Maybe it was the record setting heat, maybe it was good fortune catching up with them, but the Nationals hit the ball hard, especially Adam Dunn.
In Washington’s 7-6 win over the Padres, the team showed that the offense can be quite potent, even against the league’s best pitching staff. Like the previous night’s game, the Nationals came out swinging.
The first inning of Wednesday night’s game was loud. The first five Washington batters reached base. An RBI single from Ryan Zimmerman and a three-run home run from Adam Dunn, his first of three, would be the source of the runs put on the board.
The three home run night marked the first time he has ever accomplished that feat in his career. He added a solo shot in the third and eighth to ring his 2010 total to a team leading 20 on the season.
Out of all the shots, the last one stood out the most as it represented the margin of victory for the team.
“I think the last one, since we won was obviously the biggest,” Dunn said. “I don’t feel any different than I have in the past. I just got pitches to hit tonight and didn’t foul them off like I’ve been doing. It was a pretty cool deal but the main thing was obviously to win.”
While an early lead seemed secure, it rest of the game played out eerily like the previous night. The first inning where Washington takes a decent, but not insurmountable lead, the middle innings where each team puts a couple runs on the board, then an eighth inning where the Padres come storming back.
The difference tonight was Dunn and Manager Jim Riggleman had nothing but praise for the slugger after his three home run performance.
“It was a great performance, anytime a guy hits a couple home runs, much less three,” Riggleman said. “He’s a big time hitter and he’s really been coming through for us big time for a month now.”
Though on Wednesday, the Padres came up just short of tying the Nats in the eighth. Trailing, 6-5, the Padres had a runner on second with two outs. Now with Drew Storen on the mound instead of Tyler Clippard, the batter simply flied out to left field. A better result for the Nationals, but very close to another three-run eighth inning.
Dunn’s third home run of the night provided a much needed insurance run for Matt Capps. In the top of the ninth, Capps gave up a pinch hit home run to Matt Stairs, to make it a one run game.
With runners on first and third with two outs, Capps managed to lock down his 23rd save of the season.
After the rocky ninth by the closer, it was even more apparent how important all of the home run balls sent through the humid air were. The Padres lead the league in pitching which makes the last two offense heavy victories for the Nationals all the more impressive to the Nats’ manager.
“They have not given up anything,” he said. “Every night they’re in a 2-1, 3-1 ballgame it seems like. If you score runs they keep coming at you.”
You can reach this staff writer at slindauer@theeagleonline.com.
