other times you'll just step off, step off and over. you have to change it up, especially with a base stealer like mccutchen. >> bob: 2-0 pitch. ball 3. >> rob: problem is, you don't want to rush side step so quickly you don't get somethig behind these pitches and fag behind milledge 3-0 is not  you want to do. you don't want to have a big inning right here. >> bob: another high strike. balester hasn't pitched off t stretch in over two innings. he walked garrett jones who is on deck now, leading off the 4th, a double play ball and pitching off the full windup ever since until this a-b. >> rob: another thing you to, unless you're trying to pick the runner off, you don't show 

best move. just come up, roll over. not to the point where you migh throw it away. even like -- >> bob: he's running. it's a strike. there's a strike, and mccutchen is occupant by a wide margin. >> rob: i think somebody missd a sign. >> bob: and wil nieves has ma two great throws, he's 2-2 on base steal letters. >> rob: this could have bee perfect spot. milledge doesn't protect, a great though by wil nieves  throw by wil nieves. gives balester lots of credit for getting him the ball. >> bob: 3-2 pitch, and milledge sings to left field. -- singles to left field. either team has done a very job of running the bases between first and second today. >> rob: no, they have not. 3-2. breaking ball, he got it.

milledge punched into left. >> bob: pnc park in pittsburgh, home of the pirates -- pirates have the lead. milledge could be running. >> rob: watch this guy on f straight pitching. >> bob: milledge just got. [ indiscernible ] >> rob: i like that sweet t belliard. make that guy feel the tap. watch the snap throw by wil ad a hard tag, just missed him >> bob: just sweep the glove around. >> rob: he'll be there. >> bob: the 1-0. outside 2-0. some fires pans may have so flashbacks to -- pirates fans

may have some flashbacks to manny. he was the first wiry and qk catchers. then they had two guys who were the epitome of the stocky pitcher, smoky burgess, and labaya. his nickname was spanky. he made himself into a good player. >> rob: yes, he was. he was not drafted. >> bob: 3-0 on the inside corner. we were talking to kentr today, and he thinks that labr would make a great coach for  organization, because he knows how the game is plays. 3-2. and milledge will get a head start with two outs.

>> rob: wil nieves telling the in feel, defense first. -- infield, defense first. the runner's going to be going. >> bob: 3-2. milledge running, breaking ba, foul. >> rob: nice pitch. >> bob: pirates have a chance  escape the nl cellular. colorado leads 3-0 in cincinnati. pirates lead here, the reds are about to lose their 6th in  row, and they are tied 11 games out. fastball, he missed. 2 on, 2 out. so two base hits, and a walk in this inning. friday nights, miller light party nights in nats town.

for 20 bucks or $22, when it's a premium game, you get a scoe board pavilion seat. soda, water or beer. pregame music, post game fireworks. balester is done. infield gathers around to congratulate him. he goes 5 and 2/3. and shawn better nut is on the way. -- burnett is on the way. my name is blake,

and i am the chief shoe giver at toms shoes. i operate my entire business from my phone. i need a network with great coverage, because for every pair of shoes that we sell, we give a pair away to a child in need. it would be impossible for me to do this without a network that works around the world. (announcer) more bars in more places. at&t. the best coverage worldwide.

>> it's going to be more difficult, but it's your fa, too, and you got traded, an want to put up a zero. it would be cool to put up a zero against your buddies, bu hopefully get some outs. it's going to be nerve rackin >> if he keeps working like he' been. shawn has just given up one earned run since joining the nats. >> bob: opponents just battg .103. there were some boos wh name was called on the heels  his comments on friday. he faces his former inmate, rn doumit who is a switch hitter, and doumit turns around from the right side where he's 9 f this year, .250. knocking on wood, doumit hasnt

donny damage on this series. -- hasn't donny -- done any damage. he has no home runs and 4 on the right side of the plate. >> bob: doumit was on a 7-game hitting streak until the nats came to town. 2-1. burnett for the pirates, 58 games last year, 1-1 record wh a 4.7638 games for the piras this year. and he's going to get a fly ball, short center, gonzalez  out. the pirates strand two, and it'

a 2-1 game into the 7th inning.  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: rolling town the river on a sunday afternoon in pittsburgh. 2-1 pirates through 6. sean burnett gets the out he  hoping for. we get into the 7th with an one-run game. agent dibble is on the case, looking for runs. >> rob: we are looking for sustained effort by the lineup. they are playing to their record. this is a team they sho

beating up on. but give credit to collin balester. one bad inning, left the gan a good position, and given  nationals a chance to win. >> bob: the bullpen now hopefully some offense as pau maholm pitches beyond the 6 inning mark. >> rob: that has not been goo. when goes through 6, he's 6-2 with a 2 e.r.a. hopefully we  rough him up and try to split the series with a game tomo >> bob: ryan zimmerman leading off in the 7th. that shot back in the 4th is washington's most recent hi. he's got another one. >> rob: he's wearing that s out. >> bob: ryan zimmerman, 6 f

in this series now. >> rob: maybe they should put shift on him. >> bob: they never do against right-handers. we talked about that. >> rob: you can see the great swing, head down, step towas the ball. look through the hole. >> bob: a big spot for josh willingham who has been relatively quiet. 2 for 7, couple of walks, hit by a pitch. we're waiting for that first  hit from josh here at pittsbuh leather high fastball. batting average right under .300. zimmerman, a short lead, but earning a listening look. ball 1.

-- a long look. ball 1. >> rob: third time through  lineup for maholm. hitters should know what he's featuring today. and willingham goes deep to left, it is heading for the wall. gone! there's the big hit w waiting for from joss. his 17th of the year, rbi total up to 41, and the nats jump out on top 3-22. >> we've been waiting for the return get the pitch down and and he just crushes it.

dukes 1-2. hits are even at 5. and he pops one up. brandon moss only the nationals second home run in the series. 97th of the year. and maholm allowed 3 of the 4 first batters he faced thise through the lineup to get o base. >> rob: paul has trouble the second time through. .about 25, he breezed through the second time. next batter, ronnie belliar

that gives balester off the hook, and he probably deserd not to lose the game. 5 2/3. two runs and five hit, a couple of walks, three strikeouts, 8 pitches, 55 strikes. >> rob: you go six innings d give up a couple of runs, yu should be in line to win th game. >> right now, balester is equivalent of the rookie pitcher just beyond halfway through h first season in terms of st >> rob: yes. from what i understand, he's a very emotional young man, and he's come back and he's controlling himself perfect that was the most relaxed i'd ever seen him in 17 starts in milwaukee.

you don't want to control i much. what has made him a very successful player to this point is that emotion, so you don't want to keep it soboled up  he can't be himself on the mound. he has great stuff, throw pitches for strikes. 3 then, one out. and belliard hits that ball well to left center, and milledg that's a ground rule double, and belliard hit that ball abou before it hit the ground. two extra base hits of the last

34 hitters, 3 out of 4 hitting safely here in the 7th. you'll awe watch. [ indiscernible ] >> rob: one of the reasons that milledge got traded, he comes instead of going towards the wall, and the ball jumps over his head. >> bob: that was his big probm going back on a ball in cenr field. if he fancies himself a cenr fielder, he has to make that adjustment to left. >> rob: how about fancy yoursf as a big leaguer? he has shown me nothing defensively to show me that he belongs up here. >> bob: alberto gonzalez has on rbi today on a ground back bak in the 2nd with runners at first and third. he could endear himself to hi hitting coach, his manager, teammates and get on the rod back with a rbi hit here.

>> rob: and this broadcast te. time for a hit. >> bob: i don't enjoy sitti here talking about somebody being poor for 46. >> rob: i know you don't. >> bob: sosa called up afte friday night's game. throwing the ball well when was called up. that inside breaking ball is killing alberto. >> rob: the 2-0 hitter's pi, he takes a swing to hit a h run, instead of hitting it up the middle. you heard from ryan, you might get one good pitch at-bat to wail on, but other than tha, you get something that the pitcher wants to get you out. there's a fair ball!

that will be a double, a run scored, nationals lead 4-2. >> bob: gonzales turned on it and brought up left field chalk. >> rob: this time on this i breaking ball that's up in the zone, gonzalez gets ahead of  hits it on the line, and the  helps us out. and he's being escorted out we speak. >> bob: jessie chavez who has been untough able against the nats this year will get -- untouchable against the nats this year will get the call. gonzalez follows up the willingham home run. wil nieves chipping in defensively. not one, but two caught

stealing. >> rob: and that was not an  throw. he had to step away from a left-hander. milledge does not help out  teammates. nieves just gunned down mccutchen. wil nieves is calling a goo game today for balester and burnett. now morton, formally with atlanta, a 2.25 e.r.a., tin still looking for that first win, and opponents are hittg .360 against him. we'll get you going at 6:30 with nats xtra. byron kerr and ray knight in the studio, before we play the  game of this series tomorrow

evening. things have brightened on a couple of front, the skies ha brightened, and the nats with a 2-run lead. and wil nieves is coming up next, and after him, there' big -- [ indiscernible ] jessie chavez has pitched four plus innings gets the nats,d given them no runs on one h adam dunn for the pitcher aftr nieves, still only one out he in the 7th.

>> rob: probably let him play the rest of the season in t infield. let's see what he can do. >> bob: nieves hits a ground ball to the right side. delwyn young with the second out. over to 3rd is gonzalez, and dunn is being called back. nats could lead sean burnett , but they will call on anderson hernandez here. burnett just faced one batter, he could be the winning pit. dugout has come alive, guys congratulating balester, willingham the big blow to  game. not to be forgotten, the  setting that ryan zimmerman has done here today.

hernandez goes to left field, that ball past milledge, and  has t and the nationals settle for 3 on four hits. they take a 4-2 lead here at e 7th inning stretch. they have just stranded two runners today. on sunday afternoons, all ball parks. [ inaudible ] and just returned home this past

weekend. ♪ god bless america ♪ land that i love ♪ stand beside her and guide  ♪ through the night with the light up above ♪ ♪ from the mountains ♪ to the prairie ♪ from the ocean white with f ♪ god bless america

♪ my home sweet home  ♪ god bless america  ♪ my home sweet home . 

cedeno got one in the third to put the pirates on top, and ham in the 7th followed balester, before that wrapping

up a respectable outing today. and another nationals debut, this is engineering sosa, 29 years did george sosa. -- gorge sosa. he has been with tampa bay, louis, the mets. >> rob: let's see if he can throw strikes here. >> bob: they're feeling better now. young, laroche and mos in the bottom of the 7th.

delwyn young 0-2 today. and sosa, is the kind of pitcher that has all the stuff in the world if he throws strikes, he' effective. if he doesn't, he's jesus colome. it's now 4-3. that ball hit well to center. sean burnett gave up a home run and now sosa has done it, and this game is one-run tighter.

>> rob: terrible 0-2 pitch down to a lefty. sosa not pleased with himself. >> bob: 5th of the year for delwyn. here comes laroche. >> rob: re-group, you you sti the lead. >> bob: 2-0. and he gets one low in the zone. >> rob: right there. another fastball hard down and in on this guy.

>> bob: that ball rocking no right center. dukes over to cut it off, ad the tieing run is aboard. brandon moss will be next. a left-handed batter. nothing comes easy for the pirates or the nationals this year. and it's been tough forb against theirs. two in a row at pnc park, an masn 2. nats are now clinging to the lead. there's brandon moss, 1-2 with  base hit. he's been busy lately. right now, playing a quick ga of catch before he gets back to the rubber.

that pitch to laroche, he miss ed. breaking ball. >> rob: down and in the dirt. >> bob: and the 1-2 with thn better aboard.

-- runner aboard. got him on a hard breaking bal down. >> rob: sweet. now you're cooking. >> bob: very important first out in the 7th. ronnie cedeno coming up, then the number 9 spot. >> rob: 1-2 pitch, perfectly placed down and in. straight over it about two  good form. >> bob: breaking ball, up and in. are you okay? i saw you clinch. >> rob: remember, he's a lifetime .240 at the.

hanging breaking ball -- >> bob: nieves finds it, runner trapped. >> rob: sweet. >> bob: laroche can't believe he's been called out. perry hill can't believe t laroche is claiming he got hi hand back in. wil nieves kept that ball ce enough that there was uncertainty on the part of th runner. >> rob: one thing i love abt belliard, he is passionate n he's in the field, and that -- just dropped the tag down, he swipes it as hard as he can. >> bob: did the nats get another break at first base? >> rob: i hope so. the bar doesn't get far from nieves -- the ball doesn't get far from nieves. great recovery.

laroche caught it between. here's the throw. and the quick tag. good-bye. yeah, looked like he got his hand in there, but we'll take it. >> bob: he was tacked on  body while his -- tagged on the body while his hand was on th bag. 3-0 on cedeno. >> rob: tagged the hip, the han got in there. but 9 angle of the umpire behind the plate, he can't see that. >> bob: and wil nieves has thrown out three base runnes today. >> rob: what you see is the quick tag getting back ther i don't mind ronnie at first. >> bob: 3-1 now. sosa gets a strike and popup. right there is wil nieves. he's caught everything else today. and he has a big one there. and almost tripped over

hispanic. nats are out of the inn -- almost tripped over his mask. nats are out of the inning. 

you can follow the nats on yor

iphone, i pot touch with mlb.com. this visit nationals.com, and you can purchase. another run or two would be huge, and nyjer morgan just followed one off ryan doumit. ryan hit by a pitch, and caug stealing, 3-10 in the series. he's been on base six times. about time he gets hold of one and plugs a gap somewhere. target away. changeup. 1-1 from chavez. >> rob: jones playing deep. he's not the fastest first baseman.

>> bob: foul. seems like nyjer hits more line drives to left field than anywhere else on the diamond. but he stays on the ball. it seems like he squares it really well. >> rob: he's just got to be a slap guy, put it in play. >> bob: fastball, up and in. 2-2. >> rob: they hit the nail on th head with mccutchen. >> bob: that juan one hopper right at young. first out here in the 8th. guzman and zimmerman the next two. cristian guzman may be his final chance today to have a 8th consecutive multi hit game.

not this time. young again. byron kerr is in the studio wh ray knight this weekend, presenting nats xtra post game. collin balester, and a good day foray to look at. post game sound from riggle, charlie morton tomorrow. the finale, it's after rob an are done in the booth. here's zimmerman. ryan's 2 for 3 today. batting average at .293. he is locked and loaded.

rbi total now approaching 70. ryan, a chance to flirt with his career high. he'll need a great last two months. 110 in '06 when he was number 2 in the rookie of the year ballot. 2-0 pitch, ball 3. you know, the green lights praising here. if jesse chavez throws a getor fastball. >> rob: not even close, a 4-pitch walk. zimmerman on base for the third time today. i'd like a 2-out walk to ge the hammer.

>> bob: willingham has been something. 17 home runs now, rbi totalr 40. and when he gets enough a, and it might take a couple moe weeks, he'll start showing n the league chart on the on-e percentage. he came in at 412. he's 2 230r 3 today, but he has about 100 fewer at-bats tha regular player who has played nearly every regular game. he'll start showing up on some league leaders if he keeps this up. i don't know if there was a crossup interest. one-run game you got the atlanta hammer, don't make mistakes. you even almost said that with an accent with a guy from

connecticut. >> rob: my roommate was from texas. >> bob: you can't take the yankee out of a boy. >> rob: no, you can't. i love watching the hammer. josh is going bob's right. >> bob: nobody listens to me. but they are always ahead in th count when the pitching coach pitches. they don't go out there whe it's 1-2. now it's 1-2.

another look at what josh did one inning ago. jeep he's a good little ball hitter. >> bob: he remind me of tim walloblg the old expo. willingham can go down and  the low balls. >> rob: drop the head down, swing. you're not, you don't have the long softball type swings. you can get those pitches. that tells me that josh is strong with his lead arm. we talk about switch hitters stronger from the left side. josh has a great left arm generating power in that swing.

>> bob: this helps. you need an extra base hit, zimmerman will get a head st on a 3-2 pitch. chavez goes to another long count. willingham jacks one into the corner. this is the extra bas that's going to get the nats another run. >> rob: come on! >> bob: he will score! and willingham has driven in 3. nats lead 5-3. >> rob: that's the alabama hammer! >> bob: nats get the run right back that sosa gave up. >> rob: just a bad breaking ball. 3-2 pitch by chavez. hits it to our favorite left fielder, lastings milledge. and then he's chugging around. >> bob: dukes told him to sta

up. now here's dukes with ano- willingham at second. dukes was pumping on the first one. nats generating some offense, five runs on 8 hits, 6 runs on 12 hits in a losing effort  night, and 10 hits and losing by a run on friday, skier 4 ru -- scoring 4 runs.  when your pitchers keep you i the game everyone of those hits has so much more depth to i 0-2 to dukes.

a 2-out walk and a double. the nats have their 2-run lead back.

>> there you go. hopefully he's better now. >> bob: breaking ball, hit in center field.  reminiscent of the line in sa diego.

left-hander warming up. he said rich is throwing up the bullpen. he meant to say throwing out in the bullpen. vasquez aboard,. the dangerous andrew mccutchen. first pitch fly ball. nyjer morgan cruising to it mccutchen 1-4 with a harmless single today. big out right there. you don't want to fall in love with the breaking ball. that's what vasquez got the hit off of. 0-2 breaking ball. too much at the plate. >> bob: slider low and away. jason has a good breaking b,

but throws a hard sinking fastball. there's another breaking ba 2-0. put that number one down. new the hitter could be guessing fastball nice sinker on the outside corner, no way milled can hit that. >> bob: joe hanrahan for the pirates, mick do you go for t nats. -- macdougal for the nats.

milledge 2-4 with a couple of singles. breaking ball, got him, runne ahead, so he can't go anywhere. two outs. that time, bergmann buried the breaking ball. >> rob: if you're going to strike a guy out, that's a grt out-pitch. now riggleman wants the left-hander ron villone. ron have i loan, and garrett chicagoans when we come back. , ron have i loan. ?

>> bob: the masn chopper is hovering behind the park. a key out to get here for ron villone, and he pitched a lg way last night, 2/and a third just gave up one hit, a couple of strikeouts, settled the ballgame at the end, but nats were too far behind to moun come back. jones, two walks. breaking ball, just missed

brushing the corner. check swing and a strike. >> it's set up way outside. >> usual hi means breaking ba. but he went with the heater. 87. >> rob: you're defeating the purpose of a shift, pitching  away. if he hits a ground ball don

the third baseline, runners second and third. he probably has to walk dou. >> bob: i think that runner- >> rob: i think the runner scores if he hits it down t line. >> bob: it depends on how t ball is hit. >> bob: the 1-2. villone doesn't live on the inside of the left-handers. >> rob: nor should he. this guy is looking to jack two-run home run right here. and i think ron's thinking exactly what i would be thinkg about. a single's not going to k >> bob: 2-2 pitch. fastball up. and now vasquez will get the head start at first base on a 3-2 pitch with two outs.

nationals lead 5-3, bottom of the 8th. fly ball to right center. nyjer morgan using his glov shade. he's got it, and the pirate gone in the 8th. bull pep doing a pretty good job now, 9th inning coming up. 

ladies and gentlemen night thursday, free championship pennant free by friday. best fireworks in the area, and -- only 30 minutes away. joe hanrahan had a typical outing on friday night, 2/3 o an inning, two runs, one hit a walk. nats looking for some insure against their formeea