Washington Nationals Recap: Yunel Escobar Injured, Gio Gonzalez Roughed Up In Loss To Brewers

By Ricky Keeler |

After a brutal 3-7 West Coast trip, the Washington Nationals (60-61) were looking to get their season back on the right track against the Milwaukee Brewers (53-70). However, despite Bryce Harper hitting his 31^st home run and Trea Turner making his Major League debut, the Brewers crushed the Nationals by the final score of 10-3

Right out of the gate, the Nats lost one of their key players in the first inning. With two outs and a man on first, Adam Lind hit a ball in foul territory down the left field line. Yunel Escobar went to get the ball, but missed it and ended up hitting his knee on the railing and hitting his head on a fan. He would leave the game and Anthony Rendon would move to third with Danny Espinosa going to second.

The Nats would score first in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Ian Desmond worked a walk and stole second base. With Desmond in scoring position, Jose Lobaton hit a single to left that drove in Desmond to put the Nationals in front, 1-0. However, that lead would not last for long.

Against Gio Gonzalez (9-6, 3.98), Jonathan Lucroy would tie the game at one with a RBI double to left that drove in Jean Segura. After a passed ball moved Lucroy to third, Ryan Braun hit a sacrifice fly to right to give Milwaukee the lead, 2-1. They would not look back from there.

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Two innings later, Gonzalez got hit in the shin to start off the frame by a line drive from Lucroy. He would stay in the game. Three batters later, with runners on second and third, Davis hit s a sacrifice fly to center that drove in Lucroy to make it 3-1. Then, Domingo Santana, who was making his Brewers’ debut, hit a two-run homer to left. Santana’s third of the season doubled Miwaukee’s lead to 5-1.

That would be it for Gonzalez as Max Scherzer would enter the game to pinch hit for Gonzalez in the bottom of the inning. The Nats’ left-hander went five innings, gave up five runs (four earned runs) on eight hits, struck out five, and walked two on 91 pitches (59 strikes) in the loss.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Nats would get one run back against Brewers’ starter, Jimmy Nelson (10-9, 3.60). With one out, Harper crushed a ball to right center for a solo shot to cut the deficit to 5-2. It was Harper’s 31^st home run of the season. As for Nelson, he went 5.1 innings, gave up two runs on five hits, struck out four, and walked two in the win.

The Brewers would break the game open in the top of the seventh. Facing Doug Fister, the Brewers loaded the bases with no one out. Later in the inning, Scooter Gennett hit a ball that deflected off of Fister for an infield single to make the score 6-2.

After a double switch that brought Tanner Roark in to pitch and Trea Turner in to play short, Elian Herrera hit a base hit to right to extend the lead to 7-2. A catcher’s interference would make it 8-2 and then a sac fly by Jean Segura plus a throwing error by Bryce Harper would have the Brewers leading 10-2 when the top of the inning was done.

While the Nats would get one run back in the bottom of the seventh on a Michael Taylor home run to left, his 12^th of the season, it would not be enough. After the Taylor home run, Turner grounded out to short in his first at-bat. He would later ground out to second in the bottom of the ninth for the final out of the game. Kyle Lohse pitched the final three innings and gave up one run (the Taylor home run) on one hit to record his first career save.

Next Game: The Washington Nationals will continue their three game series against the Brewers tomorrow night at Nats Park. You can catch the game on MASN2 at 7:05 PM ET. Joe Ross (3-5, 3.86 ERA) gets the start for the Nats against Taylor Jungmann (7-4, 2.33) for the Brewers.

Next: Nationals vs. Brewers Series Preview

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