Annual Congressional Baseball Game

The pledge of allegiance

The Democrats beat Republicans 13-5 on Tuesday night at Nationals Park in the annual congressional baseball game.

The game was tied 4-4 at the bottom of the sixth inning. But in the seventh inning, GOP pitcher Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) was lit up, resulting in nine runs for the Democrats.

GOP fan ranks began to shrink at this point as Dems grew more confident of a win, but blackberries buzzing across the stadium heralded the announcement of a new deal on financial regulatory reform that had staffers on both sides of the aisle excited.

Said GOP team captain Joe Barton (R-Texas), "The most important thing about tonight is that we exceeded our charitable goal by so much. The Boys and Girls Club are the real winners here."

— Report and photographs by Christina Wilkie

Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) at the mound

Rep. John Ensign's (R-Nev.) stats on the Jumbotron

Republicans at bat

Democrats at bat

Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.)

Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.)

Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.)

Nick Massella and Katherine Kennedy

Jessica Gibson and Victoria Michael