"The lasting images from Jordan Zimmermann's final innings of 2011 weren't great.

There was the Washington Nationals right-hander, rubbing the ball between his hands, quietly fuming as he marched around the mound after the second solo home run he surrendered. And Zimmermann hitting Brandon Phillips to load the bases, then walking Fred Lewis to force home a run.

But the indelible image from Zimmermann's last start of the season, a 5-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds in 14 innings, was of Collin Balester standing on the mound 8 2/3 innings after Zimmermann had vacated it pitching his third inning on his fourth consecutive day of work.

The Nationals' sixth straight loss came hours after Zimmermann had exited and long after the ejections of manager Davey Johnson and bench coach Pat Corrales. Shadows crept into the outfield as afternoon turned to evening in the longest game in Nationals history (5 hour, 15 minutes). There was Balester (1-3), the symbol of a bullpen performance that suffered two blemishes, and both went over the fence.

Instead of remembering the four rallies that produced four runs, and the throw by Rick Ankiel from deep center to gun down speedy Dave Sappelt on a would-be triple - the Nationals were forced to replay just two pitches.

They were the images of Drew Storen surrendering a leadoff home run to Yonder Alonso in the ninth inning and Joey Votto hammering a 3-2 pitch from Balester into the left-field seats to lead off the 14th."