Photo by Andrew Lang for TalkNats
The Nats lost this game by two runs, but rewind to the 5th inning when the Nationals were ahead 5-2 and Juan Soto could not catch a low liner. The inning spiraled out of control, but who didn’t see that starter Jeremy Hellickson had hit the wall and ex-Nats slugger Mark Reynolds tied up the game with a smash over the centerfield wall. In the 5-5 game, the Nationals were shutout the rest of the way leading to a 7-5 loss and adding to the team woes in first games of series at 1 win against 7 losses.
We talk all the time about the “little things” and those “things” were on display in the field and in the manager’s hands. Sure, the Nationals hit into some bad luck, but they did not leave themselves with enough chances. The Nationals spoiled a Brian Dozier 3-run home run which was the big blast, but the Nationals had chances for add-on runs but could not capitalize.
The Nationals did flash some defense in the 6th inning when Victor Robles caught a loud flyout near the warning track in centerfield and set up square to the infield and threw a strike to second base to cutdown the runner tagging up from first base as Brian Dozier made a quick catch and tag.
Juan Soto had a nice hit late in the game and Ryan Zimmerman had two hits to add to Dozier’s offense. One of the key plays in the game ahead of Dozier’s 3-run home run was an 11 pitch at-bat that Yan Gomes turned into a walk.
The team once again falls below .500 with this loss and now head to a game they need to win tomorrow to get back to .500.
