Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Scott Olsen lost his no-hit bid in the eighth, but pinch-hitter Willie Harris made sure the Nationals didn't lose the game, coming through with a game-winning single through a draw-in infield in the bottom of the ninth, as Washington edged Atlanta, 3-2, in the rubber match of a three-game set.
Nationals’ Scott Olsen Takes No-Hitter Into 8th Inning (What’s That Unwritten Rule Again?)
Olsen flirted with history, attempting to become the first pitcher in the Nationals brief baseball history to throw a no-hitter. He also nearly became the second pitcher to no-hit Atlanta this season, following the lead of Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez on April 17th.
“It was just one of those nights where everything fell into place,” said Olsen.
The murmurs turned into nervous silence by the top of the eighth, yet after a strikeout, David Ross lined a single to left. Olsen left the game shortly after, charged with two runs -- one earned -- on two hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.
Tyler Clippard (4-0) was the benefactor of Harris' heroics in the ninth, scattering two hits and two walks over 1 2/3 frames. Ryan Zimmerman finished 2-for-4, while Adam Dunn and Ivan Rodriguez each homered for the Nationals, who have won two of three.
Eric O'Flaherty (1-1) walked Adam Kennedy to begin the bottom of the ninth, leading to the loss. Jason Heyward, who did not start due to a sore right groin, drove in both runs with a game-tying, pinch-hit single in the eighth.
Zimmerman followed Kennedy's walk by facing Peter Moylan and hit an opposite- field double that one-hopped the right-field wall to put runners on second and third with nobody out. After an intentional walk to pinch-hitter Cristian Guzman, Harris grounded a single through a draw-in infield for the game- winner.
Washington’s early offense came via the long ball. Rodriguez drove a ball over the wall in left-center in the fifth and Dunn turned on a 2-2 fastball, driving it quickly over the wall in right to start the home seventh.
Atlanta’s chances were few and far between.
Martin Prado struck a hard one-hopper up the middle leading off the top of the seventh, but Ian Desmond moved to his left, stabbed at the baseball, turned and fired to retire the Braves second baseman. A pair of groundouts followed to sit down the middle of the Atlanta order in succession.
Olsen painted the inside corner to strike out to Matt Diaz for the first out in the eighth. And then, for as long as it lasted, it ended in a flash. Ross clubbed a solid single past a lunging Desmond for Atlanta's first hit of the contest. Two batters later, Olsen hit the showers. A hot-shot grounder from Melky Cabrera was speared by Zimmerman, but his side-arm throw sailed high of second for an error.
Nate McLouth followed with a single to right to load the bases and end Olsen's night. Heyward then pinch hit for Atlanta starter Tim Hudson, and the new pitcher Clippard entered to face the young lefty. Heyward won the battle with a game-tying, two-run single to left. The next batter, Omar Infante, grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Ross, who broke up the no-hitter, had a chance to put the Braves ahead with the bases loaded and one out in the ninth, but he grounded into an inning- ending double play.
Hudson gave up two runs on five hits with four strikeouts over seven frames...Clippard lowered his earned run average to 0.42...Atlanta has lost nine of 10 away from Turner Field...Rodriguez hit his fifth home run, while Dunn clubbed his sixth.
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