LiveBlogging the NBA Draft

Former Phillies farmhand Mike Bacsik originally was slated to start Thursday for the Nationals, but he was replaced in favor of John Lannan, the club's top prospect. All I know about Lannan is that he is available in my fantasy league.

Figure on the lineups being posted around 12:30 (assuming, of course, I don't accidently hit the wrong key and crash the web site). First pitch is scheduled for 1:05.

After last night's dramatic 14-inning win, the Phillies find themselves two games back of the Padres in the wild-card and five behind the Mets in the NL East.

We're a little less than an hour away from today's first pitch. Skies are partly cloudy here in South Philly and temperatures are in the mid-80s. The outfield flags indicate a slight breeze from rightfield to left.

The Nationals batting order:
1. Felipe Lopez, ss; 2. Ronnie Belliard, 2b; 3. Ryan Zimmerman, 3b; 4. Dmitri Young, 1b; 5. Austin Kearns, rf; 6. Ryan Church, lf; 7. Jesus Flores, c; 8. Nook Logan, cf; 9. John Lannan, lhp

The Phillies batting order:
1. Jimmy Rollins, ss; 2.Shane Victorino, rf; 3. Chase Utley, 2b; 4. Ryan Howard, 1b; 5. Aaron Rowand, cf; 6. Pat Burrell, lf; 7.Wes Helms, 3b; 8. Rod Barajas, c; 9. Adam Eaton, rhp

Coming soon, a brief scouting report on Nationals pitcher John Lannan. In the meantime, if anybody has seen Lannan pitch - or has any memories of pitchers making their major league debuts either for or against the Phils - feel free to send 'em along.

Lannan is a 6-5, 200-pound lefty. Though injuries to the starting rotation are one reason for Lannan's rise to the majors, another is merit. Lannan was 3-1 with a 1.75 ERA in six starts for Triple-A Columbus and was 12-3, 2.35 in 20 minor-league games overall this season.

Despite his 6-5 frame, Lannan isn't said to be a particularly hard thrower. His fastball gets only into the high 80s, but it has lots of movement. He'll also throw a changup and curve effectively.

Lannan was an 11th round selection out of Siena (N.Y.) College and is the 22nd pitcher the Nationals will use this season and the 12th to start a game. The Phillies have used 25 pitchers this year, and 10 starters.

The Phillies promoted 2004 first-round pick Greg Golson and lefthanded starter Josh Outman from single-A Clearwater to double-A Reading.

Golson, a 21-year-old centerfielder, was hitting .286 in 98 games and leading the team in a number of offensive categories including home runs (12), RBI (52) and stolen bases (25).

Outman was 10-4 with a 2.45 ERA in 20 games (18 starts). In 117 1/3 innings, he had 117 strikeouts and allowed 54 walks and 104 hits. He will make his AA debut on Saturday against visiting Trenton. On the off chance anybody wants it, 610-375-8469 is the number for Reading tickets.

Baseball America recently ranked Golson as the 10th best prospect in the Phillies farm system and Outman the team's sixth.

Adam Eaton throws the first pitch at 1:05, a ball low and inside. Game time temp is 84 degrees.

Remember to refresh often, particularly during rallies. The score will be updated in the title line of each inning.

Eaton has been shaky his last couple starts and sure enough the Nationals start with consecutive singles. The veteran righty is in an early jam.

After a long flyout to center by Ryan Zimmerman moved the runners up, Dmitri Young blooped a single in front of Pat Burrell. The fans are annoyed because they think Burrell should have dove for it.

Another hard-hit ball, this off the bat of Austin Kearns, for another run. The bad-hop grounder ate up third baseman Wes Helms, who was charged with his ninth error of the year. Tough call by the official scorer.

Two batters later, Eaton gets Jesus Flores swinging to end the inning. After last night's marathon, the Phillies need a long outing from Eaton.

Jimmy Rollins welcomes John Lannan to the major leagues with a base hit up the middle. Now let's see how the lefty fares with Rollins on base.

Shane Victorino works a five-pitch walk. Now the kid is in a spot.

Utley grounds a single into rightfield scoring Rollins and setting up first and second for Ryan Howard. Welcome to the bigs, kid.

After a visit from pitching coach Randy St. Clair, Lannan gets Howard swinging on a nasty curveball and Aaron Rowand to ground into a doubleplay. St. Clair ought to make sure he writes down whatever he said -- because it sure worked.

The scoring was changed from a Wes Helms error to an Austin Kearns single and RBI. Nook Logan leads off the second with a single to left, giving the Nats five hits in the first inning-plus.

Eaton is paying appropriate attention to Logan, who has 11 steals in 12 attempts.

Just as I was hitting the button on that last post, Barajas gunned out Logan trying to steal for the final out of the inning. It was a great throw by the Phils catcher, although I’m not so sure that Chase Utley ever applied the tag. If I see the replay again, I’ll clarify. It was one of those plays where the ball arrived ahead of the runner, which usually results in an out call.

Pat Burrell continues his hot hitting with a single to start the inning. Burrell is now 20-for-47 in the last 17 games.

The Phils go quietly following Burrell's hit. The Nationals will send up their 2-3-4 hitters in the third.

Jimmy Buffet's "Cheeseburger in Paradise" was played between innings. The sun has poked through and there's just a little hint of a breeze. Makes you recall that other Buffet song: "The weather is here, wish you were beautiful."

Jimmy Rollins just made a wonderful play on a grounder hit in the hole. He fielded the ball on a backhand and -- with his feet barely set -- fired a laser to get Belliard by a step. Daily News columnist Bill Conlin remarked several weeks ago how accurate Rollins' throws are to first base. It's rare that Ryan Howard has to make a play to bail him out. Never really noticed it until Bill mentioned it.

Eaton gets a needed 1-2-3 inning. Maybe the Phils, who will send up the top of the order, get something going in the bottom half of the inning.

Lannan makes two fine plays on grounders back to the mound before allowing a two-out single to Chase Utley. Ryan Howard is up.

Ryan Howard takes Lannan’s 3-2 pitch deep into the centerfield hedges for his 29th homer of the season. This thing was tanked. It was also his 13th homer off a lefty.

Rowand flies out to end it, but the place is still buzzing after that Howard homer.

One thing that was kind of cool was watching Utley's reaction. He was running with the pitch. He had just gotten around second when he slowed up, almost turning to see where Howard's bomb would land.

Someone asked if Howard's home reached "Ashburn Alley." It did not. It got about two-thirds of the way through the brush.

Speaking of which, it's got to be neat for the guy who takes care of those bushes out there to stumble on a ball once in a while.

Eaton has another perfect inning. He's thrown 55 pitches through four innings.

The next entry will lead off with some good news for Phils fans. Stay tuned.

A peak at the out of town scoreboard reveals the Pirates are thumping up the Mets 8-2 in the seventh. The Mets came into the day with a five-game lead over the Phils. Atlanta, which is four back, is at San Fran tonight.

San Diego, which holds a one-game lead over the Braves and a two-game lead over the Phils in the wild-card, is at Houston. I'll update that Mets game when it's over or when the Pirates blow the lead, whichever comes first.

The Phils start the inning with a pair of groundouts. After a pair of singles, Jimmy Rollins ends it by bouncing out to third.

Eaton has another 1-2-3 inning and has now retired the last 11. After giving up five hits to the first eight hitters he's faced, the righthander has settled in to a nice groove.

Victorino leads off for the Phils.

Lannan just plunked Utley and Howard and got tossed by home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt.

Wendelstedt was quick to toss the rookie pitcher, unfair actually. The kid was trying to pitch inside, yes, but it didn't appear that he was warned after hitting Utley.

Now Nats manager Manny Acta and Wendelstedt are barking at each other with Wendelstedt pointing toward centerfield, where Howard's third-inning homer landed. Not surprisingly, Acta got tossed and the Nationals now have to go to their depleted bullpen.

Righthander Chris Schroder is the new Nationals pitcher. Schroder has a 1.56 ERA in 11 games. He is not related to the kid who played the piano for the Peanuts cartoon strip.

Ryan Zimmerman boots a potential doubleplay ball loading the bases for Pat Burrell.

Burrell comes through with a two-run single on the first pitch. Schroder gets out of the inning, but the Phils get a little breathing room.

Somebody wrote in wondering how the ump's quick thumbing of Lannan might affect Eaton. Good question. One thing he has to do (obviously) is just throw strikes. He hasn't walked anyone yet.

Utley is back out at second. He keeps flexing his right hand, where he was hit by Lannan's pitch last inning, but he's still in the game.

Dmitri Young drills a two-out single to right, the Nationals first baserunner after 13 consecutive hitters were retired. Austin Kearns pops out to left.

Through six, Eaton has thrown 78 pitches, allowed five hits, struck out one and walked none. He will lead off the bottom of the inning.

Today's attendance is 43,413 -- as Phils radio host Jim Jackson kindly points out -- it's the eighth sellout in the last nine games.

Victorino has a two-out single, bringing Utley up for the first time since he was hit by a pitch in the fifth. But first, the Nationals are bringing in workhorse lefthander Ray King. And as someone already has pointed out, the Pirates held on to beat the Mets, 8-4. Thanks. (I read all the feedback, but sometimes can't tell who it's from. Operator error, no doubt.)

Though Utley struck out swinging, there was no discernable sign whether his hand was bothering him.

Jesus Flores' one-out single to left prompted a visit from pitching coach Rich Dubee. J.C. Romero is warming up in the 'pen. Eaton is at 89 pitches.

Now Nook Logan doubles into the leftfield corner. Brian Schneider, who seems to kill the Phillies, will pinch-hit. Charlie Manuel will lift Eaton in favor of Romero, a lefty. Eaton gets a nice hand as he exits.

Fasten your seatbelts. Put on a helmet while you're at it.

Someone asked about Flash Gordon. This is just my opinion, but I think he's got to be the Phillies closer at this point. Alfonseca is just too shaky and I think Gordon is ready. Not sure why they didn't use Gordon in the ninth last night, but from what I heard from Charlie Manuel's postgame comments, he wished he would have.

Tony Batista pinch-hit for Schneider and hit a soft lineout to third. Joe Table is warming up in the bullpen, but Romero will stay in to face righthanded leadoff hitter Felipe Lopez.

Lopez grounds a two-run single past the diving Jimmy Rollins.

I didn't mind Charlie staying with Romero in that situation, but I'd be interested in opposing viewpoints. The only caveat is honesty.

Mesa is coming in to face Belliard. It's his 1,000th career appearance.

Mesa gets Belliard swinging. Ryan Howard leads off. Something tells me that the five runs the Phillies have won't be enough.

With the shift on, Howard grounds out 6-3, with shortstop Belliard manning the spot usually held by the second baseman.

Pat Burrell raps a double into the leftfield corner for his third hit of the day. Michael Bourn will pinch run for Burrell, who (GET THIS!) leaves to a rousing ovation. Nice job by the crowd. After an intentional walk to Helms, Greg Dobbs will hit for Barajas.

Dobbs strikes out swinging. Looks like Mesa will get back out there for the Phils, though Flash Gordon is getting loose.

Throwing error on Helms on a grounder by Ryan Zimmerman puts the leadoff hitter on. With a 5-4 lead, you could argue that Abraham Nunez should have been in as a defensive replacement for Helms.

Naturally, the ball finds Helms again who makes a fine play but loses his shoe making the throw for the forceout to second. Unreal. His shoe landed about 20 feet away. He got the out, but that could have been disastrous. That'll be on SportsCenter.

After a walk to Kearns, Charlie finally inserts Abraham Nunez in a double-switch that brings Mike Zagurski in to pitch. Nationals have first and second with one out for Ryan Church, one of the guys involved with dropping that Jimmy Rollins triple last night.

Church flies out to left. Dubee goes out to visit Zagurski.

Three-run homer for Jose Flores. Flores’ homer caps a five-run rally over the last two innings.

We all saw this coming a mile away, huh?

Victorino lines a two-out single to right. Utley and Howard are lurking. This has to be the inning they rally ... and apparently the Nationals don't have any lefties available.

Utley skies one to the warning track for the third out. Howard, Rowand and Bourn will hit in the ninth. Of course, the Phils could be down by seven when we get there.

Three up, three down. The key to Zagurski is that he can't be brought in with men on base. Let's face it, the guy should probably be at Triple A as it is. But that's the state of the Phillies bullpen.

As usual, I'll select the game's three stars. Feel free to chime in -- or, give me your three "bums" of the game." Whatever.

Closer Chad Cordero is coming in for the Nats.

There's life. Aaron Rowand and Michael Bourn have put together back-to-back singles. Chris Coste is pinch-hitting.

Bourn steals second.

Coste grounds out. Rowand scores, Bourn to third. It's up to Carlos Ruiz.

Ruiz walked. Abraham Nunez is up.

Nunez grounds out to second. So much for that 5-2, seventh-inning lead. Remember this one when the Phils lose the wild-card by one game.

Three stars: Jesus Flores, Ryan Howard, Felipe Lopez.

The Phils play the Pirates this weekend. Jamie Moyer will face John Van Benshoten tomorrow at 7.

Oh, and Charlie just said that Gordon wasn't available. Howard Eskin is giving Charlie a hard time for not subbing Nunez for Helms in the eighth. I understand Charlie's thinking this time. He was working with a short bullpen and was hoping Mesa would get him through the inning.

Thanks for following along. Send me an email if you'd like to be alerted to the next time the Daily News blogs a game.