Washington Nationals: Takeaways From 3-1 Loss To Indians
Check out our three takeaways from last night’s 3-1 Washington Nationals loss to the Cleveland Indians
Last night, the Washington Nationals got another great pitching performance from Max Scherzer against the Cleveland Indians. He had a no-hitter into the seventh inning, but the Indians scored two runs in the seventh, which were the difference in a 3-1 loss.
Just like Sunday afternoon against the Giants, there was another classic pitching duel as Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer gave up only four hits in 6.1 innings. It was another rough night for the Washington Nationals offense as they went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Since arriving back home from their West Coast road trip, the Washington Nationals have scored eight runs in four games and only one run in each of their last three games. Last night was also the second straight game that Bryce Harper was out of the lineup because of a neck injury. It is clear that the Nats need Harper back to provide the big bat that this offense needs.
Despite the offensive struggles, Jayson Werth extended his record on-base streak to 39 games with a walk in the first inning. Plus, Werth provided the only run of the night with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth against one of the top relievers in the game, Andrew Miller.
Before the two teams finish their two-game miniseries this afternoon at Nats Park (4:05 p.m ET, MASN), check out my three takeaways from last night’s 3-1 loss:
Next: Scherzer Shines In A Loss
Scherzer Shines Even In A Loss
Last night, you had the sense that history was going to happen as the night went on for Scherzer. He had a perfect game for 4.2 innings until rookie Tyler Naquin drew a two out walk. Then, two innings later, Francisco Lindor had the first Indians hit of the night with a one out single in the seventh.
After that single, Scherzer made a throwing error that allowed Lindor to go to third. He would eventually score on a Jose Ramirez RBI double to right field. Despite the error and the loss last night, Scherzer had a great performance.
Scherzer went seven innings, gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits, struck out ten, and walked one on 108 pitches (70 strikes) in the loss. He has struck out ten or more batters in three of his last four starts and has 44 strikeouts in five starts since the All-Star Break. Plus, he had a great defensive play on a bunt by Ramirez to start the fifth.
During last night’s game, Scherzer continued to set more milestones as he became the fourth active pitcher to record 200+ strikeouts for five consecutive seasons (according to ESPN Stats and Info). As ESPN Stats and Info also pointed out, there seems to be a good chance some history will happen every time he takes the mound:
Most No-Hit Bids Through 5 IP - Last 2 Seasons
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 10, 2016
Max Scherzer 8 (includes Tuesday)
Corey Kluber 6
While Scherzer does have 12 wins this season, there have been a couple of instances where he hasn’t gotten the run support from his offense, such as the 1-0 loss to the Brewers on July 4 or the near loss to the Pirates on July 17, if not for a Daniel Murphy pinch-hit home run in the ninth.
Regardless of the lack of run support and his first loss to the Indians since 2012, Scherzer continues to show why he has been worth every penny the Washington Nationals paid him and why he should be in the Cy Young conversation in the National League.
Next: Werth's On-Base Streak Continues
Werth’s Streak Continues
One of the surprises of this season for the Washington Nationals has been the play of Jayson Werth. Last night, Werth extended his record on-base streak to 39 games with a walk against Trevor Bauer in the bottom of the first. But, that wasn’t his best moment of the night.
With one out the bottom of the eighth, Werth had a good at-bat against Andrew Miller. After falling behind 1-2 in the count, Miller threw five consecutive sliders to Werth. On the fifth slider, the Washington Nationals left fielder took advantage of a rare mistake by Miller and hit the ball over the left field wall.
Coming into last night, Miller had given up only six home runs on the season and that Werth home run was just the second home run he has given up since July 2 and its only the ninth run the left-hander has given up all season.
Even though Werth has a .250 batting average on the season, he has been the best Washington Nationals player when it comes to hitting in the later innings. In the seventh inning or later, the 37-year-old is hitting .304 with eight home runs and 23 RBI’s.
If Trea Turner got on-base against Cody Allen in the bottom of the ninth last night, Werth would’ve had a chance to tie or win the game. While there is no guarantee he would’ve came through in the clutch, he is one of the players Nats fans should trust when he’s at the plate in those situations.
Next: Revere Makes Fantastic Catch
Revere Stealing Runs With His Defense
With Trea Turner having to play second base because of the Ryan Zimmerman injury causing Daniel Murphy to move to first base, Ben Revere has taken back the role as the everyday center fielder.
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Over the last two games, Revere has made some fantastic plays in center field. On Sunday, he made the over-the-shoulder catch against Brandon Belt to take two runs away from the Giants. Last night, Revere didn’t end up saving the game, but it shouldn’t take away from the play he made.
In the top of the sixth, Roberto Perez hit a ball to deep center field that looked destined for extra bases to start the inning, but Revere made a leaping catch against the wall to keep the no-hitter intact. If Scherzer did complete the no-no, that catch would be played on a loop in baseball history for a long time.
Revere has had a disappointing season offensively, but he was the only Washington Nationals player last night to have a multi-hit game (2-for-4) and he has two multi-hit games in the last four games. At the same time, his batting average is only at .212 for the season.
In the end, Revere is not going to provide much offense to the Washington Nationals lineup, especially since he is hitting .169 since the All-Star Break in 59 at-bats. But, at the same time, his defense can play a factor, especially today when he starts in center field with rookie Brian Goodwin in right field for Harper.