Game 4 Recap: Nationals 5, Braves 6

A 4-hour game and a 2-hour rain delay, another bullpen mini-collapse, another ineffective outing for our closer, but hey! We still won! Recapping the recaps:

We open it up with words from the Bowman:

There were definitely more efficient ways the Braves could have opened the home portion of their schedule. But watching Jordan Schafer slide across the plate with the winning run at 1:25 a.m. ET at least allowed them to enjoy a jubilant home opener that was nearly wrecked by a second straight bullpen collapse.

Worries about a suddenly suspect bullpen were temporarily erased in the wee hours of Saturday morning, when Kelly Johnson scored Schafer on a one-out, 10th-inning single off Joe Beimel.

D-Fab has the story of how our closer couldn't hold the lead:

Closer Mike Gonzalez nearly worked out of a tight jam in the ninth, after Nick Johnson doubled (left fielder Matt Diaz lost it in the lights) and Elijah Dukes singled to start the inning.

With runners on the corners and none out, Gonzalez got a weak flyout by Jesus Flores before walking Alberto Gonzalez. With bases loaded, he struck out Wil Nieves. But on Lastings Milledge's single up the middle, Gonzalez's backhand attempt to stop the ball sent it sailing toward the Braves' dugout to let in the tying run.

The good news is that our offense is still clicking on just about all cylinders. Kenshin Kawakami goes to the mound tonight for his first major league start.