Nationals Blow another series against Padres

Today the Nationals played their second game of a 2 game series against the visiting San Diego Padres and they lost.

After winning game one last night in exciting fashion, seeing rookie phenom Bryce Harper mark up his first career major-league home run, today's game two was a lesson in disappointment.  The Nationals this season have failed to close out a series against any team, home or away.

The question that raises, is why?  What's going on with the team that they can't seal the deal and mark up a series sweep for the home team?  I just don't get it.

Today's game was an early afternoon affair that saw the Padres make mince meat of the Nationals pitching squad.  The game started off terribly.  The Padres were able to put up three runs in the first inning.  And it didn't get any better for the Nats until Bryce Harper scored the lone run with his second career homer.

I am not a baseball guy.  I have followed it with passing interest ever since Washington landed the Expos but never really got into it.  What I'm trying to say is that I don't know all the nuances of the game at the pro level.  But what I can tell you is that this team is having a hell of a time winning when it matters.  

It scares me as a fan.  What happens when the team is in the post season and has Game Seven facing them, sitting at 3 and 3?  Can they overcome this regular season curse and perform when it counts, or will they become the baseball equivalent of the Capitals?  Getting into the post season only to choke when they absolutely can't afford to do so.

Can you blame the relief pitching?  Can you blame the entire pitching staff?  Is it a matter of poor defense?

These are questions that I can't answer, and apparently neither can the Nationals.  All we can hope for as fans is that the Nationals can figure it out before it's too late.  I want nothing more than to see this team succeed and become a squad to be reckoned with.