after kawakami. it's tommy hanson, hudson, volstad again, and josh johnson. >> bob: oy. bruney about to get some 7th inning work. baden hop, two starts a year ago and went 7-4. bernadina flies one over by the bullpen. hope you're having a nice sunday afternoon. heard the weather got really hot in d.c. yesterday. and from sun life stadium in south florida, rob bob and

debbi. tuesday at home, 7:00 against the braves. bernadina tried to pull an outside pitch. easy roller, two outs. go by dan luggage. go by dan uggla. it's a day for eye black, shades, you name it. here comes nyjer morgan. nyjer was 2 for 5 on friday night. and 1 for 7 sips. since. a base hit on the first pitch of the game today, made to it third base with one out in the 1st but zimmerman broke his bat on a line drive at the first

baseman. and dunn struck out to end the inning. nats actually took a 2-0 lead in the 2nd on a double by desmond, a ground ball by john lannan. and then josh johnson shut the door on the nats on only one hit the rest of the way. >> rob: we talked about this a lot last year against your teams in your own division. phillies, marlins -- played well against the mets but the mets are a different team than two weeks ago. >> bob: with last night's loss, the nats fell under .500. >> rob: you want to make a statement when you play them. you want to leave impressions -- we're going to pitch inside as a staff. we're gonna run the bases hard. we're gonna play hard. >> bob: and morgan with a fly

ball to left. >> rob: now you have the marlins thinking -- oh, yeah. kind of like the same team we played last year. >> bob: yeah, little different friday night but not since. 7th inning stretch time. brewny will have some work for the nats. and asocial, here on sunday -- as usual, here on sunday "god bless america." ♪ ♪ god bless america ♪ land that i love ♪ stand beside her ♪ and guide here ♪ through the night with a light from above ♪ ♪ from the mountains ♪ to the prairie

♪ to the oceans ♪ light with foam ♪ god bless america ♪ ♪ my home sweet home ♪ god bless america ♪ my home sweet home [ cheers and applause ] seconds? it's all in the "pepperation." now, for only $5.99, enjoy our famous house-made chips and salsa, and our hot, tasty soups, like chicken enchilada or the new chicken and green chile. slow-smoked chicken topped with ripe avocado and fresh cilantro. plus, enjoy our new house salad with hand-cut romaine

topped with fire-roasted corn. all with unlimited refills. it's chili's bottomless express lunch for just $5.99. for a limited time. only at chili's. >> bob: here's our game summary as the 7th ing stretch wraps up. after the nats got a couple of runs, it was josh johnson the story of the game and hanley ramirez and his bat, two homers, four rbis to day and is

hammering the nats this weekend. >> rob: nobody made ramirez uncomfortable in the box. he wail that to center field. next time up, gets the pitch on the inner half and hit that breaking ball as far as he wants. just like with chase utley, if you're not going to pitch inside on the better hitters in this league, they will stand there and whale away on your mistakes. >> bob: nationals made a couple of changes here. fredi gonzales talked with angel compos about that and now the umpire is checking with jim riggleman -- bernadina stay in and place center field. nyjer -- willy harris still right so i guess bruney is batting first on a double switch. no big deal. nyjer morgan could probably use

a little time off. he's been in there pretty much every inning lately. here's bruney. uggla, paulino, and ross in the 7th. >> bob: quickly 0-2. dan uggla, pair of singles today. 3 for 10 in the series with a couple of walks.

>> rob: come on, big fella, pull that slider down. >> bob: last night, dan uggla was knocked down on an 0-2 pitch and struck out. that's the last time we have seen that. vip baseball trip. find out it's all in the preparation. >> rob: that was a great question before about the catcher calling it. you, as a pitcher -- you want to keep coming back in there. you don't do it once or twice anight. you may want to do it once or twice an inning. you have to recognize when guys

are hitting your good stuff over the plate and outside. i mean, if i threw a good slider down and away and the guy cheated and went over the plate and knocked the heck out of it to right field, i'm a right-handed batter, i knew that guy was getting too much of the plate. i didn't need the catcher to tell me. and you just -- you can wipe off on your share and say "i don't like the location," and make sure your catcher goes inside and you go underneath his hand. >> bob: a spinner out to short for desmond. oh, he's looking smooth these days. adawn had to do a bit of a stretch down the line. >> rob: you can help your teammates. this is why i talk about the relievers you're not out there to get some work in but to also set the tone for tomorrow. you may have had your number but you have to come up to our house next week. you'll remember this. nice breaking ball.

if he's over the plate, you know you have to go in. >> bob: strasburg gave up four runs to altoona in 2nd inning so they got the game going after a delay. 1-2 now. here's another hitter with a two-strike count. paulino with a walk, double, and single today. 4 out of 7 against the nat in this series.

>> bob: target low and in and a slider -- maybe a cutter -- right down the middle. >> rob: he throws cutter. >> bob: that was lovely. high 80ds and two out in the 7th. >> rob: a good changeup. we talked about it. hasn't been throwing it but that's a good cut fastball there. 88. whatever you can do to get ahead and throw strikes -- doesn't matter >> bob: no many right-handed batters want anything to do with that pitch. >> rob: oh, heck no. to know he could cut the fastball a little bit -- if we could get bruney, sean burnett right, get the ball to clippard to get to capps, the bullpen would be all set. >> bob: in a month or two, drew soren on the way. >> rob: um-hmm.

nice. >> bob: ball and a strike to cody ross, 1 for 2 with a double and a walk. marlins have seven runs on ten hits. the nationals' one hit since the 2nd inning. three in game. keeping that fast ball down. and reaching. >> rob: bye-bye. via. >> bob: looked like an off

speed pitch. kennedy, zimmerman, and dunn. top of the 8th.

>> bob: nationals down by five with six outs to go. voting is open for the all star game at anaheim. send your favorite nats by voting up to 25 times at nationals.com. you can vote early and vote often but vote today. nationals.com.

>> rob: you're voting for the all star game in beginning of may? >> bob: i know, i always thought that was a little strange. >> rob: they were handing out ballots the second week of the season. it's understandable, but -- >> bob: i have been giving the vote to the fans. i think it's a good idea. >> rob: it is. >> bob: i'm not sure i like it marketed for three months before the game is played. >> rob: and now you're going to -- matt capps may get an inning of work with an off day tomorrow. >> bob: sure. good swing by kennedy but a line drive at the leftfielder. >> rob: the roster to 34 a side now so you have 68 all stars. >> bob: that's how many teams are going to the ncaa tournament now. seems to the magic number. [ laughter ]

>> bob: it is a game that belongs to fans. >> rob: and it should be from fans. >> bob: they should be able to vote. >> rob: not for home field advantage for the world series. they need to come up with a better system for that. best interleague record by league. >> bob: i'm just telling you in advance in the next week or two, we'll see -- so-and-so leading in votes at his position. even though he's batting .224. you know, things like that. some things like that will happen every year because it does start so early. >> rob: i'm telling you, that's the temperature of the fans, calling my radio show, saying "why are we getting these ballots in april?" >> bob: that fast ball way inside. he has a big sweeping curveball he throws off the same motion. zimmerman kind of leaning out for that hook and then he got that one heading right for his letters. had to get out of dodge and he's a 2-1 to ryan who's 0-2

with a walk. i didn't think he would go a game without a hit. hit hard the other way. cody ross can't cut it off and zimmerman has another extra base hit. five of them in this series. >> rob: i think he's done enough running for the series. >> bob: this may be a situation where jim riggleman would run for him. i know he's talked about the fact in a close game where somebody had to go screaming home, and maybe had a bang- bang play he would get ryan out of there. >> rob: good sinker by baden hop. you can see the wonderful swing by zimmerman. he just stays on it, drives it with all that thor to right center field and cruises into second. >> bob: you know, he's stronger than he was a couple of years ago. >> rob: um-hmm. >> bob: it's just going to be amazing to watch him over the next three or four years really get into his prime. >> rob: well, and the thing is just like -- i talk about our pitchers against other hitters,

not many people come inside on ryan and he just stands up there like -- remember piazza? he looked like he was asleep at the plate, he was so comfortable. he was like in a zen state and the ball would be away and then -- whack whack -- this 450-foot homer. almost like a lot more pitchers come inside on adam dunn than ryan zimmerman and dealership just feeds off people. >> bob: 2-0 to people. 2-0 to dunn. willingham next. >> rob: hanging breaking ball. >> bob: dunn rips it. that's through. zimmerman can just take his time going home. and adam dunn gets nats on the board with his 10th rbi of the

year. >> rob: nice. >> bob: it's now a 7-3 game. >> rob: we're not out of this game yet. we have some hammers that could jack a few home runs. >> bob: it's not often adam gets hard ball through the ship because there are so many guys here. >> rob: that was up and out and he pulled it, great plate coverage. and bob said he was able to beat the shift. there's randy st. claire make an appearance. >> ray: marlins new pitching coach with willingham coming up. randy st. claire let go early june last year and then manny acta one month later. hunter jones is warming up again, the left-hander. chris larue has joined him now. chris leroux joining him now.

willingham today, 0 for 2 with a walk and josh, 3 for his last 23. >> rob: boy. that was good one. >> bob: i don't know how much that thing changes but it sure gets from one scythe side of the plate to the other. >> rob: where that has that been for the last two innings? the steaming fastball in on the next pitch. what about to that other pitcher that was 6'9?" what happened to that pitcher who was 6'9?" what was his name? fogs burg. >> bob: i heard he was in the wbc? vandenhurk. still in the organization. >> rob: 6'8," 6'9" -- more of

those guys than i have ever seen. >> bob: josh johnson, 6'7." pinto, 6'4." baden hop, 6'5." i remember shawn west -- 6'8." andrew miller, 6'7." >> rob: vandenhurk. >> bob: they need to go downtown and scrimmage the heat. [ laughter ] they probably need a point guard, though. >> gonzales -- i think about 6'2." every team needs a point guard. >> bob: 3-1 to willingham. >> rob: i'm sure the marlins wanted a strike there. i thought the hammer would have something to deal with. marlins are up by four. they don't want to walk anybody here fch >> bob: adam dunn could be moving off first base but that's race the i can down by four. you don't want to strike or throw them out.

he's holding and willingham strikes out. i see josh swing at pitches that a weak and a half ago he -- a week and a half ago he was not making a move. >> rob: i would agree. began solas from havana, cuda -- 5'11." >> bob: go with the harris. >> rob: no. >> bob: 1 2/3 innings for baden hop and hunter jones is on the way with willy harris. ? did the caveman invent fire? ♪ sweet times knocking at my front door, what else could i ask for, tonight. ♪ ♪ better times knocking... host: could switching to geico 15% or more on car insurance? host: is ed "too tall" jones too tall?

keep you coming back for seconds? it's all in the "pepperation." now, for only $5.99, enjoy our famous house-made chips and salsa, and our hot, tasty soups, like chicken enchilada or the new chicken and green chile. slow-smoked chicken topped with ripe avocado and fresh cilantro. plus, enjoy our new house salad with hand-cut romaine topped with fire-roasted corn. all with unlimited refills. it's chili's bottomless express lunch for just $5.99. for a limited time. only at chili's. [ applause ] shut your eyes. [ vendor ] high life light! high life light here! get your high life light! are they really trying to serve the high life light here? [ speaking french ] this is the home of hoops and hockey. this is sacred ground. trampled upon by a canine beauty contest. it's making me queasy. [ vendor ] high life light here! get your high life light! should i handle it? handle it. handled.

is that a portrait of a dog? >> bob: nationals bassball on masn brought to you by -- >> bob: beautiful day for a boat ride. didn't know they had all the river boats down here. beautiful day in miami. this will be hunter jones who just joined the marlins yesterday. rob told you last night clay hensley was placed on the bereavement list after he pitched really well against the nats friday. give jim riggleman the matchup he was looking for. hunter jones, 11 games for the red sox last year. no decisions and 9.24 e.r.a.

>> rob: come on, j. max. >> bob: 1 for 4 as a pinch hitter. a run in, done at first, and two outs. jones came over in that three- player deal with boston that sent jeremy hermida up there november 5. he went to high school in west palm. he's a florida state seminole. maxwell takes it outside. 2-0. two outs here in the 8th. zimmerman has double. done. drove him home with a single. first baseman cantu playing behind adam.

3-0. now he may take a couple. desmond is on deck. you wonder how long fredi gonzales will go with a left- hander with very little big- league experience. his first appearance as a marlin. with what is now a dangerous young right-handed hitter on deck. walked him on four. lett see if the manager comes out of the dugout. >> rob: looks like he tried to aim that last pitch. and that will be it. quick appearance. >> bob: fredi gonzales had the right arm up before he left. that's its for hunter jones in his marlin debut. they have been warming up chris lerew and a big spot for ian desmond. baccalaureate. correct. [ audience groans ] since this competition has been continuing for 48 hours and we have yet to eliminate anyone,

it is the decision of this board to declare all 20 contestants winners. you have all competed admirably. admirably. a-d-m-i-r... ♪ ♪ ♪ bohm-bohm, bohm-bohm, bohm-bohm ♪ ♪ bohm, bohm-bohm-bohm-bohm ♪ bohm-bohm, bohm-bohm, bohm-bohm ♪ ♪ bohm, bohm-bohm-bohm-bohm ♪ bohm-bohm, bohm-bohm, bohm-bohm, bohm ♪ ♪ if you want a revolution, the only solution, evolve ♪ ♪ you gotta evolve ♪ if you want a revolution, the only solution, evolve ♪ ♪ you gotta evolve ♪ if you're getting off track and you want to get back ♪ ♪ may take a lot of work, gonna break your back ♪ ♪ if you want a revolution, the only solution, evolve ♪ ♪ you gotta evolve ♪ no matter what they do, they can't break your stride ♪ ♪ evolution is a thing that starts inside ♪ ♪ throw your hands up, pat your friends with pride ♪ ♪ hold your head high, no need to hide ♪

♪ e-v-o-l-v-e ♪ come on, get inside, come and ride with me ♪ ♪ if you want a revolution, the only solution, evolve ♪ ♪ you gotta evolve ♪ if you want a revolution, the only solution, evolve ♪ ♪ you gotta evolve ♪ if you want a revolution, the only solution, evolve ♪ >> bob: ian desmond has driven in a run, has 11 on the year. he's on an interesting list after this swing on a breaking ball from josh johnson. >> rob: that got us on the board. good job by ian. >> bob: jason heyward of the braves, who we're about to see, on the board with 20. gaby is here. desmond with the nats. and then the two tampa bay rays. >> rob: i don't know if you saw that austin jackson thing.

37 hit in his first 100 at- bats? that's a record that has stood for over 100 year with the tigers. >> ray: wow. >> rob: ty cobb only had 26. >> bob: yeah, but he spike ed second basemen on the way to doing it. [ laughter ] the 0-1 to desmond. well, pitchers throwing strikes and he's pumping the bat. now it's 0-2. >> rob: leroux come in pumping, low-to-mid- 90s. cut down and try to go the other way. >> bob: pretty good 0-2 pitch. >> rob: the toughest thing for ian right now -- he doesn't know a lot of pitchers unless he faced them in the minor leagues like josh johnson. all he is going off is reports and hearsay from his teammates. [ cheers and applause ]

>> bob: continue to swing and miss throughout this weekend series. 11 more strikeouts today. it's a 7-3 game.

>> bob: at the ballpark here in miami, 13,169 at sun life stadium on this day. here's our ford drive of the dame. a hard time handling hanley

ramirez. well, going on five years now in his big league career, straight away center, three run homer is the big blow of the marlins' four-run 3rd inning. then he pulled one out of the ballpark for a solo in the 6th. justin maxwell will stay in the ball game and play center field. that will move roger bernandino to right. bruney still in the ball game. a hard foul to the right by brett carroll. carroll, helms, and maybin for the marlins here in the bottom of the 8th. wes helms has been in to play third base.

nunez is their closer. he will take the mound in the 9th in a nonsave situation but he needs some work and apparently matt capps got the work he needed by throwing on the side when he was up a little while ago. nats are going to stretch out brian bruney a bit. >> rob: get him a little tired and work on the off-speed stuff. get on top of that slider. >> bob: a leadoff walk here in

the 8th. even if the nats cannot come back and win this game it will be a .500 road trip. i remember how pleased bewere with the 3-3 -- we were with the 3-3 road trip to new york and philadelphia so if this ball club can continue to play at least .500 on the road and then you take care of your business at home where the nats are 6-6 right now, everything will be fine. but this would be a disappointing end of the trip, having won three of the last four and not much in the game, losing 7-1 last night and trailing 7-2 at one point here today. >> rob: well, and volstad threw a good game and josh johnson, a little bit better. you have to get ready. there's good pitchers coming into down with the braves. into town with the braves. hudson has been throwing well. hanson just threw a gem. josh johnson now back-to-back and you will see him in five more days.

not an easy division. >> bob: masn in hd -- masn 2 hd on tuesday night. johnny and ray at 6:30. first pitch at 7:05. i think we said the nats are 6- 6 at home. the marlins are. washington is 7-6. and i'm looking forward to seeing hernandez pitch on tuesday night. only guy that's been better than him is the only guy who's better than him in e.r.a. and that's jimenez. he's beaten everybody else. 2-1 now to wes helms, first at

bat of the day. and bruney powers one by him. 91. braves, by the way, winning handily at home over houston. 7-1 mill innings. soso it looks like they may be coming to town with a nice little streak after that nightmare road trip of theirs. they're preparing to sweep that weekend series. high in the air from helms and out of play. >> rob: the os have been playing better. 2-2 with the sox. they plugged a bunch of home runs last night against dice-k mats saca. >> bob: interesting story about hideo nomo, has been in japan and embraced by his country after they were mad at him by leaving. >> rob: this was about 25 years ago. >> bob: working as a pitching coach.

>> rob: very nice. >> bob: well, he retired over there, finding a loophole to escape to the usa because his club didn't want to let him go. >> rob: right. >> bob: he wasn't happy with what he was paid. he retired and then it was sayonara. then he came over there. >> rob: they have to go ten years before they're a free agent. >> bob: he hadn't done that >> rob: right. >> bob: that's why he retired, supposedly. an interesting story and he's back working with young pitchers over there. when you mentioned matsuzaka, that reminded me of the great hideo nomo. >> rob: colby lewis of the rangers has been tremendous so far for them, having spent two year in japan. [ crowd booing ] >> rob: working on some things, especially a changeup. bruney strikes out helms right here. you can see from the side? he goes -- yep, right by the plate. as long as you break that

plane, that imaginary or invisible kind of line, you're done. or if the first base up pyre bob sees head of your bat. >> bob: here's maybin. 07 for 3 today and 1 for 11 in the series. >> rob: a lies get-me-over cut albuquerque slider, doesn't matter. you can do anything from that point. >> bob: mike lamb has been a good pitcher. bruney miss upstairs. .1 with a one o , one out in the 8th inning. >> rob: it would be time to work on the changeup a little bit. working fantastically. >> bob: an or eager hitter. and with the run goring, it's foul off to the right.

fredi gonzales starting brett carroll with one out in the 8th. >> rob: a four-run lead. that's totally understandable. his bullpen hasn't been that desire. that sturdy. their scouts and evalwaytors tell me what they don't like about their bullpen. >> bob: 2-2. runner going again. right behind the second baseman. falling down is carroll. play at third -- safe. roger bernadina made a very

fine throw. carroll came around second base and hit the dirt. got up and still got over there. perfect hit-and-run swing by maybin. >> rob: may have been stick the bat out, make contact. like a good pitch, hit behind the runner. watch carroll. see what happens to him. he looks him -- uh! chips over the bag -- ooh! better see if i can make it. >> bob: zimmerman snapped big tag after a bernadina throw. runners at the corners, only one out. here's mike lamb, a .277 career hitter in nine years with

texas, houston, minnesota, and milwaukee. he was at triple-a last year in buffalo for the mets. marlins signed him as a minor league free agent. they had to get a left-hand bat to replace ross gload. to go with wes helms. gload and helms were the best pinch hitting tandem in baseball last year. so it's carroll at third, maybin at first. and lamb will serve one into left field. play into an extra base hit. two runs will score. marlins lead 9-3 and lamb is out at third. >> bob: didn't come close to catching that ball. and rob, we have seep some questionable decisions in the nationals outfield this weekend. >> rob: well, this is an

inbetween ball that josh probably laid up and just catch it. one hop. he goes for broke. miss it. justin maxwell backing up. a couple of runs come in. >> bob: lamb keeps running. >> rob: trade it for a run at that point, i think. with the base loaded, here's ramirez again. so bruney after a 1-2-3 7th got himself in a pickle with the leadoff walk here and then two straight hits with one out. >> rob: well, they hit some decent pitches, which is nice to see him throw some good off speed stuff to go with the heat. don't want this game to get out of hand but you need brian down

the line here as a reliable guy to go to in the bullpen. >> bob: and we're still waiting for a pitch anywhere near the body of hanley ramirez. he just keeps reach and hitting the ball over the park. 3 for 5 today, 6 forever 14 in the series. >> rob: i just don't know if that's the mentality of today's pitchers, to even think like that. >> bob: evidently not. >> rob: i would think you would get tired of ambiguity whacking balls over the place. last year he had a field day with the pitching staff like the phillies' hitters. and when the phillies' broadcasters are going -- you ever going to throw inside? i can't answer that because i know. >> bob: seems like we had this

conversation when facing philadelphia and florida. teams you're playing 36 times. >> rob: you want to leapfrog over if you're going to have a chance to get in the playoffs. good pitch. >> rob: how long did you think it would go? >> bob: i threw out the 3:15 thing a couple of hours ago.

>> rob: it's pretty close, the way angel compos is squeezing pitches. >> bob: two walk in the inbig brian bruney. matt capps is up again. breaking down the matinee in florida, it's starting to break down for the nats. they have been pounded. nine runs on 13 hits. johnny and ray with the manager. reaction from the nats clubhouse and it's all coming up with johnny holiday and ray knight on "nats xtra, ] present by verizon. we look forward to seeing our buddies at the ballpark with our six-game homestand from left field. dan uggla will be next. 2 for 4 on the day. >> rob: thanks. i'll have some popcorn after the game. this is like watching a horror movie. >> bob: switch to my 3d

glasses here in a moment. hanley ramirez will come through the screen at me and i'll jump off the couch. >> bob: uggla with a high flyball over by the marlins pen. >> bob: 1-1 pitch. uggla unable to reach it.

hanley ramirez at second base, ahead of jorge cantu. ramirez has been on three times today, twice on a home run trot. turn one over a bit. it was well off the plate inside. even a changeup inside can be effective. >> rob: he throws that cutter and that slider, mid-to-upper 80 q sometimes overthrows it. go back up there again. like another cutter. got a great arm. one thing about brian, he's got a great arm. he's got something that he can get off the fastball and just casually slip in there for strikes. >> bob: 3-2 pitch.

runners will be moving. bases loaded. three walks in the inning. >> rob: try to get out of this. >> bob: bruney will go an inning and 2/3, strike out three. walk three. and give up three hits. matt capps for some work.

>> bob: marlins outscored the nationals 16-4 in the last two games of this series. >> rob: set them up and knock them down. that's what the closer and set up man have done. they're tremendous e.r.a.s. >> rob: they don't walk people. they don't get themselves into jams they can't get out of and the defense has been stellar. when they need help, they've gotten defensive help. >> bob: yeah. when you pitch well, they catch well well. >> rob: they have a nice up tempo, which is conducive to throwing strikes. >> bob: here's ronny paulino. >> rob: i like this out of capper because you want to stay sharp and live game sharp when he's come in, this blowout to get try to get his buddy bruney off the hook for a couple of runs.

>> bob: paulino overmatched. one ball, one strike. jim riggleman hasn't been able to do a whole lot of managing last two games. paulino to short. desmond with a nice dive. over to second. well done. a 6-4 and now he has played airless ball at shortstop for 18 game in a row. that was outstanding.

>> bob: onto the 9th inning here. the nationals are down big. they're down six to the marlins. and with the guys coming how, check out "nationals magazine." a lot of great artwork and photos, everything you need to know about your nated is in "nationals magazine" available on at nationals park.

leo nunez is the closer, has four saves on the year. obviously a get-some-work appearance against nieves, bernadina, and -- then the pitcher's spot. >> rob: those are some good numbers. i take that back. outstanding numbers. i go back to when nunez was acquired by the royals, one of the better setup players. >> bob: joy cobs didn't pan out there or in new york. >> rob: no. >> bob: right on the line to cantu. glob probably doesn't need to throw all his pitches all the

time. all arms and legs coming at you also. he's got that deceptiveness going on. >> bob: bernadina 0 for 1. [ indistinct ] >> rob: yes, it is. >> rob: he does some things that annoy me about k-rod. he is up six runs, throws 95 and is trying to throw changeups. >> bob: tinker, tinker, tinker. >> rob: to bernadina. you're only helping roger by taking something off that 95.

>> bob: i think rick eckstein has to wonder where has the contact gone. the nationals struck out 16 times friday, eight more yesterday. so that's 24. and so far, 11 more today. 35 strikeouts in three games. >> rob: you also have to have a different approach against better pitching and that's what they faced. they had a great approach on him. got to him. then volstad and johnson -- i won't even say volstad has as good stuff but had a good game plan for our hitters and then johnson, one of the better guy in the major leagues, top five stuff out there. >> bob: braves are leading at home 7-1 in the 7th over houston, about to win their third in a row. a couple of other scores. st. louis leading 3-0. rookie

freeze has hit another home run and the cub have come alive, lead the diamondbacks 8-2. soriano homered for the third game in a row and so has marlin bird. bernadina takes it outside. >> rob: if the marlins win in ball game, there's all likelihood they will -- josh johnson, since the tommy john and coming back, 47 starts, the marlin have won 37 of them. >> bob: wow. >> rob: pretty gooders tanl. >> bob: 3-2 now. bernadina rips one. look what i got, says jorge cantu. two down. cristian guzman will try to keep this thing going. verizon pios "nats xtra" sphraight ahead.

>> rob: johnny and ray coming up. >> bob: with jim riggleman. after nyjer morgan went 1 for 4, here's guzman hitting for the pitcher in the number one spot. so the marlins will take the first series of the year between the clubs and the rematch will be next weekend. now, even cantu can't get that one. guzman what's inside the corner. some with a double to bring out adam kennedy. >> rob: well, blazing speed and cristian has some good bat speed, gets out in front of it,

right by cantu. remember the pitcher supplying power. would have came off the bat, probably around .115, .120, somewhere around there. >> bob: cristian need that. he's batting under .170 left- handed so maybe that one swing there get him going a little bit. here's adam kennedy. >> rob: you have to figure if you hit this guy you can hit anybody. great stuff. no, said ted barrel. >> rob: i can't get it. i don't understand it. >> bob: 26 saves for