WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Smiles were few and far between for Felipe Lopez last season as personal issues off the field exacerbated a disappointing year on it.

An All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds in 2005, Lopez bounced between second base and shortstop with the Nationals, struggling to find his game.

That search continued through spring training this year and Lopez found himself on the bench. But as the losses mounted for Washington, Lopez earned another chance. He has made the most of it.

A starter again at second base for the past eight games, Lopez had his best game yet on Thursday night against the New York Mets. He matched a career-high with six RBI, including a grand slam in the sixth inning, as the Nats rolled to a 10-5 victory at Nationals Park.

Washington (7-16) beat the second-place Mets (11-10) for the first time in five tries. New York led 3-0 in the fifth inning. But a single by Lopez drove in a pair of runs and Ryan Zimmerman tied the game with an RBI ground out.

An inning later, Lopez again batted with the bases loaded, this time lining a home run over the scoreboard in right field. It was his fourth career grand slam and third six-RBI game. Thanks to some shaky Mets defense, Washington added three more runs in the eighth to break the game open.

Comments from Examiner Readers

2:18 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 18, 2008 re: "No easy access near ballpark for disabled"

Examiner Reader said:
Now how did "progressive, caring" DC happen to forget about the Americans with Disabilities Act which requires that public facility projects consider access for the disabled?

Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

11:32 AM MST on Sat., Mar. 15, 2008 re: "Shuttle service, beer sales among issues still to work out before Opening Day"

Examiner Reader said:
"The most extreme example might be June 29, when United faces off against David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy as 12:30 p.m., and the Nationals play the Baltimore Orioles an hour later." well that was some brilliant scheduling there....lets stuff 100,000 people into the area over a two hour span

1 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

11:34 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008 re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"

Examiner Reader said:
Considering where the new stadium is, you can bet that the cost of security will skyrocket!!!

2 agree | 2 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

8:58 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008 re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"

Examiner Reader said:
If DC knew that they couldn't afford to pay the police department they shouldn't have never opened up the Stadium. You have so many poor people living in the DC area and all the taxes we citizens have to pay could have been going into better use. we have to pay all this money and we are not going to see where the money is going. Who cares, right.

3 agree | 3 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:47 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008 re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"

Mike Licht said:
Re:$2M owed for security at Nats games -- Since the "quasi-governmental" D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission won't pay the $2 million it owes the Metropolitan Police Department for security at Nats games, why not get those "quasi" Commission members and paid staff out directing traffic on game days? At $55 an hour, it should only take them 36,364 person-hours to work off their debt.

3 agree | 2 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:06 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008 re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"

Examiner Reader said:
"Whether the [commission] is paying it or MPD is paying it, it comes out of the same pot,� Mayor Adrian Fenty�s spokeswoman Carrie Brooks said in a statement. WHAT? Good grief, no wonder the city is in so much trouble. Everyone is aware the budget process means nothing in D.C., and that is why money is misspent and missing everywhere, but to come out an officially admit it, wow - good work Brooks.

2 agree | 2 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

6:23 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008 re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"

Examiner Reader said:
The city charges baseball $55.00 per hour, the officers are paid their regular hourly rate. For most officers that about $32.00 per hour. What is the city doing with the difference?

2 agree | 2 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

9:01 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007 re: "Nationals� stadium art project at a standstill"

Mike Licht said:
miqcie: Art is good. The DC government should make sure that it is part of the environment throughout our city, and encourage the community cultural groups and gifted DC artists who create it. The stadium is private property, owned by the Lerner family, who can well afford to buy their own art.

257 agree | 267 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

4:10 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007 re: "Nationals� stadium art project at a standstill"

miqcie said:
I'm hopeful that this funding will be restored and is appropriate use of financing for public art. As a denizen of this city, I'd don't mind a part of my tax dollars going to projects like this that are truly community goods.

280 agree | 264 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

12:17 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007 re: "Nationals� stadium art project at a standstill"

Mike Licht said:
The Commission claimed the site-specific art for the private baseball stadium was just being "loaned" to the stadium but still owned by the commission. That is like saying your dental work is on loan from someone else. Public art projects like this are normally paid for by the developer, and the public arts agency gives technical assistance in the project's execution. This poor judgment by the Commission has cost the DC arts community $850,000 in much-needed capital funds.

308 agree | 268 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

5:46 AM MST on Tue., May. 22, 2007 re: "Deal should clear the way for stadium art"

Mike Licht said:
Update: The deal is now for a $206,000+ site-specific sculpture to be "loaned" to the stadium by the DC Arts Commission. That is like saying that you "borrow" your dental work, an obvious falsehood. Shame.

320 agree | 317 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate