Washington Nationals Rapid Reaction: Max Scherzer Has Been Everything Nats Could Have Hoped For
Jun 20, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) celebrates after recording a no hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park. The Nationals won 6 – 0. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
When the Washington Nationals signed Max Scherzer to a seven year, $210 million contract this winter, the organization and their fans knew they were getting a pitcher that was one of the best in the American League and a former Cy Young Award winner. In his last two starts, Scherzer has done something that nobody could have expected.
After nearly throwing a no-hitter against the Brewers last Sunday, Scherzer completed the no-hitter against the Pirates yesterday and was one strike away from throwing a perfect game. It was the second no-hitter in the short history of the Nats (Jordan Zimmermann in 2014) In his last two starts (both complete games), he has given up one hit, struck out 26 batters, walked one, and hit a batter. Plus, Scherzer threw this no-hitter against a Pirates team that came into the Nation’s Capital on an eight-game win streak.
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While the main focus of yesterday’s 6-0 win was about Scherzer, it went under the radar that Bryce Harper was back in the Nats lineup after missing one game with a mild hamstring strain. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Harper crushed a solo home run to dead center field to put the team on the board.
Harper now has a career high 23 home runs this season and it isn’t even July. It had to be a relief to fans to see Harper back in the lineup so soon after suffering what looked to be a serious injury Thursday night against the Rays.
Due to these consecutive wins by the Nationals and two straight losses by the Mets to the Atlanta Braves, the Nats will enter today’s game in first place in the National League East.
Before Gio Gonzalez attempts to finish off the sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon at 1:35 PM ET, here are my three takeaways from yesterday’s historic day at Nats Park:
Next: Scherzer's No-No By The Numbers
Jun 20, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) is doused with chocolate sauce by left fielder Jayson Werth (right) after throwing a no hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park. The Nationals won 6 – 0. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Scherzer In Complete Control Against Pirates
When you go into more detail about yesterday’s no-hitter, one of the things that you will notice is that the right-hander went predominantly with his fastball. According to Brooks Baseball, 59 of his 106 pitches were fastballs and they averaged 94.7 miles per hour. In the start prior against the Brewers, his fastball was on average of 95.5 miles per hour and threw it on 67 of his 119 pitches.
While Scherzer’s slider was not at its best yesterday, he did an excellent job of pitching to contact and taking advantage of a Pirates lineup that had an early gameplan of avoiding the two strike count. Scherzer had only thrown 15 pitches through the first two innings.
In the third inning, that’s when the strikeouts started to pile up. He struck out five of the next six batters he faced. With his ten strikeouts, Scherzer has had six double digit strikeout games in his last ten outings and leads the National League in K’s with 123.
Then, in the seventh, Scherzer got into the zone after getting a much needed break thanks to the Nats offense scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth. All day, he was getting his fastball up to 97 mph and constantly getting two strike counts on opposing hitters. He did have some tough battles with Jung Ho Kang and of course, Jose Tabata in the ninth, but he was able to work his way out of trouble most of the time.
Let’s take a look at that Tabata at-bat. First off, you have to give the Pirates pinch-hitter a little bit of credit. He was down 0-2 in the count immediately, but got the count to 2-2 and fouled off three straight pitches. Then, on the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Tabata got hit in the elbow guard by a slider, but it appeared that he did not make a lot of effort to get out of the way.
This is what Tabata had to say to reporters after the game:
“He tried to throw a slider inside, and it didn’t break. It stayed right there,” Tabata said. “And he got me. He got me on the elbow, on the protection [his elbow pad]. I want to do my job.” (h/t Tom Singer, MLB.com)
Regardless of what you thought about that situation, Scherzer was able to shake it off and get Josh Harrison to fly out to left to complete the no-hitter. He was very efficient during his outing, as he did not throw more than 17 pitches in any inning.
Yes, Scherzer will have a chance in his next start to match Johnny Vander Meer as being the second pitcher in history to throw consecutive no-hitters. However, when you think about his last two starts in the grand scheme of things, this may be the closest to Vander Meer’s historic feat from 1938 that we see for a long time. Plus, his game score of 97 yesterday was three points lower than his outing last Sunday against Milwaukee, when he struck out 16 (100 game score).
Next: Defense Comes To The Rescue
Jun 3, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa (8) throws to first base after tagging out Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (56) during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Nats Defense Keeps History Alive
For most of this season, one of the Nationals main problems has been their defense. However, yesterday, the Nats made several key plays to preserve the perfect game bid at the time for Scherzer. When you watch a perfect game or no-hitter, there are usually some key plays that come to mind that save the historic bid during various points in the game.
The first big defensive play came in the top of the third. With one out, Jordy Mercer hit a pitch to deep left field, but Michael Taylor made a leaping grab against the wall for the out. During the first two games of this series, Taylor has made a couple of plays that have saved either extra base hits or runs from scoring. In 27 games at left field this year, the 24-year-old has yet to make an error.
Then, we fast forward to the eighth inning. With two outs, Pedro Alvarez hit a ball past the diving Anthony Rendon and into right field. However, thanks to the shift, Danny Espinosa was in shallow right and made the throw to Tyler Moore just in time for the out.
Before the game, Espinosa was slated to start at shortstop as Ian Desmond was going to get his second day off. However, with Yunel Escobar scratched from the lineup due to a stomach bug, Desmond was at shortstop and Espinosa was at second. In this case, the Nats second baseman was in the right place at the right time.
Finally, we take a look at that ninth inning. Scherzer went up against Gregory Polanco, who he struck out twice in the game. Polanco hit a 0-1 curveball in foul territory, but Anthony Rendon made the catch in front of the dugout railing for the out.
It was a big play by Rendon when you consider that Polanco has the speed to beat out an infield single if he had to. For one day, the Nationals defense was a strength for the team and was able to preserve a chance for their ace to accomplish history.
Next: Offense Comes Alive In The 6th
Jun 20, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) is congratulated by third base coach Bob Henley (14) after hitting a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Nats Offense Breaks Game Open In The 6th
In the backdrop of Scherzer’s perfect game bid, Francisco Liriano was having a good game of his own. Through 5.1 innings, Liriano had only given up three hits, one of them being a Bryce Harper home run and another was a single by Scherzer in the third inning.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Denard Span struck out swinging, but Francisco Cervelli could not find the ball, which allowed Span to go to first. After stealing second, Anthony Rendon drove Span in with a RBI double to left field. Not only did Span steal his eighth base of the season, but the Nats have stolen three bases in two games this series.
After the Rendon double, Bryce Harper drove in his second run with a base hit to left to make the score 3-0. Three batters later, the Nats had a chance to break the game open with runners at second and third and two outs. That’s when Tyler Moore came up with the clutch hit. Moore singled to center and drove in Harper and Wilson Ramos to cap a four run sixth inning and end Liriano’s afternoon.
Last week, it was Clint Robinson’s series to shine in Milwaukee. This week, Moore is taking advantage of his playing time against the Pirates. In the last two days, Moore is 3-for-6 with two RBI’s and has raised his average from .177 to .200.
After going 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position Friday night, the Nationals took full advantage of their scoring opportunities yesterday, going 3-for-5 in those situations. Harper’s home run is the only long ball the team has hit in this series, but the Nats have shown that they are capable of stringing hits together and playing small ball when they have to in order to get the job done.