Moments That Mattered: Game 16

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Most Important Nationals Hit: Steve Lombardozzi‘s reach on error (+0.109)

With runners on first and second and no outs, Lombardozzi sent what looked like a double-play grounder to Mets 2B David Murphy. However, Murphy botched the relay, pulling Ruben Tejada off second base, and gave the Nationals a bases-loaded, no-outs situation. WPA loves potential runs, which is why that scenario was so valuable, and why the Nats’ WPA dropped so much when Kurt Suzuki, Roger Bernadina, and Denard Span each failed to get some offense going.

Apr 19, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Chad Tracy (18) is safe at second when New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada (11) can

Most Important Nationals Pitch: Daniel Murphy‘s single (-0.094) 

Continuing with the potential run theme, putting runners on first and third with no outs is a more valuable single play than scoring one of those runners on a wild pitch (-0.031, next play). John Buck‘s RBI single to make it 2-0 was a close second (-0.085) but the value of Murphy’s single was maximized since it came with no outs in the bottom of the first.

Champ of the Game: Shamefully, Lombardozzi (+0.072) takes this title thanks to Murphy’s error. He was 0-4. Matt Harvey (-0.251) was masterful for New York, allowing just one run in seven innings while striking out seven.

Chump of the Game: Jayson Werth (-0.129) was only 0-3 with a walk, but grounded into a -10.2% double play after Denard Span singled in the sixth, composing the majority of his negative score. Tejada (-0.025) was not good at the plate for New York, going 0-4, though Murphy is exonerated despite his costly error because of his +10.6% overall.