Photo by Lynn G. for TalkNats
This was a game that the Washington Nationals really needed to win, and Anibal Sanchez and Howie Kendrick delivered for this team in a big way. The Nats shutout the Braves 7-0 after Sanchez went 7.0 scoreless innings. On the offense, everyone contributed, and Howie Kendrick went 3-4 with a HR and 3 RBIs. The Nats put together that balanced win as they excelled in all aspects in a great team win.
Also with this win, the Nationals guaranteed themselves another winning season with this 82nd win giving them eight consecutive winning seasons. More importantly the Nationals take another game off of the calendar with 14 games remaining and just 4 series in this regular season.
This season against teams who would be in the playoffs if the season ended today, Anibal Sanchez has faced the Braves five times, the Dodgers twice, and the Cubs and Twins one time each, and his combined ERA against those teams is a stingy 2.91. Sanchez has proven to be a pitcher who has stepped up in big spots this season. For the season, Sanchez moves into second place in the Majors for the lowest hard-hit rate at 27.6%.
“Those guys are unbelievable,” Sánchez said of his outfielders who turned in some great defense behind him. “Sometimes they don’t look as young as they are. You can see how young they are for the energy they bring to the team, but the way that they played in these games, they looked like veterans on the field.”
As the Nats say goodbye to the Braves for the regular season, they hope to see them in the postseason. A game like today instills some confidence back into this team. The Nats starting pitching actually out-pitched the Braves in this three game series. The Nats lost yesterday’s game in the bullpen.
Developing, Dave Martinez left the dugout. He wasn't thrown out.
— Talk Nats ⚾ (@TalkNats2) September 15, 2019
We broke the news that manager Dave Martinez exited the dugout as we await news on what happened the team did disclose that Martinez was taken to a local hospital but would not say what was wrong with the Nats manager. It has been a stressful weekend which started with a lack of sleep after a 5:01 am flight from Minnesota to DC on Friday morning was then coupled with the Charlie Culberson hit-by-pitch to the face. Martinez appealed that Culberson offered at the ball which was ruled that he did. Braves manager Brian Snitker went ballistic at the umpires, and after the game Martinez was grilled by the Atlanta press after the incident. The team will be exiting shortly for the airport to fly to St. Louis at approximately 6:30 pm, and it is unknown whether Martinez will be on that flight.
