Washington Nationals Rapid Reaction: All Win Streaks Come To An End
Jul 1, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Nationals center fielder Denard Span (2) hits an RBI single as Atlanta Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski (15) is shown on the play in the seventh inning of their game at Turner Field. The Braves won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
One of the things that the Washington Nationals have done different in 2015 compared to recent years is that they have been able to show they can beat the Braves. Yes, the Braves are a different team, but the Nationals entered last night’s game on a eight game win streak against their division rivals. Even with their 4-1 loss, the Nats are 9-2 against Atlanta this season. Keep in mind that the Nats were 8-11 against the Braves in 2014.
Last night, it was the Braves who had to show that they could beat the NL East leaders and they were able to do that thanks to help from the long ball. In the bottom of the fourth inning, A.J. Pierzynski and Juan Uribe hit back-to-back home runs to put their team on the board and put Doug Fister and the Nationals in an early hole.
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As for the Nationals’ offense, they were going up against a pitcher who they had good success against last Thursday in Matt Wisler. The Braves rookie was making his third start of the season and got himself in a couple of jams due to five walks. However, the Nats could only manage one run and were unable to get big hits in key situations. This was a win that the Braves needed when you consider they had lost six of their last seven and were starting to fade fast without Freddie Freeman in the lineup.
Before Max Scherzer takes the mound tonight to try to win the series for the Nats against another rookie, Manny Banuelos, (7:10 PM ET, MASN and MLB Network), here are my takeaways from last night’s 4-1 loss:
Next: Fister's Low Groundball Totals
Jul 1, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Doug Fister (58) throws to first as Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos (40) is shown on the play unable to get an Atlanta Braves batter out in the sixth inning of their game at Turner Field. The Braves won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Fister Leaving The Ball Up In The Zone
When you talk about Doug Fister, there are two things that come to mind. Those two things are the fast pace that he likes to pitch and that he knows how to get the ground ball outs from opposing hitters when he needs them.
Through the first three innings, Fister did not give up a hit, only allowed one batter to reach base (Cameron Maybin walk in the first), and struck out two. Then, in the fourth, the 31-year-old left-hander ran into a bit of trouble.
With one out and Maybin on first after a leadoff single, Fister hung a 2-2 curveball to A.J. Pierzynski that was pulled foul. Two pitches later, Fister left a 3-2 fastball down and in, which the Braves catcher pulled to right field for a two-run home run. When Uribe stepped to the plate, the Nats pitcher had no command and fell behind 3-0. He left a fastball over the plate and Uribe crushed it to dead center field for a home run of his own. Fister would end up giving up four runs in the inning, the only runs the Braves would score in the game.
As F.P. Santangelo of MASN pointed out during the broadcast, you can tell how a Fister start went based on his groundball out totals. Last night, he had six groundball outs, which is tied for the second lowest he has had in an outing this year. As far as the flyball outs go, there were eight, but the right-hander has had six double-digit flyball out games this year.
The Nationals need Fister to keep the ball down in the zone. Otherwise, opposing hitters will be able to crush it because it’s only coming in at about 85-86 miles per hour. That is why opposing hitters have been able to hit .287 against him this season.
Next: Wisler Lacks Command, but Nats can't take advantage
Jul 1, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Matt Wisler (37) hits an RBI single in the fourth inning of their game against the Washington Nationals at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Nats Can’t Take Advantage Of Wisler’s Lack Of Command
As I mentioned earlier, the Nationals were able to get to 22-year-old Matt Wisler the first time they saw him last Thursday. In that outing, Wisler went four innings, gave up six runs (four earned runs) on nine hits, and did not walk or strikeout a batter. Through his first two starts, the 22-year-old did not walk a single hitter.
Last night, Wisler’s command was not sharp. He has five walks in 5.1 innings. However, the Nationals were not able to take advantage of those opportunities that they had. Overall, the Nats went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left seven players on base.
One of the main problems last night was hitting into double plays in big situations. The first double play came in the third inning. Denard Span had a one out walk and Danny Espinosa had the only hit against Wisler, a base hit to right, which went off the glove of Jace Peterson. The Nats could have scored first and sent another message like they did when they scored four in the first inning on Tuesday. However, Yunel Escobar grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end that scoring chance.
Three innings later, the Nats were down 4-0, but still had a good scoring opportunity. Espinosa started it off wth a walk. Two batters later, against new pitcher Luis Avilan, Bryce Harper hit a single to right to put runners on the corner. However, Wilson Ramos, who has been in a slump of late, grounded into another 6-4-3 double play to end that rally.
It wasn’t a surprise that Wisler was pulled during the sixth inning after Yunel Escobar nearly hit a two-run homer, which was caught at the warning track in center. The Braves’ pitcher had thrown 84 pitches and his season high in his first two outings was 88. That being said, the Braves bullpen deserves some credit for shutting down the Nationals over the final 3.2 innings. The combination of Avilan, Nick Masset, Jim Johnson, and Jason Grilli gave up one run (Span single against Masset in the seventh) on three hits and struck out four.
Next: Rivero Growing Confidence In The Bullpen
Jun 21, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Felipe Rivero (73) pitches during the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Nationals Park. Washington Nationals defeated Pittsburgh Pirates 9-2. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Felipe Rivero Has Stayed Strong In The Nats Bullpen
The only Nats pitcher that threw a pitch in last night’s loss besides Fister was left-hander Felipe Rivero. The 23-year-old retired all six batters he faced in the seventh and eighth inning and struck out two Braves hitters. He has struck out at least two batters during four of his last six outings.
Rivero, who made his Major League debut on April 17, went 1-0 in the month of June with a 2.53 ERA, giving up just three runs in 10.2 innings. Out of the nine games he pitched in, he gave up a run in two of them.
With every appearance he makes in a game, Rivero is starting to grow his confidence that his pitch arsenal can get big league hitters out at a consistent rate. The question that now has to be answered is will Rivero still be with the team in the next week or so?
Last night, down at high-A Potomac, Aaron Barrett made his first rehab appearance. He struck out two batters and walked one on 16 pitches (10 strikes) and was nearly part of a combined no-hitter between him, Lucas Giolito, and Manny Rodriguez.
Right now, Rivero is the second lefty in the Nats bullpen along with Matt Thornton, but will the organization choose to go with one lefty in Thornton, who can get both lefties and righties out. That will be an interesting decision to see the Nats make. Whatever they decide on Rivero’s status when Barrett comes back, the young reliever has showed the team that he can step up and pitch well in the Major Leagues when called upon.