The Washington Nationals are quickly turning into the Washington Generals of baseball.

You know the Generals. They are the hapless bunch of guys who are routinely served up as the sacrificial lambs in those hilarious hoops affairs with the Harlem Globetrotters. But no one in Washington is laughing about the Nationals.

One thing you count on with the Generals is that they will lose. You just don’t know how. Same pretty much goes for the Nationals.

Yesterday they were clinging to a 6-5 lead after another horrific effort from Phils’ starter Chan Ho Park. You have to wonder just how long the Phillies will be able to keep him in their rotation.

Then again, if he made all his starts against the Nationals, it might not matter. Down 6-5, the Phils put their first two men on in the eighth. Pedro Feliz dropped a very good bunt down the third-base line, then the Nats went into Generals’ mode.

Pitcher Jesus Colome fielded the ball, then threw it into right field.
Two runs scored. The Phils tacked on another and went on to win, 8-6, for a four-game sweep in D.C.

The Phils have won 12 games on the road, best in the majors.
Unfortunately, the bulk of those have come against the hapless Nats.

More serious for the Phils as they head for Cincinnati is their shaky starting pitching. Park was treated to a rare 3-0 lead before he took the mound. Of course, he offered it right back to the Nats in the bottom of the first, surrendering two runs.

Park didn’t make it out of the second after walking three batters. His ERA is now a lusty 7.08.

Look for Chan Ho to “Park” it in the Phils’ bullpen while another arm takes his spot in the starting rotation. Then again, if Jamie Moyer continues to get lit up, that will complicate things.

Moyer’s next start has been pushed back until Wednesday against the Reds.