Nats' bullpen is big relief

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All season the Washington Nationals have asked their inexperienced bullpen to rescue the club's suspect starters -- a daunting task, to be sure, for a group of young relievers.

More and more, that bullpen has shown signs it can do an effective job.

Relievers Chris Schroder, Saul Rivera, Jon Rauch and Ryan Wagner combined to no-hit the Milwaukee Brewers over five innings and preserve a 6-1 victory for the Nationals yesterday before 26,128 at RFK Stadium.

Rivera (3-0) entered in the seventh inning and picked up the win. The last-place Nationals (65-84) won twice in the three-game series over the weekend and in five of six games against the Brewers (67-82) this season.

Over the past six games, the bullpen has allowed just four runs in 26 innings for a 1.38 ERA.

"They're much more relaxed out there. They're just going out now and doing what they feel they have to do to get a hitter out rather than thinking a lot out there," manager Frank Robinson said. "All of them have done a remarkable job, really, in the time they've been up here. It just took them a while to get into the groove a little bit."

Of the current relievers, only Rauch and closer Chad Cordero were on the roster Opening Day. The club called up Rivera from Class AAA New Orleans on May23. Wagner arrived from New Orleans on July31 and Schroder on Aug.8.

Wagner, 24, pitched the last two seasons for the Cincinnati Reds. He was acquired in a blockbuster eight-player deal with the Reds on July13 that also brought infielder Felipe Lopez and outfielder Austin Kearns to Washington.

"Being young is always kind of getting out there and getting the experience and soaking in being in a big league ballpark and pitching against big league hitters," Wagner said. "As soon as that stuff finishes, it's about going out there, staying with the game plan and executing your pitches. That's what we've been doing."

Schroder was the most impressive of the relievers yesterday, striking out all six batters he faced. The six strikeouts marked a career high for the right-hander and a season high for Nationals relievers. Schroder entered in the fifth inning, replacing rookie starter Mike O'Connor.