ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jerome Williams, a Waipahu High graduate, dropped to 0-2 in yesterday's loss to Atlanta. CLICK FOR LARGE
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Williams can't shake Nats' slump
By George Henry
Associated Press
ATLANTA » Manny Acta hopes a postgame team meeting will wake up Washington's slumbering offense.
"I'm not a big meeting-type guy," said Acta, the Nationals' first-year manager. "But I thought it was the right time."
Andruw Jones and Chipper Jones homered in the same game for the 56th time, and the Atlanta Braves won their fourth straight game, 8-3 over the Nationals last night.
Waipahu alumnus Jerome Williams (0-2) gave up the homer to Chipper Jones -- a two-run shot -- in the first inning.
Williams allowed two runs on four hits and four walks in five innings. The right-hander, who struck out four, was in a somber mood afterward. He blamed himself, however, rather than the Washington offense.
"Those guys go out there every day and try their best," Williams said. "We've been hitting the ball pretty hard, but right at people."
At 7-1, the Braves are off to their best start since 1995, when they won their only World Series title in Atlanta.
Washington fell to 1-8, the franchise's worst start since the Montreal Expos had the same record through nine games in 1998. The Nationals have been outscored 61-21 and have yet to score in the first three innings of a game. In every game, they have fallen behind by at least 3-0.