Washington Nationals dominate Chicago Cubs in doubleheader sweep

In their fifth doubleheader of the year, the Washington Nationals got their first sweep. Max Scherzer dominated the first, Bryce Harper won the second late.

The Washington Nationals had doubleheader number five on the year facing them Saturday. The hosts managed to dominate throughout, on the day when Jayson Werth was inducted into the Ring of Honor.

One of the main players Werth acknowledged in his speech was Max Scherzer, putting him in the company of Roy Halladay. The Nats ace certainly lived up to that praise in his start in the first game of the day.

Scherzer dominated the Cubs for eight innings, allowing just one run on five hits and struck out 10. Manager Davey Martinez sent him out for the ninth to finish it off. He had to labor through the inning, giving up four hits and two more runs, but he locked it down for his second complete game of the year.

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Then in game two, the Cubs jumped out to a 4-0 lead after Victor Caratini hit a grand slam off of Jefry Rodriguez in the fourth inning. But slowly, the Nationals crept back into the game.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon was determined that Bryce Harper wouldn’t beat him all game. Entering the seventh inning, the outfielder had gone 0 for 0 with three walks. Maddon pitched to him, and he dispatched the ball deep over the centerfield wall to put the Nats on top 6-5.

The game then entered a rain delay that seemed short compared what those around the team has experienced yesterday. But in the end, the Greg Holland came on for the ninth and the Nats closed it out. It wrapped up a positive, if long and somewhat dreary day by the end of it.

Sanchez starts twice and impresses

In a somewhat surprising decision, infielder Adrian Sanchez drew the start for the first game of the doubleheader. He ended up going 1 for 3 in the game, with one of those outs coming on a ball scorched to right-center.

He did well enough to earn a start in game two where he did even more damage. Once again he scorched an out to right-center, but he also managed to nab himself an RBI triple and an RBI double in the game.

Before rosters expanded, the only realistic option at second base was Wilmer Difo. Sanchez’s decent performance in the doubleheader may at least allow Martinez to rest Difo when necessary. Just don’t expect him to overtake Difo as the primary starter anytime soon

The bullpen cart finally makes its debut

Nationals history was made late on in the doubleheader, just after the clock struck midnight. Yes, the Nats bullpen cart finally got its first passenger, and it had to be Sean Doolittle, didn’t it?

Entering in the eighth inning, for a change, Doolittle sat down Daniel Murphy and Caratini in order. Clearly, with more energy than before thanks to the bullpen cart, he dealt with the Cubs easily and lept off the mound before the last rain delay.

After the game, Martinez said he was weary of the delay, hence trying to get Doolittle in there to ensure they led if the umpires decided to call the game there. It remains to be seen, now that the Nats’ closer has christened the cart, whether any of the other Nationals relievers use it. But at the very least, it was one fan in Sean Doolittle.

The Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs will attempt to square off one last time on Sunday. However, there’s more rain forecast, so we’ll see if they’re able to even get the game in on Sunday.