Go Home Already: Shouts and Murmurs
Man Stops Traffic at 17th and K to Demand $200 Million
Compromise Uncertain on Same-Sex Marriage Law
Fire at 17th and L NW Forces Evacuations
Judge Throws Out WTU Suit Over Teacher Layoffs
Adam Dunn is congratulated by Cristian Guzman, right, and a batboy after putting the Nats into the lead last night. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
- Nationals 6, Marlins 4: Remember what we said about big innings? Well, the Nationals sure got one last night -- a six-run explosion in the bottom of the eighth which led them to their first win of the season against the Marlins. Adam Dunn put the exclamation point on the late rally with a two-run homer which had nearly 20,000 at Nationals Park up and rocking. While we're obviously big homers for the Nationals, Florida starter Josh Johnson's performance should not be overlooked. Johnson retired 20 straight Nationals between the first and the eighth inning, but was still charged with four runs after Washington got five hits in the eighth to reverse the lead. Again, a starter failed to impress, as J.D. Martin couldn't get past the fifth inning (and with 16.1 IP in four games this year, he's barely averaging more than four innings per start) -- but reliever Ron Villone (4-5) was the lucky recipient of the late outburst, and Mike MacDougal retired Florida in the ninth for his third save in three days. Recently traded ex-Nat Nick Johnson did go 2-for-4 in his return to D.C.
- United 1, Firpo 1 (5:4 pens): Despite giving up a goal in the first half on a penalty kick, the Black-and-Red got the away goal that they desperately needed from an expertly-struck Christian Gomez free kick in the 43rd. The second-half found both teams keeping it tight and unsuccessfully diving (Firpo, especially) in hopes of penalties. Extra time loomed large, but thirty minutes of tired football wasn't going to settle anything -- so it was on to penalties to decide the tie. The first six spot kicks were elementary, but defender Manuel Salazar missed Firpo's fourth, and destiny was in United's hands. Christian Gomez grasped the chance and put in the final penalty past Firpo keeper Juan Jose Gomez. It wasn't the easiest time in hostile San Salvador, but with that, United punch their ticket for the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League -- and get a positive boost before their friendly against Real Madrid on Sunday.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
I'm fairly impressed you stayed up for the end of the DCU match.
I did too.
In related news, I'm tired.
Oof, I know, much like Kev, I was feeling it this morning. But the penalty shootout was exciting -- it's feels like it's been a while since United's had a meaningful one of those.
It does feel like a while. I guess the last real one was against New England in 2004. That was a weird shootout though with every Firpo player just blasting it. I was hoping for exactly what happened but it was nervous moments for a while there as they just kept blasting it past Wicks.
Yeah, I think Wicks guessed correctly on four of the five kicks but the combination of the speed of those kicks and the deliberate lumbering moves of Wicks made getting the saves nearly impossible...
HUGE win for the Nats last night. In a season with so many lows, a come-from-behind win against a team that we haven't beat all year, was just what the doctor ordered. Proof, that there are small, tiny-tiny signs of life in the ballpark.