Nationals 2

**Stardust** · 05-13-2012, 08:59 AM

There were plenty of sideshows and a carnival atmosphere at sold-out Great American Ball Park on Saturday night, but precious little offense by the home team.

There was not much offense by the visiting club, either, but the Washington Nationals hit two solo homers (Wilson Ramos, Danny Espinosa) and won 2-1.

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Two runs was plenty for the best pitching staff in baseball, which entered Saturday leading the majors with a 2.65 ERA. The Reds lost the series opener 7-3 on Friday.

âTheyâve got a good bullpen and a good pitching staff, and that was evident today,â Reds manager Dusty Baker said. âWe matched them ourselves except for the two home runs. They just outpitched us.â

Saturdayâs crowd of 42,294, gathered for Joey Votto Gold Glove bobblehead night, was the second largest non-Opening Day crowd in Great American Ball Park history (regular season).

Attractions again included Bryce Harper, the 19-year-old Washington rookie phenom. Harper actually has not been phenomenal at all in his first trip to Cincinnati, going 0-for-4 Saturday and 0-for-9 in the series.

Harper also was outdueled by another head-turning act, Reds reliever Aroldis Chapman.

Chapman fanned Harper on a 100-mph fastball in the eighth inning, as spectators reveled in the battle of young mega-talents. Chapman whiffed four in two innings of relief and remains unscored upon in 17 2/3 innings this season.

Washington right-hander Jordan Zimmermann (2-3) beat the Reds with seven innings of one-run ball. Zimmerman allowed only five hits and lowered his ERA to 2.14.

Reds starter Mat Latos struggled with his command, and was pulled after five innings and 109 pitches (only 59 strikes). Latos tied his career high with five walks and he struck out four.

Latos did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, when his control began to desert him.

âI was in a rhythm early and somehow I lost it,â Latos said. âIt really wasnât a bad outing, considering I literally had only one pitch. I threw 82 fastballs in 109 pitches. It wasnât too bad for only one pitch, but it is what it is.â

Latos worked out of bases-loaded jams to end both the fourth and fifth innings. The game was tied 1-1 when Latos left.

âI just didnât make an adjustment throwing the offspeed pitches,â Latos said. âI was throwing it everywhere. The only thing I had was command of the fastball, for the most part.â

In the sixth inning, the Nationalsâ Espinosa hit reliever Jose Arredondoâs first pitch into the right-field seats. That gave Washington a 2-1 lead, and Arredondo (2-1) wound up the loser.

âYou hate to lose the ballgame on two solo home runs, and it was the bottom of the order guys that beat us,â Baker said.

The Reds took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI grounder by Brandon Phillips.
Ramos got Washington on the board, tying the game 1-1 with a solo homer (to center) to start the fifth inning.

Later that inning, Latos was spared further damage via a spectacular play by second baseman Phillips. With two out and the bases full, Harper grounded a ball sharply up the middle. Phillips raced to his right, snared the ball, and in one motion flipped the ball behind his back to shortstop Zack Cozart. Cozart stepped on second base to end the inning, and Phillips got a standing ovation.

Offensive highlights, however, were few for the Reds. After Zimmermann left, Tyler Clippard worked a scoreless eighth inning. Henry Rodriguez saved it by striking out the side in the ninth inning.http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120...|text|Reds