Sunday is the final home game for the Washington Nationals. After their 1:35 P.M. game with the Atlanta Braves, Nationals Park will close its doors for the long, cold off season and winter. There will be no cheers from the seats, no shouts or smells of hot dogs coming from the concourse. Teddy and the Racing Presidents will not be at the Center Field Gate to greet fans and Ryan Zimmerman won't be making Gold Glove catches at third down on the field, not for a long while as the final out is recorded after Sunday's game. It is a depressing time for many Washington sports fans, but the Nationals hope to use their final home game planting the seeds of hope of a better 2012 not far past the cold and dreary months that will soon be upon us.
The Nationals want to give Washington fans one more thrilling ride.
Nationals southpaw Ross Detwiler (3-5, 3.30 ERA) is set to take the mound and get the Nats one final win at Nationals Park in 2011. He will face fellow lefty Mike Minor (5-2, 4.27 ERA) and an Atlanta Braves team that is beginning to feel the pressure of making the playoffs. They hold only a two game lead for the Wild Card in front of the St. Louis Cardinals and if you think the Nationals aren't going to try and play (and enjoy) the part of spoiler against their NL East foe, you would be wrong. Detwiler's last outing was a 7 1/3 innings affair where he allowed just three hits against a struggling Philadelphia Phillies team. He will look to build on that outing and finish his 2011 season strong.
The usual rogue gallery that gave such pleasure and heartache to Washington in 2011 will comprise the Nationals line up.
Nationals Line Up
Ian Desmond - SS
Jayson Werth - CF
Ryan Zimmerman - 3B
Michael Morse - LF
Chris Marrero - 1B
Danny Espinosa - 2B
Jonny Gomes - RF
Wilson Ramos - C
Ross Detwiler - SP