0 go is your work ethic. how i carried myself and doing the lightnings and doing your running and working hard. and keeping yourself, you know, prepared to pitch. keeps guys around a long time. look at ron villone, he has been around forever. >> bob: never pa knicks in a tight situation. he got a big double play last inning. burnett to sheffield and up the middle is desmond. man, that ball was hit hard. >> rob: . >> bob: i guarantee you ian desmond knows he caught a line drive. maybe the hardest one ever, into the glove have. how about his night. 98 pitches in 5 1/3. >> rob: not as sharp as his last outing against josh johnson but just as effective. when he need add big pitch he made a big pitch. and i think he would like to start going deeper in the ball games. but that comes. the more you're out there right now and your 12th start, teams 7-4 in the first 11. i like the results when j.d. martin is out there because he gives you a chance to win. probably wanted to go into the seventh inning but the problem is you got to be more ec. mom particular inning to inning to stay out there longer. >> bob: any time we have a nats pitcher on our geico highlights, that's a good thing, even though he didn't pitch that deep into the game >> rob: no, and he did exactly what he said he was gonna do. he doesn't have 98 miles per hour stuff, that doesn't matter at this level. you can work ahead and get your secondary pitches. >> bob: mike pelfrey of the mets throws 90 pitches and goes 7 innings, gives up 5 runs, four earned on eight hits. struck out four. didn't walk anybody and got a couple of double play balls or else the nats might be a lot further ahead. and that's a strikeout for burnett. for the second out. come on out to the ball park, tuesday, it's another t-shirt tuesday. first 10,000 fans receive a free screech t-shirt, nats dodgers, nationals.com. or call that number, stop by the nationals park box office for tickets. they are always available during the day. you can park right on the street right out there in left center field. >> rob: if i put salt on screech's tail does that mean he can't fly? >> bob: you've totally got me on that one. i don't know. >> rob: you've never heard that one? if you put salt on a bird's tail it won't fly? i have to try it with screech. >> bob: he'll probably put it on his french fries. . >> rob: don't you think tha screech would want to eat the geico gecko? isn't that what eagles like? >> bob: hunting is for the off- season. we don't sponsor that sort of thing in the ball park. that's all for fun. there is no food chain there. a ball driven to right field but foul. lewis castillo with a pitch count of 2-2. . >> rob: that looked like parnell. >> bob: the sidewinder. >> rob: shawn green. >> bob: yeah, shawn green. serious jam major out there, desmond grabs it, and the mets are done. in the seventh inning. top of the order for the nats leading 5-#. harris, guzman, and zimmerman. . the new york mets here in the top of the eighth inning. game on masn, masn hd, tomorrow. versus johnny lannan. average, former nats, 2-6 with career against his old ball clubs. "nats xtra" hosted by byron kerr and the one and only met ray knight. . of his. he still can't remember his feet ever touching the third and home after the ball went through mooky wilson's legs. come on, it wasn't that magnificent. . bob: willie harris 0-3 rob: i'm sure bill buckner every step. a herd of elephants coming in from third base. goin' through his legs? . great reason to get a place in montana. rob: people forget he was an amazing baseball player. bob: great hitter. bob: great hitter, great player. bob: the busiest, second busiest this year. feliciano 7 of 9. one out. and then ryan zimmerman. . . have added trail in the seventh inning 1-0 at cincinnati. shutting down the marlins tonight. one for three. too bad the nats couldn't play a fun weekend if the nationals were behind the mets for fourth place? have been fun.. >> rob: it would be more fun if we were two games behind the for first place. bob: yup. rob: for fourth place. i get accused of thinking a lot. rob: right. but you dreaming of the nats being two games behind the phillies because after they just went 15-3. have been on the fifth-place team that the next year won a world series so it can happen. it can happen. rob: you got to get healthy and get it all together. have the right combination of guys. rob: right. it's great. to get jim some agree shin formula. mariners last year gave gray hair. mets have lost five in a row and 9 of their last 10. ran into several media with the mets today who said "you guys have a much better than we do." rob: we do. and i think we all believe that right now. greetings won one game here all year, wasn't that jordan zimmermann who won that a sunday afternoon way back when? hard right at luis castillo. two outs. the first time was the best. well career high in home runs right here, wonderful a day-to-day basis. nicer young man a major league uniform out there. his second career 100--rbi season. . those are nice, don't the 100 runs. other thing about ryan, he plays every day. a day off. bob: yeah. only went over 100 a week ago. september he struck out 100 times. who hit for power and drive in 90-plus runs who can rob: feliciano stokes throwing in the bullpen. appearances before the end of the year. bob: he wants 80 before help steps on the field. rob: goodness gracious. mets aren't going the relievers. him out 16 games to go. down . a good question. he is one of the best game. this year. bob they are down. rob: i'd protect that guy. have j.j. puts. the blown elbow so he is done for the year. bob: he does it again. it a hit. made 14 errors this year. error of the season. . fielder than that, he just kind of thought the ball was jump up a little more. green, they will bring in pedro feliciano to put this game the nats. top #, 5-2 game. . coming up. a ball the # and 4 guys in this lineup. driven in. pair of guys as you'll see in the major leagues. do that, 30-30. rob: first in franchise history. nationals history. goes into the stands. rob: jesus. and bun flies out to beltran ending the top of the eighth inning. - low fares. - frequent flights, that's what we're known for. - customer service. - low fares. - we're known for a lot of things. - bags fly free. the lowest fares. great pilots too. - customer service. - low fares. we're not saying other airlines are bad; we're just awesome. low fares, customer service, frequent flights, on time performance... bags fly free. come on over here and fly with us. ( ding ) you know why i sell tools? tools are uncomplicated? nothing complicated about a pair of 10 inch hose clamp pliers. you know what's complicated? shipping. shipping's complicated. not really. with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service shipping is easy. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. that's not complicated. come on. how about...a handshake. alright. priority mail flat rate boxes only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship. . >> rob: bottom of the eight inning. bergmann on for the nationals. brought to you by coors light. the world's most refreshing beer. carlos beltran at the plate but the play is made by josh bard. locked in the plate, making beltran go around, shows the umpire. that is a frost-brewed coors light freeze cam moment. not only did it keep the lead 4- 2 but then mr. dar ben showed up to get a sac. fly to make it 5-2. then you can put that frost tee coors light and put it on your groin and maybe your arm. i respect that guy as happen much as anybody. the way he limb p's around. barely mobile most of the time. >> bob: jason bergmann after giving up a grand slam. in philadelphia, two nights ago. to protect an eighth inning two run lead here. setting something up for mike mcdougal and some off speed breaking ball over the head of dave trembley wright. ad that right. >> bob: 48,063 and half those here. th are one of those who s ld and th owd nowhere ar that. >> no, but for a friday night, the school is back in. >> ea and you have to consider, this is a ball club á@@lot of ked nationeagust. >> ro m>> bhadisaster of a season from an injury standpoint and from an offensive standpoint. >> rob: offensively, tremendous team, bullpen tremendous, but the rotation ivperezsteining ba you got to have somebody to go frankie rodriguez, like the ob: swing and a miss and bergmann throws it by david you know, and they can talk about matt holliday d getting get any pitching up here, they have got nothing next year either >> rob: see the pitch track northrop grummanice 3/4 delivery at this. you can have e of you waok the nants, top 10 all year on offense, but no good on defense. you got to shore up the defense. two years in a row, bad defense. i told you about the minnesota twins. the twins do not have the best pitching staff and now they just lost clifton morneau. they can't afford it. and they never spent money for it anyway. the only money they spent was to keep joe nathan in house and have the great closer there but other than that they don't spend a lot of money. but if you only make 66 or close to 70 errors for the entire season that's spectacular. that's the kind of stuff that ceepsz you in it this late in the year, four games behind the tigers in the central. you know the tigers paid a pretty penny for their team. >> bob: bergmann on a breaking ball strikes out beltran. he got ahead with the fastball. buries the hook. >> rob: and then buries the hook in the ground right where it should be. >> bob: johnny and ray are back together. it's "nats xtra" postgame presented by verizon fios. home run lumber broken out here in the big apple tonight >> rob: i like that nickname. the national lumber company. >> bob: you like that. >> rob: for our offense? >> bob: a bouncer, base hit right field, also talking about j.d. martin's start and johnny lannan's start tomorrow night. he has gone the distance against the mets twice this year. >> rob: he has beaten both new york teams and he is from new york. >> bob: i'll give you an interview of the interview. it was taped yesterday. so when you see it tomorrow don't think i'm wearing the same clothes. >> rob: changed your underwear. >> bob: now with two out they start getting base hits. and jeff francoeur is three four tonight. >> bob: too much to play for right here, francoeur is just tearing the cover off the ball right now. i don't want to throw anything near home plate when francoeur is up there because he can get hot and do a lot of damage. >> bob: he gets two quick outs on strikeouts, gives up a couple of hits. jim riggleman going to give up a couple of hits here. josh thole coming up. cust omer service. - low fares. - frequent flights, that's what we're known for. - customer service. - low fares. - we're known for a lot of things. - bags fly free. the lowest fares. great pilots too. - customer service. - low fares. we're not saying other airlines are bad; we're just awesome. low fares, customer service, frequent flights, on time performance... bags fly free. come on over here and fly with us. ( ding ) . >> bob: nationals baseball masn brought to you by southwest airlines. book your next trip at southwest.com. and by mcdonalds, feeling thirsty? try a refreshing mcdonalds sweet tea. i'm loving it at mcdonalds. jim riggleman trying to get final four outs of the ball game. and he wants to do it with pitching and defence. you know what, the defense, the defensive part, shifting over to short, roberto gonzalez comes around to play second. the nats pitcher hitting second. fuse man's spot and that's mike mcsuing al. he has saved all nine of his opportunities in august and september. and in 19 appearances during that time sporting a 2.29 e.r.a. >> rob: wow, if he blows this save you and i are gonna have words. >> bob: then you better tell him to quit publishing game notes every day. >> rob: doesn't mean you got to read some of them. 9 for 9 in august, huh? >> bob: murphy singled, he is at third after the francoeur hit. this all happened after two outs. and the mets stay. with rookie catcher josh th a 13-round draft choice back in '05 out of breeze, illinois. called him up september 1st. . >> rob: jerry read, sullivan. as far as -- >> bob: and then you got anderson hernandez. >> rob: surprised we haven't seen him make an appearance yet. . >> bob: runner goes at first. the nats will concede the steal. and you'll wonder what was wrong with that pitch. >> rob: where is that pitch. >> bob: there was no swing, but we thought it was a called strike. or should have been. >> rob: this is the crew that was just in boston that was missing calls. look at this pitch. that is right down the heart of the plate. >> bob: not each close to being inside. >> rob: that's not low. >> tim: minutes misses one. and that could be costly. . >> rob: i got a good feelin here. >> bob: that's a strike. so he has already struck him out but the count is 2-2. >> rob: i was talking to dan clue zach of tv today and he said that the guy, who was it, nick green for boston, he got five strikes. the first five-strike at-ba this year. the check swing and the missed pitch. >> bob: nats are up by three. mcdougal cannot load the bases here. with a walk. . >> rob: a little tardy on tha one. therere is anderson hernandez. . >> bob: mcdougal gets the strikeout. had to throw four strikes to do it and the eighth inning is over. the nats strike out the side. the mets have stranded eight runners, it's 5-2 into the ninth. . >> rob: i tried to save it. >> bob: washington nationals 5, the mets 2, here is a summary for you. ryan zimmerman two hits, including his 30th home run, josh bard his fifth homer of the year. a fantastic play at home plate on a double play and a sac. fly and j.d. martin the pitcher of record as we go to the ninth inning. >> rob: we talk about extension, bob. this is a josh bard home run. look at how beautiful his swing is. gets the arms out and gets them fully loaded. puts that lower half into it. . >> bob: you know, he deserves a nice slow home run trot. with all that lower body injury stuff. >> rob: oh, get up hammer. >> bob: and willingham, see you later. the nats lead 6-2 as josh willingham has a two-hit night and his 23rd home run. laying down the smack 'em yac 'em here. the hammer. objection rob we talked abo that inner middle. gets the pitch on, got to see you later. he has been -- >> bob: scuferlg a little bit lately. >> bob: still hitting above his career average and having a very fine year. you know, you just, those of us who are around him every day, you just adore the guy. everything about him says team and you are so happy when he has success. now dukes goes towards center. >> rob: go. >> bob: that will be caught by pagan right out there at the edge of the track. >> rob: obviously, for peop who haven't heard the story, lost his only sibling. his brother was killed in a car accident early in the season and to come back and play as well as he has played under the worst of circumstances, i have nothing but love and respect for josh. for . >> bob: nats are getting so hats here -- or hacks. here is desmond, 1 for 3. that's a 15-foot 8" wall th that blast by willingham cleared. and desmond to short. valdez has to hurry >> rob: i know he is not on our team any more but one of my favorites was nick johnson taking santana the other way. hit that home run to left fee field anyway. that has to be one of my favorites. of course nick is not a power guy anyway. >> bob: we're going to sleep fast, we hope you do too, join us here, "nats xtra," 12:30 tomorrow. . >> rob: 15 hours. of 15 hours and 20 minutes from now. >> bob: yeah, we're gonna sleep fast in the that never sleeps. >> rob: i'm goin' to get some pizza. what's the name of that joint >> bob: we're goin' to rays, i'm sure. >> rob: lay's. >> bob: we arrived in town from philadelphia 1:00 this morning and our director, doug you lackey, made everybody go there. reluctantly we did and damage we did. >> rob: but that's when the freaky people are out at times like that. why would you want to go 1:00 in the afternoon. >> bob: you should see how normal we looked. >> rob: getting off that two or three-hour bus ride. >> bob: yeah, what was the movie we watched? >> rob: russell crow. filmed right in our back yard, washington. crystal city, around dc. >> bob: rachel mcadd dams was in that movie. >> rob: russell crow was in that movie. >> bob: they were awesome. josh bard 1 for 2 with three r.b.i.s to be the. don't forget ben affleck, the bad guy. >> rob: i thought you were gonna say the bad actor. >> bob: ooh. ooh. >> rob: that is kind of brutal, isn't it? i'm sorry. >> bob: 3-2 to bard and that ball will slice out of play. for all right. what's going on in cincinna it's now the bottom of the eighth and the reds lead them 2- 0. homer bailey having quite a night. and the phillies still lead top of the eighth at atlanta, they gain a game on each of those teams. atlanta will be 8 1/2 up with marlins 9 1/2 back. and all they can think about is chasing colorado. >> rob: well the angels are putting away the rangers 2-0. the biggest game the twins. >> bob: you know the metrodome is rocking. >> rob: oh yeah. >> bob: in the top of the ninth, josh willingham his 2-rd of the year. r.b.i. number 60. and the nats lead 6-2. úúxx . hello everybody. time for a "nats xtra" pre-kick here before we go, three outs away from ending that five-game losing -- four-game losing streak. yes, a couple, willing nnam and j.d. martin. >> the mets about to lose their fifth in a row. we'll be back with more. let's go back to new york and here is bob an rob from citibank field. . >> bob: nats trying to hand mets their loss in the last 11 games. mike mcdougal in line for the save. he is already in the ball game. he'll get it short up behind him as jordan maxwell replaces harris who moves to left field. so josh willingham gets a well- deserved rest of the night off. for . >> rob: that's why i like t covering the bases tools on thursday. now you know a lot more about justin maxwell and his family, wife, pregnant. >> bob: with their second. >> rob: their second child. he was a very bright young man. turned down harvard to go to university of maryland. stayed close to home with mom and dad. >> bob: fastball whistles in here, cory sullivan, former colorado rocky batting for wilson valdez. hit your spot next. they have another left-handed batter, jeremy reed. final weekend of the road trip here, day off monday, we're back home tuesday against the dodgers. come on out and one of the best young players in baseball. >> rob: and their freaky left fielder with the longest hair in the game. >> bob: oh, that guy. >> rob: manny. manny being manny. >> bob: well i have to say when manny ramirez came to town with the dodgers last year, after the break, he and albert pujols put on the best display in our ball park i saw all year. i counted 12 manny at-bats and he hit the ball hard 10 times and i think when pujols was in he was like 9 out of 12. >> rob: manny the pujols hall of famer. manny, anybody who has ever watched him says he is one of the great test right-handed hitters ever to play the game. >> bob: fouled back by cory sullivan. >> rob: i guess that pujols guy, he might get good. >> bob: mets signed sullivan as a met free agent back in january after he hit only .217 for the rockies last year. latethe cardinals. a little bit >> bob: yeah, i think they have rry read that mr. macfarlane doing al. double play right here. 3-0 minnesota right now over the tigers. >> bob: runner goes, indifferent. now he is at second place, no play at second. . >> rob: when guys used to d that when i was pitching i was like, good, now i don't have to look out of the corner eye at you. still got to get score that gu that way i lookedat it. mcdougal, you don't about the guy on base, still have four on base. . >> bo and a flare to left, right there is will harris. easy out for the first one tonight. >> rob: fla. that's a pretty tight outfi right here with harris, maxwell, and dukes right there. >> bob: they can go get 'em. >> rob: yeah, they can cover this outfield. imagine throwing nigh gear morgan out there? roger person a dina? we have got some very talented players. >> bob: angel pagan the hitter, 1 for 4 with an r.b.i. single. back in the third. phillies have added on a couple more runs, they now lead 5-1 at atlanta and they are in the top of the ninth at cincinnati. the marlins trailing the reds 2- 0. bottom 9 here in new york, nats, each team with nine hits. washington has only stranded two runners tonight. and mcdougal goes 3-0 if he fools around he is gonna have to face david wright and carlos beltran. . >> rob: we stranded enough runners in philadelphia. >> bob: yeah. >> rob: that cw down there. i think our guys were very relieved to leave the city of brotherly love. they weren't very kind to us, were they? >> bob: oh brother. >> rob: yeah, i remember some. and now, barring a double play, wright battles in this game. >> rob: here comes steve mcaddy. you're gonna get it. as i said, relievers give managers gray hair. i was thinking about that last night. whitey her swrog, sparky anderson, jack mckey an. and if you noticed mike scioscia is totally gray now. that's not a -- >> rob: where are we going after the game. >> bob: you haven't even started on the pitching coaches yet. rob running back oh my god, pitching coaches. this man will matt hit the out of the ball park unrest something surreal happens so this is a hitter to challenge. castillo one home run this year, two on, one out. mike is ahead of him. now she has got him '02. >> '02.bob. >> rob: what a moving fastball that was. 95 2/3. the thing about mike mcdougal is the way he -- the arm flop he throws from history leave point, he was just trying to slap that sucker into left field. no chance. >> bob: david wright. on a 1-2 pitch. ground ball, zimmerman can' get it, the bases are going to be loaded for david wright. and that's a freight at-bat by castillo after being behind 0- 2. that's not what shows you, it's the walks. >> rob: yeah. but you know this guy is just gonna tap it somewhere. look at this. tape tap tap to the left side of the field. he didn't even take a real hack. he guided the ball through there. nice try by ryan zimmerman. well he made the game interesting now. now you're gonna have to work for the save. >> bob: that's a base hit to right. one run will score, it's 6-3. and, now, the winning run is going to be in the batter's box with carlos beltran. well, takes that 95 the other way, inside out swing. right now they are just hitting that 95 miles per hour in play. gonna have to either change some strategy or throw some breaking balls. you can't keep going at 95 down produce way. . >> bob: mcdougal has faced batters, four have reached base. and a bouncing ball could e the game. desmond turns it, safe at first, it's now 6-4. beltran falling as he crossed the bag. and it sure looked like the nats had put this game to an end. >> rob: i thought he missed first and tripped over the bag. we'll see here on the replay. nice turn right there, desmond has trouble getting it out and he falls over the bag. see right there? okay, he does, trips over dunn. so he did hit the bag. >> bob: all right. a badly needed out. the tying run is now back at first base thanks to the force and here is daniel murphy. . >> rob: come on, work ahead. you can't just let beltran steal second. . >> bob: that's true. that's the tying run. >> rob: yeah, can't just give him second base. come on mike, come on buddy, calm down here. desmond, great pick, throw to first, high. a run scores. andnd the runners end up at second and third. adam dunn got a glove on it. fantastic glove play. >> rob: he is deep in the hole there, desmond makes a great play, not there, time at second, makes the play over to first, would have had him with a good throw. actually gonzo was there in time. that little bobble he had to go the other way with it. still had time. >> bob: the tying run is at third base and jeff francoeur is 3 for 4. the nats could walk him. but then you'd have to face a left-handed batter, the catcher, thole. desmond made a fantastic play but when he came up and bobbled the throw got away from him just a little. >> rob: well he still had time, though, and he'll learn that. he'll have more time, got a great arm. >> bob: fran corp. and mcdougal knocks it down. game over. >> rob: ha ha. >> bob: that ball was all but in center field for a game- winning hit. and the nats hold onto win 6-5. >> rob: ah, that was an easy win. come on. doesn't get any better that in, this is a one-hopper. knocked his glove off mcdougal, sticks with it, then he lobs it over to first base. and i think everybody had a heart attack as this ball was floating to first. a great play pie mike, knocks it down, francoeur has hit everything hard tonight and then he just softlies toes it to first, game over. >> bob: ah, what a nice routine win that was in the ninth inning. the mets come up with three runs, the nats leave the tying run at third base and the mets strand 10 runners tonight, 6-5 washington. 12:30 "nats xtra" tomorrow, first pitch 1:10. visit masnsports.com for all the latest news on the nationals. this has been a production of masn. johnny and ray together in the studio, "nats xtra," coming up right now. so long from the booth. so long for just a while. . hi everybody. time for "nats xtra" postgame. verizon fios, silver fox ray knight, johnny holiday. great to have you with us, a great finish to a great ball game. we can all breathe easier with a 6-5 win. can't we fox? >> yes we can johnny. >> they don't make it easy they. >> no, i have been gone for a little bit and come back and forgot how nervewracking these games are. >> there was a pair of two-run homers from the nationals, one came in the first inning from ryan zimmerman. >> fastball drove it right over to that side, right field, hit the ball so well that way this year. 30th home run of the season. then in the fifth inning josh bard gets a fastball, 94, 2-0 pitch, driefdz out there just short of the bullpen in reading center field to put us ahead 4- 2. >> when you take a look at the line score in this ball game tonight, the nationals 6-9-2, the mets 5-11-2 with that three spot in the bottom of the ninth. martin gets the win, 5-4. mcdougal the save. 16th of the year, pelfrey takes his 11th loss, zimmerman some hits on the, also bard a home run. zimmerman hits number 30, 2 for 4, two r.b.i.s, a pagan goes 1 for 4 with a couple of r.b.i.s. in the ninth inning terrific play as francoeur hits it off the glove but mcdougal throws him out. game is over. >> hit the ball hard all night long, runners going first and third, two for mcdougal, then two base hits, ground ball almost double play, through that one away for an error and comes back and makes this play on a ball hit really hard, reaches back, reacts, able to knock the ball down. you know what the ruling is if he had thrown that glove at the ball and hit it. >> triple. >> he didn't throw it. extended his hand, came off as the ball knocked it off. nice play. >> but the new york mets problems continue, now dropped 6 in a row, 10 of their last 11 ball game . >> they don't even look like the same ball club. stayed in the game tonight but when you look out there e and y don't see reyes playing shortstop. lose that threat there, it just looks like francoeur looks like their best player and they acquired him when the braves had given up on him. so they are looking forward to 210. >> some great plays, one in particular in the sixth inning, a heck of a double play as valdez hits a shot to josh willingham. >> charged that ball extremely well. josh charges the ball, good throw, great job by josh bard as he catches this ball on the short hop. blocking the play. knocking the runner off beltran and able to get the tag there. tagged him right above the heart. right there before he gets his hand on the play johnny. >> bob: you played a little catcher. that is not an easy play for josh bard. >> first of all doesn't have that big a pocket. you got to position yourself to try to be between home plate and third base, and then you've got to take whatever bounce you get and challenge it and that ball was a little in between hop and he was able to challenge it and turn around and take it. >> bard making sure the home plate umpire new he had that baseball. then the pitch service there the help him up. he is a of a catcher but he is the guy right now. >> we talked a little bit about his catching being a little deficient but he is a kid played hard all year long and played with injury johnny. any time you go out there day in and day out and playing all beat up as he has from really may on with a groin pull you have got to have tremendous respect for him. i don't think you've seen the best of i don't remember bard but he has been pretty good. >> here is a guy that gives it, as you mentioned, everything he has got. drives in three runs, half of the nationals r.b.i.s in this ball game. >> he came into the national league with the san diego padres as a guy that they worried about his catching and throwing, they didn't worry about his hitting. he went on out there to have two really big years, he was able to drive in 70 runs in one season and then he was able to hit .300 in another year. he has hit five home runs for us and, really, just kind of sparse duty. he has been the number 1 catcher, designate, because of the fact that we lost nieves. actually we lost flores early, nieves couldn't take that job away from him, but the reason he has been in the lineup is his offense and tonight he came around big. >> gets his fifth home run of the season a big shot. ryan zimmerman also went deep as you saw in the first inning. that gives the nationals in the first time in the history to have this ball club two guys with 30 home runs in a single season zimmerman and adam dunn. >> yes, and zimmerman, first time he has eclipsed the home run deal in his career. working on his sixth season at 40. if josh willingham had been healthy and able to stay here he would be at 30 home runs too, so you've got three potential 30 home run guys in the lineup. >> what say we go back to citi field and there on the right is a tired rob dibble because he was at times square at 3:00 this morning and a very healthy looking bob carpenter who did not go along with him. we have some e-mails tonight from oshkosh by gosh to see if you guys can talk about josh josh. >> by the way, rob just got finished reviving me after calling that bottom of the ninth inning. i know you knew he had it all the way. what a wonderful night for josh bard, a couple of swings, and a play at home plate in which catchers don't make contact with that hop. >> the josh and josh crew was fantastic. josh willingham, great night, josh bard with a home run, play at the plate. the story line of this game, we're the two joshes. early in the ball game, when you need add big run, somebody to come through. was josh bard with a huge home run, then the play, right here. he blocked the guy at the plate. watch beltran, speedy guy coming in, line drive. willingham throws it, short- hops him, blocks the plate forcing beltran around him, great tag. shows the umpire the ball. a sac. fly to make it 5-2, this big guy, the hammer from alabama slams one, makes it 6-2, and that run right there would prove to be the game winner after the bottom of the ninth. but the two joshes had a great night and you know what, this team is a lot better since we got both of these joshes. >> all right. great night for josh bard and he visits with debbie taylor. . >> deb: all right. thank you very much bob and josh. what a finish tonight. got a little crazy in the ninth. >> definitely. proud of mac. today was a little bit different, he walked a couple guys but he wasn't as erratic as he has been at times. he was just missing. but you know, again, he made a play when he needed to, that was a great play on francoeur and we're grateful to get out of here with a win. >> deb: you were able to contribute with the two runs batted in and the one off pelfrey. what were you looking for there. >> just get a pitch in the zone and when i got the 2-0 i was trying to cheat a little bit. he threw it and i was fortunate to get it out there. >> deb: josh some good defense today. willingham catches that ball in left field. what's your shots. >> i thought to me, he came ph hard, hammer is an underrated defender. sometimes you know he gets a little bit of a hard time for playing left field but to me he is a guy did a good job for us. a bit of a short hop but i was trying to hang in the best i could and was fortunate enough to catch it. >> you were able to block the plate in good fashion. finishing up strong, you said you really want to make a good impression when you -- >> i don't even think it's about making an impression, having respect important the game and playing the game the right way. 0 for so long the nationals, that's the thing that rise is preaching and rigs is preaching that in we want to make the change we got to start from the ground up and that's the fundamental things about playing the game the right way and doin' the little things. it's easy when there's 15 games left to kind of start thinking about vacation but there's too much at stake and there's just too much out there to play for and we have got to play good baseball, respect the game, and keep goin'. >> deb: it started tonight. thanks josh. we'll go back to johnny and ray. gentlemen? >> tonight marks the first nationals win at citibank field since way back on april 26th when they beat the mets 8-1. jordan zimmermann. >> there haven't been that many ball games, they have been good good at home. but it's nice to put one under our belt after this road trip and our strug m's at home. >> j.d. martin now 5-4, gets the win tonight. >> j.d. through the ball extremely well early. castillo striking out. both those sinkers 89 away. valdez to left center field after a pelfrey sacrifice. up the middle. castillo then singles to center. valdez scores. pagan goes to second. wright fliedz out, beltran singles up the middle to just off the glove of desmond. pagan scores to not it 2-2. murphy flew out. singles, basically hit and run as the runners are on the move. gets villone in the ball game and he promptly threw that l7 to 2 double play ball. >> goes 7 hits, 2 earned runs, struck out three, did throw 98 pitches but almost got his 6 innings he had had four of the last 6 outings. ray and i will take a break. we'll come back with more nats postgame. they eke out a win over the mets up in new york. ♪ ♪ i always feel like somebody's watching me. ♪ (announcer) it's right here, it's easy... ♪ always feel like mebody's watching me. ♪ ...it's the money you could be saving with geico. ♪ who's watching? ♪ i always feel like (announcer) it's right here, 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(announcer) get the amazing multi-room dvr from verizon fios free for 3 months. you can watch recorded shows in up to seven different rooms. plus get all three fios services, tv, internet and phone for the price of two. hurry, this offer won't last. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v you know why i sell tools? tools are uncomplicated? nothing complicated about a pair of 10 inch hose clamp pliers. you know what's complicated? shipping. shipping's complicated. not really. with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service shipping is easy. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. that's not complicated. come on. how about...a handshake. alright. priority mail flat rate boxes only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship. . nationals extra postgame show on masn brought to you in part by verizon fios. over 100 hd channels and the fastest internet. this is fios, this is big. . >> zimmerman drives it to right. that ball is really well hit and it is over the orange line. >> rob: number 30. >> bob: there is number 30 for ryan zimmerman. no disputed home run this time at citi field and it's 2 for the nats in the first. >> the nats go on to win it by a score of 6-5, they'll play a day game tomorrow and sunday, ryan zimmerman's home run really propelled this ball club. nice to go out to the mound and get a 2-0 lead if you're j.d. martin. >> yes it is. and he pitches well with a lead. he has not given up any more than four runs in any of his seven starts. that's what we might as well depend on, this happening with j.d., able to go 5 plus innings or 6 straight outings. that gets his earned run average over three. as i said last week he has been our most consistent starter. >> still to come, three home runs that in ball game. zimmerman hit one, another home run from bard, another one from josh willingham. another offense in the fifth inning. >> loves that breaking ball hard down the third base line. bard gets a 2-0 pitch. watch this fastball. 2-0, 90 miles per hour. you heard him say cheap. what that means is he gets the bat barrel out so he certainly does that, nice swing and camera action there. drove that ball deep into right field. duke singled reading in front of home plate. put in the hold to catch and threw the ball away for an error. gets the ball over in an error. bard hits the ball deep to center field with two strikes johnny. that's a part of that situational hitting we have been talking about the whole year. josh gets one he likes, 93 miles per hour down the middle, killed it out there to left field about 400 feet away. look at this nice compact swing, head-on the ball. he has been trying to pull the ball too much. that one was ride right in his wheel house. >> tonight you see josh has got a couple of hits, duke has got a couple of hits, zimmerman the, cristian guzman goes 1 for 4, ian desmond, a double score. that home run, he drives in three in this 6-5 win. we saw some spectacular defensive plays from ryan zimmerman the other night in philadelphia and tonight he picks it up defense and hitting. >> well he is just an all-round player and there's nothing the kid doesn't do well. he runs the bases well. that's a fastball running in from a sinker ball pitcher and he has gotten it figured out, johnny, going the opposite way. a lot of people roll over that pitch, smother the ball with a shorter third. gets the fastball out away from him, braves it right back up the middle. hits a p. fastball again, then a p to left field. he just crushed that ball. right to the left fielder. then the last at-bat he hit a ground ball really hard to third that i thought was gonna get a hit. david wright is known as a golden glove guy. the ball had so much over spin, unrest you play that position you don't know how hard that is to field. it comes up like a top spin lob from dennis, bounces and scoots on you. >> i think we're sitting here feeling with a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth, mcdougal on, game set match, right. not exactly. >> not exactly. >> david wright steps up. >> hits a base hit to right field to score a run. then a double playground ball by beltran in the second, not quite able to turn it as desmond is kind of sitting back on his heels, not going to the ball there but murphy then gets a great ball, more time. i don't think he had the ball across the seams, threw it well. the ball hit back up the middle by francoeur. knocked down by mcdougal. retires. nats win. nats win. >> there is the bullpen, ba loan, burnett, mcdougal. a steady stream of relievers after the starter went 5 1/3. and most of the guys were pretty effective and mcdougal comes in and does the job and gets the last out. >> except bergmann. i'm a little disappointed in bergmann. the other guys are throwing well. the other guys keep coughing it up. really, this guy has just great stuff. how many times we gonna say "stuff" this year, about 32 million. >> 32.5 million, yes. >> 32.5? i'm going to say it 325 million one. he has great stuff, can't get the ball where he needs to when he gets it there. >> leaves it up too much. >> hangs the slider way too much. >> tomorrow going to be johnny lannan for the nationals, he'll be opposed by tim redding the former national. when we come back to continue with "nats xtra" post game after a 6-5 win some thoughts from skipper jim riggleman. . >> bob: bard on 2-0 and he hits that ball a long way to right field. it is gone. >> rob: yeah. >> bob: into the screen above the bullpen. josh bard's fifth of the year and, for josh bard, his # 3rd career home run. 4-2 nationals. >> the nats go on to win it 6-5 thanks to a couple of other home runs to add to josh bard. the nats have now got their 51st win of the season, the mets have dropped 85 and they have lost 6 straight ball games now. >> yeah, it's nice to get to that 51. we weren't sure for a while. >> we have 15 more games and, you know, right now it's time to play hard and it's kind of swung over, you look for the individual stats, you play hard for the team. but the guys at 95, 96, they try to get 100, the stolen base guys, the time of the year that you wind down and have a lot of fun. >> a kind of a gut check because you can mail it in when you're not contending on this ball club. but not on this ball club. >> if you mail it in on this ball club you may be mailing it in for next summer. there is a lot of guys fighting for their johns. >> johnny lannan has to be pumped. right there from new york and a lot of friends and fans in the stands. >> pitched well against the mets. 2-0 record, and he's you know, the nationals are 12-18 in games he has started, he has not pitched well over the last two moss. had four decent outings lately where his earned run average has gotten back to pitched well. for them, tim redding our old friend has spent a lot of time in the bullpen. went there because he had a horrible first part of the year where he had a 9.75 earned run average, back for five starts after a two run stint. pitched much better, 3-2 with a 1.09. >> 9-11, 2.6 e.r.a. would rather have them lower. 105 for lannan, tim redding, interesting match up. two former teammates going head to head. tomorrow afternoon, jim riggleman talking the media was asked about was he satisfied about with the way this ball game ended and he got the win the way he got it. >> you know, i'm just glad we won the ball game. you know. the mets kind of like us, you know, we have all had a disappointing year, but you see the both clubs battling and you know you got to respect that. they are down by four in the ninth, they had great at-bats. mcdougal throwing 95, 96 miles per hour. they are battling, didn't quit, a credit to the staff ore there, our guys doing the same things. playing hard, trying to do their best but it just got ugly. and, you know, we just, you know, mac has given us 100% but you can't walk people in the ninth inning you know, that's just going to lead to trouble. >> j.d. martin a good start for him too. >> deb: your thoughts on him this outing today. >> j.d. was good. again, you know, they squared up some balls on him. francoeur really was on the ball all day. they hit the ball hard. but he settled down, i was really impressed with the -- after we got the two-run homer by bard he went out there and did not let them get back in the ball game immediately. you know. you got to put a zero on the board after your club gives you a couple big runs and j.d. the that, he is doing a good job for us, competing well and giving us a chance to win ball games. [ inaudible question ] >> well he made a great play to stop that ball, you know. i don't know many people that are gonna catch that ball. but then, as he transferred it, he lost it. and then, you know, if he -- i think if he doesn't lose it he -- he knew he had had more time he would have made a better throw. but once he losted and hurried it it got away from him and the inning continued. but, you know, that's baseball. he's -- we got a great effort from him, you know, a lot of -- like isaiah lot of times this ball would have went into left field with a lot of short stops. >> jim riggleman talking about tonight's 6-5 win. we're going to step out a few minutes, we'll be back with more with "nats xtra" postgame on masn. this is the way it ended when they hold off the mets to win it 6-5 at the big apple. - hey coaches! - what?! - what happened? what's the temperature on the field? ninety-eight? ( all groan ) oh, that is hot! i wish we could give you some of our cold coors light. come on, for crying out loud! it's aged cold, it's filtered cold. - just throw it! - sorry, there's only enough for us. - come on, man! - dag it! dang on it! frost-brewed coors light. official beer sponsor of the nfl. first one to say "cowboy" gets our last coors light after the game. - cowboy! - cowboy. - ditka! - oh, michael! get it fast. sarah! you're home! (announcer)ú on the nation's fastest 3g network. at&t. . "nats xtra" postgame show on masn brought to you in part by verizon fios. over 100. hd chants and the fastest internet. this is if i hose and this is big. this turned out to be a big hit. home run in the ninth inning, number 23 of the year for josh. that turned out to be the run the nats really needed as they beat the nats in new york 6-5. josh talked with the media about this terrific win for the ball club down in the clubhouse. >> and i just, just was running for it, and i thought i was closer to the wall than i was because i was expecting to hit the wall when i jumped for it. but, anyway, i was just fortunate to get there and make the play. >> and the put-out at home, that was just kind of how your whole think went. >> well i wasn't concerned about getting the guy at home, i was concerned about catching the ball because it was kind of a low line drive and i didn't know if i was going to have to dive for it. once i got there i kind of gathered myself and made a decent throw at home and bar dough made a great play picking and tagging the guy. >> he has been hot as a firecracker. maybe he'll come back. >> he has got enough time. hills and valleys. he has always been a streak hitter. nobody hotter than him during june and july. he carried this ball club for a long time. got enough time to get hot again, get that batting average up to .290 or so, dropped down to 276. great guy to have in the ball. always great to play in the big apple where you owned that town. owned the town back in 1986, mvp of the world series. slugging percentage .58 a. they love the nats, let's start at 12:30, first pitch coming up at 1:00. for the silver fox, ray knight, johnny holiday. thanks for joining us everybody. great win tonight for washington 6-5 over the mets in new york. and it's a seven-point game at the break. game over on response. of course the w.a.c. opener for boise state and fresno state and boise state won the last three in the series and mathews rushing for 145 yards and two touchdowns in the game. we'll keep you posted. well it doesn't look like the freshman starter can carry the load so they're turning to corp. and the back of up aaron corp will make his first start against washington and though pete carroll maintains it's a game-time decision and barkley injured his shoulder against ohio state. shelley smith break it down how the usc receiving is going to adapt to its new quarterback. >> i talked to several of the receivers yesterday and they say about the same. the system is the same. the difference with aaron corp as you mentioned he is more mobile than barkley and tends to scramble more than throw it away. damian williams told me he has to pay more attention when he's running his routes so to what corp is doing and barkley's more of a rhythm type of passer and several of the players say there's virtually no difference they both have strong arms and know the system very well. >> so it looks like corp will get his first start as the chosen quarterback once again and pete carroll maintains it's a game-time decision and he broke his ankle in spring and was 4-4 in the opener as a back-up to barkley and more on who's winning the game, rece davis, pick'em. >> you know what they say about those who don't know history, they watch it repeat itself. last year after usc made a statement by beating ohio state the trojans turned around went on the road in the pac-10 and got beat by oregon state and we play a little take your pick. all the husky coaches know the trojans inside and out. take your pick, usc or washington? >> whenever in doubt between the coach and player i go with the player and i don't think there's any doubt southern cal has a great football team. washington's much improved but i think aaron corp will change the football team and matt barkley has done great but only ranked 15th in the pass efficiency. >> southern cal wins easily they won seven consecutive games against washington and the defense only gave up nine points a game and it doesn't matter who the quarterback is it could be rece davis and they'll hand off the ball to mcknight and they'll win. >> jake locker's having a tremendous year. >> he's being well coached and put up big passing numbers and a sure you i would check out the running plate. i'd pitch that pill around, you know that. florida state and byu. this is the important, one of a couple important games for the acs, non-conference non-confere enhance the bcs profile. >> byu is not the easiest place to play and what makes it difficult for florida state to play is they're woeful on defense and i think when you look at max hall at quarterback and of unga the running back and the maturity of the defense i think byu wins. >> i agree i think they'll win handily they play at home and don't have to travel and mendenhall will have a solid game but it will be their defense. >> nebraska goes into lane stadium to take on virginia tech. another opportunity to establish an identity huskers take your pick. >> i like nebraska in the football game because of the offense. what does concern me is nebraska's ranked way down in national statistics as far as defense against the run and that's the one thing virginia tech can do. they can run the football but if they can stop the run i don't think tyrod tyler can beat them and i think nebraska will win the north division and the big 12. . i think they're back. >> agree but there was a coach that sat next to me for five years that said don't worry about statistics we just play the gameses on saturday. nebraska wins because of their quarterback that's done a tremendous job this year and if you look at their defense they'll stop the virginia tech running game rushed for 444 yards last week not this week. >> a stat that will matter over the last eight years 63 of the 6 games of the bcs games have ranked 15th or higher two haven't, duke or nebraska. if nebraska does it will be the first against virginia tech. and michigan state gets to play at home against notre dame. wait, the spartans play property taxes on the golden dome and it's touchdown sparty. they haven't lost in south bend since 1993 irish or spartan. >> you have to go notre dame and i still believe they're one of the best football teams in the country offensively they're explosive. look at their running back allen is averaging over 100 yards a game and claus en's averaging over 324 yards a game passing and in addition they have two receivers michael floyd 160 yards a game and golden tate 87 and the offense successful the problem is on defense. they have had problems on defense. i don't think michigan state can beat them i don't care where they play. they haven't decided on the quarterback but i think they'll go with kurt because he's the 6th ranked passer. >> you still think they're one of the best teams in the country? how many games have they played. >> two. >> what's the record? they're 1-1. they can't beat michigan state at home and they find a way to win the game. >> didn't find a way to beat central michigan. >> unbelievable. >> it's spartan stadium in indiana. >> michigan state's going to move all their home games there. >> they have. >> thank you, gentlemen. let's move on to eagles news. donovan mcnabb is out for the start on sunday due tie fractured rib though he's not ruled out completely. he sat out practice for the third straight date and cobb could make his first career nfl start on sunday and if cobb does start and his previous work is any indication eagles fans may be worried he completed over half of his passes over last season with no td and two picks and a pass passe low passing ra. ladainian tomlinson has been ruled out for the start on sunday. it's the second time the former nfl mvp will miss a start due to injury in his nine year career. and when the game was in question it was darren sproles had 66 yards in offense and 56 came in the fourth quarter enroute to his game-winning touchdown with 18 seconds left. here's john clayton with his weekly nfl injury report. >> chief quarterback matt cassel was in better shape this week then next week but they'll have to wait to next week to see if he'll play with the mcl strain and pierre thomas the running back for the saints will probably have to mace the game but with the knee he probably won't be able to play much probably as a third running back and didn't practice much thursday or friday. as far as wide receiver antonio bryant has an injury and probably miss the game in seattle deion branch is questionable with a hamstring and may miss the game and t.j. houshmandzadeh in good shape and didn't practice wednesday and thursday because of a back injury and as far as the giants they have six players scratched the game. that list includes chris cante the defensive tackle, aaron ross the cornerback and may not have aaron dockry he's banged up and kenny phillips is on the positive side of questionable. >> don't miss the blitz this sunday. 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. eastern on espnews. break down all the action in the nfl and when there's a winner between the steelers and bears in chicago we're your source for post-game new conferences. log on to sports nation.com and send your comments every sunday this entire nfl season during the blitz. >> thanks for doing that. i don't like to self-promote. >> as college football revs up the corner huskers want to avenge last season's tough loss and they say what happens in vegas stays in vegas and we have your mayweather-marqu >> "college football overdrive," is back every saturday from 3:00 to 8:00 eastern we talk you live to the most exciting games across the country. >> the throw is intercepted. he's not going catch him. >> we offer expert analysis from kordell stewart and shawn king, 3:00 p.m. eastern on espnews. >> here's what else to watch for this saturday on abc, the virginia tech hokies host the corner huskers seeking revenge for last year's loss and the offense racked up 983 yards in the first two games and zack lee has thrown two t.d.s and holly roe on what to expect. >> here virginia tech takes on the. the last time the hokies faced a defensive front this physical was in game one against alabama. and they came away with just 64 yards rushing. virginia tech coach frank beamer told me friday he saw a spark last week against marshal with his two freshman running jac ru and brian wilson broke 21 tackles and wilson rushed for 225 yards and the freshman ran down a rabbit here on the practice field. for nebraska the coach said last year after the five-point loss to tech he felt they handed them the game on a silver platter with costly penalties and turnovers and left thinking i felt we were the better team. >> ever saturday 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. eastern expect live look-ins on a slew of great games including nebraska va tech and usc facing washington and the utes taking on oregon and arizona and iowa and navy and pittsburgh and lsu looks to go 3-0. ryan howard and the hot phillies taking on the streaking braves in their seven-game win streak and the braves had no chance. top four, two-run shot off tim hudson. his 39th of the season. phillies up 2-1 and there was more. top six, same score, ooh la-la. the solo homer to right off hudson again and his 40th of the season and the phillies get their 6th victory with liz second homer the game howard became the 40th play with 100 jacks and 100 r.b.i.s in the fourth state season and babe ruth the longest streak and sammy sosa was the last to do. so. jason bay and the al-leading wild card red sox taking on the orioles top four, no one on and no out and bay with solo homer and boston 2-1 and buchholz was great, six innings, five hits, one run and it one strikeout. the red sox won. >> check out the fight tomorrow night. floyd-mayweather back in the ring and juan manuel marquez at 142. >> floyd, how you feel the wait is over after 21 months being away from the game. >> i feel tremendous. i'm happy my fans are supporting me 100% and marquez is a tough fighter so i have to go out and execute the game plan and be smart and intelligent. >> you weighed 146 points where the original weight was 144. >> how do you know the original weight when it was 144. this is a welterweight fight. >> how do you feel it the affect the fight. >> i'm a smart intelligent fight we are a good training camp my dad had a lot of input and working with my uncle roger and dad floyd and we'll execute the game plan and defeat him? >> what can the fans expect. . >> you must buy the fight mexico's number one fighter against pound for pound the best in the business and he's one of the best guys in my era so one of the guys i have to face. >> back to you in the studio. >> it's going down at the mgm grand tomorrow night and mayweather world's best pound for pound and still is and marquez moving up two weight classes to the catch weight. that's something they greed to since mayweather went over two pounds he was find $300,000 per pound and the mayweather throws money away like that and getting money for the fight and pay-per-view. >> we saw the paperwork. >> jaime mota saw it as well and it's on pay-per-view so if you guy it you'll put more money in his pocket and if you can't, just watch espnews and you pay a fee with the cable system and you get the great network and we'll give you round by round scoring from the great welterweight bout tomorrow night on espnews. that's what we do. this is one of the greatest plays of the season last year and we'll give you some of the greatest of tonight right here greatest of tonight right here on espnews. announcer: "it looks like nothing else on the road right now," proclaims "gq" magazine. did you see that? the interior "positively oozes class," raves "car magazine." 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"the most striking vw in recent memory," declares-- okay, i get it already. i think we were in a car commercial. ♪ yeah ♪ yeah. so, at national, i go right past the counter... and you get to choose any car in the aisle. choose any car? you cannot be serious! okay. seriously, you choose. go national. go like a pro. welcome to progressive. how may i help you? i'm looking for a deal on car insurance. i think i might have a coupon in here. there's an easier way. we've got the "name your price" option. you do? follow me. you tell us how much you want to pay, and we'll build you a policy that fits your budget. and i still get great coverage? uh-huh. go ahead. you're the boss. i'm the boss of savings. more like the c.e.o. oh, oh. no glass ceiling. the freedom to name your price. now, that's progressive. call or click today. >> top plays is brought to you by, nhnhl2k510. >> at of this he presses. i have just top three plays of the night. number three, red sox and orioles, dustin pedroia center field, ball's going going boun the wall and it looks like the run is going to score. pedroia trying to score from first and look at matt we wiede making the play for the out. >> and taking up the field for the revolution and takes out the defender and he nets the goal the bulls recover final 4-1. >> and your top play of the night, drew macias and garret jones. me and mrs., mrs. jones. great pray by jones i like last name jones. pirates go ton win the game 5-1. how about detroit and minnesota coming off strong after winning their fourth in a row and michael cuddyer doing his thing and well. 27th jack of the season and runner on third and curtis granderson pops it up nice leaping catch by cabrera and 3-0, twins, miguel cabrera ground out to third and matt holbert going 6 1/3, no hits and no runs and aubrey huff, i'll huff and puff and do it soon enough. nice little one back to joe namath with the save and wins three games out in the al central after winning their fifth game in a row. royals and white sox and mark buehrle hasn't been good since his perfect game. top of the six, royals up 1-0 and miguel olivo taking him deep and hey, hey, hey, good-bye. later in the game, royals get the win shut-out style 11-0. how with the royals hot at the wrong time though winning nine of their last 11 games and luke hochevar with the start. >> and nascar qualifying from lauden and the race begins this weekend and three-time defending champion jimmie johnson starts and to tony stewart will be nexo juan pablo montoya who broke the turmoil. and earlier this year the financial stability forum composed of governments issued a report agreeing with this assessment suggested three principles for sound compensation practices. the principles call for effective governance of compensation, effective alignment of compensation with prudent risk-taking and effective supervisory oversight and engagement by stakeholders. the commission proposed a package of proxy disclosure rules in keeping with these principles. in particular, paul ringsted clippers with information necessary for effective engagement we would not want to ban risk-taking but we can expose it and is again more information that would help shareholders make good decisions. just yesterday we took steps that would ban a trading practice called [inaudible] is the microphone still working? at its core this fits into the disclosure regime because it's out letting all investors have equal access to information. it's a little esoteric but it's important because it goes right to the integrity of the marketplace. currently i can place an order to sell shares of my favorite company and if the exchange where my order is routed doesn't have a buyer it routes might order to another exchange where a buyer is waiting. but if my exchange doesn't want to lose that transaction it can instead decide to flash my order to just a select group of market participants within its fiefdom and a fraction of the second favorite folks will have a quick peek and head start to decide if they want to execute my trade. this puts the wire publicly indicating he is ready, willing and able to match that order at a disadvantage and that is because the select group of participants can essentially cut in line to buy the shares using the information that is made publicly available without ever having to publicly display a quote. in addition to the favored few that get a quick peek up the order will also have better stands where the market is headed based on information that others won't have. on such a practice has flourished because the long standing exception to rules that we have now proposed to eliminate. by doing so, we can prevent a two-tiered market that is one market for those who can access information about the best available prices. in the era of municipal securities we are moving to improve the information that is available to investors. as you know these are securities issued by governments to raise funds for a variety of projects like building roads and schools to even the municipal securities are subject antifraud standards they are actually exempt from the detailed disclosure requirements of the federal securities law. these markets are the foundation of state and local funding initiatives and of the upper and municipal securities are hugely popular with retail investors. and because of that the commission has managed to create a disclosure