Nationals Vs. Dodgers Final Score: Washington Goes Hitless After First Inning In 3-1 Loss

The Washington Nationals suffered one of their most disheartening losses of the 2011 season on Sunday, falling 3-1 in a game they looked to be in control of early in the game. The Nationals loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning and got a run in on a single by Michael Morse. They did not get a single hit the rest of the game.

Chad Billingsely settled down in a big way after that first inning, hurling seven innings of two-hit ball to get the victory and move to 9-8 on the season. Jason Marquis pitched decently, but was victimized by poor defense. He drops to 8-5 on the year.

The Dodgers got two runs in the first inning when Aaron Miles knocked a base hit up the middle. Danny Espinosa's throw home looked to be in plenty of time to get Matt Kemp, but Jesus Flories dropped the ball and allowed the run to score. The Dodgers got one more in the third inning for the final margin.

Washington now falls to 49-52 on the season.

Nationals Vs. Dodgers Score: Chad Billingsley Settles Down, Dodgers Lead, 3-1

It looked like the Washington Nationals would be in firm control of their Sunday game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning, then got a run when Michael Morse singled home Roger Bernadina. But the Nationals couldn't get any more runs on Chad Billingsley, and the whole game has changed since. A 1-0 lead is a 3-1 deficit in the middle of the sixth inning.

After Morse's single, Billingsley struck out three straight Nationals hitters: Jayson Werth, Rick Ankiel and Jesus Flores. He hasn't allowed a single hit since. Werth walked at one point, but otherwise, the Nationals haven't even reached base.

As for the Dodgers, they scored twice in the bottom of the first inning when Aaron Miles grounded a ball up the middle to score Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp. The Dodgers also took advantage of bad defense to score a third run in the third inning when Ian Desmond couldn't turn a double play.

Nationals Vs. Dodgers: Washington Looks For Series Win In Rubber Match

The Washington Nationals will look to bounce back from a painful loss on Saturday night when they take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the final game of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is schedule for 4:10 p.m. from Dodgers Stadium, with the game being broadcast locally on MASN2.

Jason Marquis takes the hill for the Nationals looking to get his ninth win of the season. He got win No. 8 against the Astros last week, and now looks for win No. 9. He'll likely be the subject of several trade rumors as the MLB trade deadline approaches, but as of now, it looks like he'll stay in D.C.

Chad Billingsley will oppose Marquis for the Dodgers. He is also looking for his ninth win of the season, though he has twice as many losses as Marquis.

Here is the Nationals' lineup:

1. Roger Bernadina (LF)
2. Danny Espinosa (2B)
3. Ryan Zimmerman (3B)
4. Michael Morse (1B)
5. Jayson Werth (RF)
6. Rick Ankiel (CF)
7. Jesus Flores (C)
8. Ian Desmond (SS)
9. Jason Marquis (P)