Moments That Mattered: Hits? Check. Runs? Uhh…
By Andrew Flax
Source:
There are signs of improvement with the Nationals’ offense. For the second straight game, the team managed 10+ hits. The struggling Steve Lombardozzi and Tyler Moore both had hits again. In fact, every starting position player had a hit. The trouble for the Nats came with situational hitting. The team was 2-12 with runners in scoring position, and left 11 runners on base. However, this news should not be discouraging. On the season, the Nats are 17th in baseball with a .246 average with runners in scoring position, and one game can be an aberration. If the Nationals continue to put runners on base, they will score them. Tonight, however, they failed to, and some untimely poor relieving from Drew Storen broke a tie in the eighth and gave the Phillies a win.
Most Important Nationals Hit: Adam LaRoche‘s solo home run (+16.9%)
May 25, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche (25) is congratulated by third base coach Trent Jewett after hitting a solo homer during the fifth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
The Nationals trailed 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth, despite already having had eight hits in the previous four innings. LaRoche came up with one out and the bases surprisingly empty, but he delivered his own offense, depositing Jonathan Pettibone‘s pitch in the Phillies’ bullpen. The homer was his eighth of the season.
Most Important Nationals Pitch: Delmon Young‘s RBI single (-29.0%)
With two outs and a runner on first in the eighth, Drew Storen looked close to escaping with a clean frame. However, a long single to right by Delmon Young scored Michael Young from first and gave the Phillies a 4-3 lead. Immediately afterwards, Domonic Brown doubled to right center, scoring the other Young and putting the Phillies up by the eventual final score of 5-3.
Champ of the Game: LaRoche (+21.6%) hit a game-tying home run, and was 2-4 with a walk and two RBI overall. For the Phillies, Delmon Young (+27.7%) was 1-3 with his clutch single.
Chump of the Game: Storen (-35.3%) turned a tied game into a two-run deficit that the Nationals had six outs to dig their way out of. After giving up two runs on two hits and a walk in one inning today, his season ERA is 5.21. Philadelphia’s $125M man, Ryan Howard (-12.4%) had a golden sombrero, going 0-4 with 4 Ks.