Moments That Mattered: Almost All The Way

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I don’t know about you, but after the Nats fell behind 7-0 in the fourth inning, I turned the game off. After watching yesterday’s debacle all the way through, I wasn’t about to spend my time on a laugher of a game again. However, it looks like I missed quite a bit of drama. The Nationals grabbed a few runs in the bottom of the fourth, but their odds of winning dipped as low as 1% with one out in the eighth. An impassioned rally in the eighth pulled the Nats to within just one run, but it would not be enough, and the Nats fell just short. It is quite discouraging that the Nats fell behind 7-0 for the second straight game, but at least they learned from yesterday and made the game interesting. Ross Detwiler is a good pitcher, and even the best have rough games sometimes. This result should be encouraging for the effort the offense made, given that coming back from a 7-0 is a near-impossible task. I would say that perhaps they’d have come all the way back with Harper, but who knows if they will going forward now that Jayson Werthwill miss some time.

Jun 16, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Washington Nationals catcher Jhonatan Solano (23) against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Cleveland won 2-0. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Most Important Nationals Hit: Jhonatan Solano‘s two-run double (+17.0%)

Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run bases-loaded single with two outs in the eighth, but the Nationals still trailed by three runs with just four outs remaining, albeit with two runners on base. Their odds of winning were still just 7.8% until Solano delivered with his own hit, a line drive to left. He scored Jeff Kobernus and Zimmerman, suddenly putting the Nationals down by just one when their situation had seemed impossible before.

Most Important Nationals Pitch: Michael Cuddyer‘s solo home run (-11.2%)

Like Haren yesterday, Detwiler let the Rockies get on top early. He pitched a perfect first, but Cuddyer took him deep to open the second inning, putting the Rockies up 1-0. It may seem odd that the first run was the most pivotal, but the Rockies scored each of their next four runs one at a time, and it follows logically that the run that breaks the 0-0 tie would be more important than one that extends the lead.

Champ of the Game: Solano (+17.0%) was 1-1, entering as a pinch hitter and delivering his clutch double. For the Rockies, Cuddyer (+22.9%) was monstrous, going 3-4 with a run scored and four RBI. He has now hit in 22 consecutive games and reached base in 40 straight.

Chump of the Game: Detwiler (-34.0%) was even worse than Haren was yesterday. His final line: 3.2 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 3 K. Colorado’s Matt Belisle (-6.1%) had an even worse line than Detwiler: 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, but had a small WPA hit because of how big the Rockies’ lead was.