Adam LaRoche, Drew Storen Come Up Big In Nationals Win
Adam LaRoche homered twice, Drew Storen collected his second save, and the Washington Nationals managed to salvage the last game of the series with a narrow win over the Phillies on Sunday.
Early on, the game looked as if it might quickly turn into a high-scoring comedy of errors. Grady Sizemore, who singled with one out in the first, rounded second sharply and headed to third when Marlon Byrd hit a line drive to center field. Denard Span’s hurried throw flew up the line, and as Anthony Rendon chased after the ball, Sizemore headed for home. The Nats third baseman rushed his throw as well, and the ball ended up in the dugout.
Fortunately, the Phillies did not take further advantage of the errors. Gio Gonzalez managed to stave off any further damage, and the Nationals escaped the first inning only trailing 1-0.
Adam LaRoche would tie the game in the second with a leadoff solo shot to right field. Then in the bottom of the fourth, after Darin Ruf had driven in Carlos Ruiz with a sacrifice fly to put the Phililes back up 2-1 in the top of the frame, LaRoche repeated the feat, this time to right center. The home runs were LaRoche’s 22nd and 23rd of the year, bringing his RBI total to 80. At the end of four, the game was all knotted at two.
It would stay that way until the sixth. With one out, Ian Desmond doubled into the left field corner. After a balk allowed Desmond to advance to third, Scott Hairston drove a 1-1 pitch high into the air in left. Desmond raced home ahead of the throw by Sizemore, and the Nationals had their first lead of the game.
The bullpen would make the lead hold up. Barrett, Clippard and Storen combined to pitch the seventh, eighth, and ninth respectively. Clippard allowed the only two baserunners for the bullpen, giving up a walk and a hit in the eighth, but none of the three relievers allowed a run to cross the plate.
Most impressive of the bunch was Storen. Making his first appearance as a closer since Soriano’s struggles, Storen pitched a perfect ninth, including two strikeouts. Matt Williams has commented that the Nats will use a “closer by committee” approach for the time being, but, given Clippard’s recent miscues and Storen’s performance Sunday, the manager may be forced to reconsider that idea.
Gio Gonzalez picked up the win to move to 8-9 on the season. He looked solid in the start, if not overpowering, scattering five hits over six innings, striking out three and walking none. Only one of the two runs Gio surrendered was earned, thanks to the two errors in the first.
With the win and the Braves’ loss to Miami, the Nationals lower their magic number to fourteen, and their lead in the NL East is back to seven games. Atlanta will roll into Washington to begin a three game series Monday night, giving the Nats a great opportunity to put the division out of reach, or as close to out of reach as it could be without clinching.
To kick off the series, the Nationals will send Doug Fister (12-6, 2.66 ERA) to the mound to face off against Atlanta’s Mike Minor (6-9, 4.65 ERA).