Through the first four innings it didn't look like the game would turn out that way. The Nationals squandered opportunities in the first, second, and fourth innings, leaving four runners in scoring position in the first four innings. Jose Guillen's homer in the bottom of the fifth gave the Nationals a 2-1 lead in what looked like another one-run game.
Patterson admitted that the pressure of pitching in so many one-run games was getting to him. Today's Post quotes him as saying: "That's accumulated stress. Pitching in all those one-run games over a period of four or five months, it can wear on you. It can wear on you physically, and it can wear on you mentally." Having given up a run in top of the fourth to give up a one-run lead, Patterson knew that he couldn't give up another run once the Nationals were ahead 2-1. Patterson said he "nearly cracked." That's not good.
Thankfully, the Nationals "exploded" for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 5-1 lead. From there it looked like Patterson was cruising. Through eight innings he had given up one run on eight hits and struck out eight while walking only one. It was another dominating performance for a pitcher who has blossomed this year into one of the league's best.
One might have expected Frank Robinson to pull Patterson in the ninth given that he had thrown 102 pitches. But Robinson hasn't been shy about letting Patterson climb the pitch count to close out a game. Unfortunately, Patteson gave up a double and a homer in the ninth to make the game close. That Cordero guy sure came in handy.
Attempting to cure up the confusion we created when we first posted this message, we'll eliminate the confusing narrative and just post the current wild card standings. Thanks, Basil, for catching our mistake. Sometimes we're too lazy!
| Team | Record | Pct. | GB |
| Philadelphia | 69-59 | .539 | -- |
| Houston | 67-60 | .527 | 1.5 |
| Washington | 66-60 | .524 | 2 |
| Florida | 66-60 | .524 | 2 |
| New York | 6660 | .524 | 2 |
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