Going Deep with The Nats

Photo by Marlene Koenig for TalkNats

The Nationals offense stepped on the gas pedal and did not let up in this game in which they scored 16-runs on 19-hits which also included eight home runs. The starting outfield trio of Juan Soto, Adam Eaton, and Victor Robles combined for four home runs on six hits. Soto hit his 50th career home run today to join that 50 home run club for players younger than 21 in which there are only three members and the other two are Tony Conigliaro (56) and Mel Ott (61).  Speaking of home runs, every Nats starting position player had a home run except for Yan Gomes and Trea Turner, but don’t feel bad for them as they had multiple hits just like every spot in the lineup except for the pitcher’s spot.  The final score: 16-8 Continue reading →

Sometimes the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, and the Nationals once again had a three run lead in the 9th inning like they did eight days ago and five days ago and again tonight and each time Sean Doolittle was brought in to close out the game. In those three games, Doolittle blew two saves and was a run away from another and combined gave up 10 earned runs. Why has manager Dave Martinez followed the same game plan in each game? The last two fastballs that Doolittle threw tonight had diminished velocity at 91 and 90 mph which are well below his season’s average 93.6 mph. Continue reading →

This was one of those signature wins from the Nats who only had 3-hits and no home runs yet they scored the only two runs they needed to win this one behind some small ball along with some exceptional pitching by starter Patrick Corbin, Daniel Hudson, Hunter Strickland, and closer Sean Doolittle. The Nationals won this game by a final score of 2-1 which left no margin for error in a game that the Brewers seemed to have runners on-base most of the night — because they did in every inning except the second inning. The Brewers got a 7-inning gem from Adrian Houser, and the Nats won this one off of the Brewers bullpen after Trea Turner worked a lead-off walk then took second base on an Adam Eaton bunt and scored on an Anthony Rendon double much the same way the Nats scored their first run of the game thanks to Turner and Rendon.

Continue reading →

Photo by Marlene Koenig for TalkNats

This game had the look of a classic pitcher’s duel between Stephen Strasburg and Trevor Bauer as they went to the bottom of the fifth inning in a 1-1 game. Both runs were scored without a hit, and this game looked like the next mistake by either team could be the difference in the game. But the bottom of the fifth inning would change everything with one out and Stephen Strasburg up to bat with 2 strikes and runners on third and second base, the former Silver Slugger served a forehand over the second baseman to score one run to make it a 2-1 game as the wheels were about to come off. The Nats then hit a single, Adam Eaton 3-run home run, Anthony Rendon solo home run, single, walk, and finally a pitching change at a 7-1 game. The Nats continued to roll and finished the inning at 11-1 while putting 9 earned runs on Bauer’s ledger in 4 1/3 innings. That 10-run fifth inning set a record for these 2019 Nationals for runs scored in one inning.  Continue reading →