Washington Nationals Rapid Reaction: Johnny Cueto Shuts Out Nats In Battle Of Aces
Jul 7, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals center fielder Michael Taylor (3) cannot make the play on the wall on a Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jay Bruce (32) (not pictured) fly ball RBI double in the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Coming into this series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals, all the talk was about last night’s matchup of aces between Max Scherzer and Johnny Cueto. Scherzer was named to the All-Star team on Monday night while Cueto waits to find out if he wins the Final Vote spot on Friday. Last night, Cueto made a good impression to the fans that are casting their votes as well as to teams who are looking to trade for him before the July 31 trade deadline
It was a rare bad outing for the Nats’ ace as he did not even finish five innings. It is the first time that Scherzer did not go five innings in an outing since June 17 of last year against the Kansas City Royals. It was one of those nights where Scherzer was looking to get run support, but with a lineup that did not have Denard Span and Yunel Escobar in it, that was a tough task against one of the game’s best pitchers.
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While Taylor Jordan and Sammy Solis did a good job after Scherzer, the story has to be the struggles of the offense in these first two games. The Nats, who are now 0-5 against the Reds this season, are 0-for-13 in this series with runners in scoring position. On defense, they made a couple of errors as well (Dan Uggla and Danny Espinosa).
Yes, the lineup does not have most of its regulars, but it should be able to come up with at least one hit in a big spot. Now the Nationals will try to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Reds, who are in fourth place in the NL Central. Fortunately, for the Nats, they are 3.5 games up in the NL East despite all of the injuries they have had this season.
Before Gio Gonzalez takes the mound tonight against Michael Lorenzen (7:05 PM ET, MASN), here are my takeaways from last night’s 5-0 loss:
Next: No Need To Worry About Scherzer
Jul 7, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams (9) stands on the mound as he removes starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) from the game during the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Scherzer’s Bad Outing Not A Cause For Concern
When Nats fans watch a Max Scherzer start, they have come to expect dominance from their ace. Last night, it was arguably Scherzer’s worst start since putting on a Nationals’ uniform. He went 4.2 innings, gave up five runs on seven hits, struck out four, and did not walk a batter.
Right out of the gate, the Reds put up two runs in the first inning. After an error by Dan Uggla turned a Brandon Phillips single into a double, Joey Votto began his three hit night with a double off the wall in right to score Phillips. Two batters later, it was Jay Bruce who tripled off the wall in right to make the lead 2-0 Reds.
Votto would come back up in the third inning and hit a 1-1 fastball over the wall in right field for a solo home run. Just like that, the Reds were up 3-0 and three runs are usually enough when Johnny Cueto was on the mound.
While Scherzer did throw 18 first pitch strikes to 22 batters and had 59 of his 81 pitches for strikes, his location was off and he only managed to induce two groundball outs, which is tied for the fewest in any outing this season. The last time he had two groundball outs in an outing was May 27 against the Cubs, when he struck out 13 batters. Here is what Scherzer had to say after the game:
Scherzer not down b/c he just didn't have it: 'When you think you have it and you just don't make pitches, then you start throwing chairs.'
— Chase Hughes (@ChaseHughesNBCS) July 8, 2015
To me, there is no concern involving Max Scherzer, but the All-Star Break could not come at a better time. He is scheduled to pitch against the Orioles on Sunday, but as F.P. Santangelo pointed out on the MASN broadcast, the Nats’ ace might have felt the effects of pitching all those complete games over the last few starts. Despite a bad start last night, the confidence in Scherzer right now should still be sky high.
Next: Jordan And Solis Preserve Bullpen
Jun 3, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Taylor Jordan (38) pitches during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jordan And Solis Save The Bullpen
Normally, you do not expect the Nationals to have to go deep into their bullpen in a Max Scherzer start. In order to save some of his key relievers, manager Matt Williams went to Taylor Jordan with two outs in the top of the fifth. Jordan got out of the inning and gave the Nats a solid relief appearance.
The 26-year-old right-hander went 3.1 innings, gave up no runs on two hits, struck out three, and walked one on 45 pitches. This is the second time that Jordan has faced the Reds this season. Back on May 29, he was the pitcher who came in for Stephen Strasburg, who left that start early due to injury.
During that game, Jordan went 4.2 innings, gave up three runs on six hits, struck out two, and walked one on 74 pitches, but he took the loss. That being said, Jordan came back to the Nats Sunday with a good amount of confidence. In his last 20 innings for triple-A Syracuse, he gave up three combined runs and had nine strikeouts.
After Jordan’s appearance, Sammy Solis came into the game to pitch in the ninth inning. Solis retired all three Reds in order, all via groundball outs. Williams was able to use him because Solis might not be with the club much longer. David Carpenter is due back any day from paternity leave and will slide back into the bullpen. All in all, even in a bad Scherzer start, Williams found a way to preserve the bullpen, thanks to good outings from Jordan and Solis.
Next: Nats Waste Early Scoring Chances
Jul 7, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto (47) pitches during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Nats Don’t Take Advantage Of Early Scoring Chances
Against a dominant pitcher like Johnny Cueto, you have to find a way to take advantage of run scoring opportunities when you get them. The Nationals have not been able to do that at all this series, going 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Even down 2-0 early, Washington had a chance to answer back against Cueto in the bottom of the first.
Thanks to an error by Joey Votto at first, Danny Espinosa reached base and then Bryce Harper looped a single into left for a hit. However, Wilson Ramos grounded out to second and Clint Robinson flew out on the first pitch to end that chance.
Three innings later, it was Harper who started the inning off with a leadoff walk. Thanks to an error by Todd Frazier on a groundball by Ramos, the Nats had two on and nobody out. Even in that situation, Washington couldn’t get a run. Robinson grounded out to second, but since Ramos stopped running because he thought he was out of the baseline, the Reds turned it into a double play.
The worst blown opportunity came in the bottom of the fifth, even though the Nats were down 5-0. Ian Desmond led off the inning with a triple to left field. However, not only were Matt den Dekker, Taylor Jordan, and Michael Taylor not able to score Desmond from third, they all struck out. This was part of a streak of five straight strikeouts for the Reds’ ace.
On the night, Cueto threw a complete game, two-hit shutout, struck out 11 Nats (a season high) and walked one on 122 pitches. The Nats did work his pitch count up a couple of times, but they were not able to get the big hit to get back in the game. Last night, you saw some of the effects of how a lineup without most of its regulars can look when facing a dominant pitcher of Cueto’s caliber.