Washington Nationals Rapid Reaction: Long ball carries Nats to win
Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
The Nationals won the second game of their three game series with the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The New York Mets lost earlier in the day to the Boston Red Sox, so the Nationals were aware that a win would gain them some ground on the Mets in the NL East division race.
The Nationals were able to take advantage of the Mets loss by winning their game against the Marlins to put them five and a half games back of the division leading Mets.
It was 80’s night at Nationals Park. Perhaps knowing that the Mets had lost, or the fun and silly atmosphere at the park, or a combination of both, led the Nationals to play a good, relaxed game.
There were good defensive plays in the field. Wilson Ramos threw out Dee Gordon trying to steal second. Jordan Zimmermann made a great play on a comebacker to the mound to get an out on Martin Prado. The Nationals scored five runs, providing enough run support to Zimmermann for him to get the win.
Jordan was not dominating as a pitcher in this game. He only struck out four all evening. He allowed hits and got into minor spots of trouble. However, whenever he needed an out he got one. His performance tonight was workman like. Just another day at the office. He only allowed one run in seven innings. That one run was a upper deck home run to Justin Bour.
Next: Harper Doesn’t Hit Koehler In This Game
Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Harper Doesn’t Hit Koehler In This Game
Bryce Harper did not have a good night at the plate against Tom Koehler, the starting pitcher for the Miami Marlins.
Harper has hit Koehler well in the past. He had a three home run game off Koehler on May 6 this year. He has four homers against Koehler this season.
Tonight Harper was 0-3 against Koehler. What brought that on?
For one thing, Koehler wasn’t throwing Harper any fastballs in the strike zone. Everything was outside or breaking pitches inside. Koehler left one pitch up in Harper’s turbo zone. Harper was on it, but fouled it back.
Koehler had obviously circled Harper as the batter that was not going to beat him with a home run tonight. Koehler would walk Bryce rather than give him anything to hit.
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It seemed that Harper allowed his past success against Koehler to get into his head. Harper was not very patient at the plate tonight. He struck out twice on breaking pitches that were low and inside. Harper was not taking what the game was giving him tonight against Koehler. He was trying to force the issue, trying to hit a home run and duplicate his past success against this pitcher. It led to two strike outs and a ground out.
In Harper’s last at bat, he was facing reliever Andre Rienzo. He drew a walk. After Koehler left the game, Bryce was able to take what the game gave him.
It has been rare to see Harper allow a pitcher or a situation to get into his head this season. His patience at the plate has been remarkable, and he has recognized that he is going to get walked. A lot. He’s been taking his walks and getting on base. Tonight that was not the case while Koehler was on the mound.
Next: Other Nationals Hit Home Runs
Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Other Nationals Hit Home Runs
Bryce Harper didn’t hit a home run in this game. Ryan Zimmerman, Clint Robinson and Ian Desmond did.
Anthony Rendon drove in a run with a single. The rest of the Nationals runs were scored via the long ball.
The Nationals continue to be too dependent upon home runs for their scoring. Home runs are fun, and they exciting, and the fans like to see them and the players like to hit them. But day in and day out, teams need to be able to score runs by driving in players who get on base, not with home runs, but with hits that keep the line moving. That is how teams build leads and have big innings.
It is also the way a team can win by scratching out a run here and a run there. If a team scores a run every other inning, they will score at least four runs every game. It is rare that a team hits four home runs in a game. It is more likely that a team will have a single, a double and a sacrifice fly to score a run in an inning.
Without tonight’s home run output from Nats hitters, the Nationals would have scored one run against Koehler. He would have looked like a world beater instead of the mediocre pitcher that he is. The Nationals were only ahead 2-0 before Koehler tired in the sixth inning and gave up back to back home runs to Clint Robinson (two run shot) and Ian Desmond. If Miami had recognized that Koehler was gassed before the home runs were hit, or hadn’t sent him out there for the sixth inning, this game would have been a nail biter right down to the ninth inning, and beyond.
Next: Why Isn’t Suzuki A National?
Miami Marlins right fielder Ichiro Suzuki makes a leaping catch of a Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos line drive during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Why Isn’t Suzuki A National?
Every time the Nationals play the Marlins this season, I wonder why the Nationals didn’t swoop in and sign Ichiro Suzuki to be a bench player for this team.
He is a veteran guy. He still plays a great outfield at the age of 41. He has a decent average for a bench player, hitting .251.
The Nationals spent $1 million to sign Reed Johnson for the season, and he has been hurt just about all year. Suzuki cost the Marlins $2 million for the season, and he has been available and playing.
Suzuki is going to be available in 2016, as his contract with the Marlins was only for one year. The Nationals and Mike Rizzo should give some thought to putting Suzuki on this team for the 2016 campaign, especially if they don’t resign Denard Span. The team would then have a viable fourth outfielder on the bench who can play either corner position (and center field in a pinch) and a decent pinch hitter.
How nice would it have been to have Suzuki available to play when both Span and Michael Taylor were injured? I like Clint Robinson as a hitter, but he’s no defensive outfielder. Even if the team only used Suzuki in the later innings in a game such as tonight’s, it would be a defensive upgrade for the later innings. Suzuki hits well enough that he can be substituted in to shore up the defense without a fall off at the plate.
Next: Recap: Nats Offense Hits Three Home Runs In 5-1 Win Over Marlins