Nationals 12, Reds 7

It was an ugly, ugly night at the old ball park. I've written that before, haven't I?

Bob Castellini did talk to the team before the game. Jerry Narron at first said: "If anybody talks to anybody I think that's between the team."

Later, Narron said: "He was very encouraging, very positive, short and to the point."

Castellini is a positive guy by nature. But to say what he said and then have the team go out and play like it did has to have him shaking his head.

I don't know what he'll do, but you've got to think he'll do something.

As for the game, the Reds' first mistake was letting Kyle Lohse start. He was sick enough that he didn't throw at all from his last start until yesterday. The guy was coming off a start in which he gave up seven runs in 1 1/3 innings. Bronson Arroyo volunteered to start. They looked at moving Matt Belisle up a day. But Lohse said he talked his way into starting. "I thought I could help the team by going five ininngs," he said. "Obviously, it wasn't five very good innings."

The Nats also tried to give this one away. But after the Reds closed to 9-5. The bullpen gave up three in -- you guessed it -- the eighth.

Meanwhile, Gary Majewski's working on a 8 1/3 inning scoreless streak for the Bats. He's given up two hits, two walks and struck out 13 in that span.