Washington Nationals Rapid Reactions: Nats Split Doubleheader with Blue Jays

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Jun 2, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning in game two of a double header at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Nationals split their Tuesday doubleheader with the Toronto Blue Jays, getting outscored 7-5 on the day. Game 1 was a pitcher’s duel between the Nats’ Jordan Zimmermann and Toronto’s R.A. Dickey. Zimmermann went eight scoreless as Washington shut out the Blue Jays’ offense to the tune of a 2-0 final score. Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman each had an RBI, while Drew Storen earned his league-leading 17th save of the year.

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In Game 2, Max Scherzer squared off against former National Marco Estrada. Tyler Moore checked in with an RBI double and Harper went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored, as the Nats took a 3-1 lead into the 6th inning. Scherzer had pitched well up until that point, but the momentum shifted when center fielder Kevin Pillar hit his second home run of the day, a three run shot into the left field seats that put Toronto up for good.

Blake Treinen came on in relief the following inning, only to load the bases with no outs. He was charged with three earned after Felipe Rivero came in for the final out three batters later. The Jays took Game 2 by a score of 7-3.

While dominant pitching was the theme in Game 1, the Toronto offense put on a show in the nightcap. The Nats now sit at 29-23, first place in the National League East and 0.5 games ahead of the New York Mets. The Blue Jays are 24-30 after snapping a three game losing streak. They are fourth in the American League East, 4.5 games back of the New York Yankees.

Next: Game 1 Takeaways

Jun 2, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (27) throws to the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning in game one of a double header at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1

Jordan Zimmermann has evidently shaken off his early season struggles, going 3-1 in his last four starts while allowing only three earned runs over 28 combined innings. This start against Toronto may have been his best thus far, as he went eight innings, allowing no runs on six hits, struck out four batters, and walked one on 105 pitches (69 strikes). The free agent-to-be lowered his ERA on the season to 2.88, a drastic improvement from the 4.20 it was on May 14th.

With all their preseason expectations, the Nationals’ pitching staff has not lived up to the hype. With Doug Fister and Stephen Strasburg on the disabled list following stretches of poor outings, manager Matt Williams has been left looking for answers. While Max Scherzer has been a Cy Young candidate and Tanner Roark has filled in admirably, not much else has gone well for the Nats’ starters. However, if Zimmermann is truly rounding back into form, the D.C. rotation may be able to make a name for themselves over the rest of the season.

On the offensive side of the ball, the only runs scored came in the bottom of the fifth. Jordan Zimmermann started off the inning with a hard-hit single to center, turning over the lineup with a runner on first and no outs. Following a Yunel Escobar walk and Ian Desmond sacrifice bunt, Bryce Harper hit an RBI single, scoring Zimmermann. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman then hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Escobar.

Next: Game 2 Takeaways

Jun 2, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar (11) hits a single against the Washington Nationals during the fourth inning in game two of a double header at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Game 2

Tuesday’s nightcap featured a depleted Nationals’ lineup, as Matt Williams optioned to rest starters Ryan Zimmerman and Wilson Ramos, as well as Denard Span (knee). Bench players Tyler Moore, Clint Robinson, Michael Taylor, and Jose Lobaton all cracked the lineup. They, along with the rest of the Nats’ starters, did their damage in the fourth and fifth innings off Marco Estrada.

Harper and Moore led off the fourth with back-to-back doubles to put the home team up 1-0. Lobaton followed two batters later with an RBI single to right to bring home Moore. The next inning, Max Scherzer started off with a single to center, and scored four batters later on a bases loaded sacrifice fly by Tyler Moore, his second RBI of the game. The offense would remain stagnant for the rest of the game, however, and ultimately couldn’t get any sort of rally together against the Toronto bullpen.

Scherzer looked like his normal self against anyone that wasn’t Kevin Pillar, who finished 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs in the game. Overall, Max went six innings, allowing four runs on six hits. He struck out five batters and walked two on 101 pitches (69 strikes). He took the loss, but it was Blake Treinen who put the game out of reach. The Blue Jays scored three on him in the seventh, as he was only able to record two outs before being pulled. Felipe Rivero provided 1.1 innings of hitless relief and Casey Janssen worked out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the 9th to keep the score at 7-3.

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