Washington Nationals: Patrick Corbin Keeps Rolling, Stymies Dodgers
The Washington Nationals defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers last night thanks to a masterful pitching performance from Patrick Corbin.
The Washington Nationals broke their four-game losing streak last night by shutting out the Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-0.
Starting pitcher Patrick Corbin was incredible in the win. He threw seven shutout innings with eight strikeouts while only allowing three hits.
One of the most significant moments in the game occurred in the fourth inning. Corbin induced a ground ball with the bases loaded and one out. Anthony Rendon, Brian Dozier, and Howie Kendrick completed the double play to get out of the inning.
Corbin lowered his season ERA by 51 points in this start, going from 3.71 to 3.20 over the course of the game.
He maintained his superb strikeout rate of 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings. He surrendered four walks and one hit batsman in the game, but the Dodgers never capitalized on those opportunities.
Corbin’s walk rate this season of 3.02 BB/9 is slightly higher than his career average of 2.58. It is also slightly above the league average. However, that is about the only knock on Corbin this season.
Corbin’s home run rate of 1.24 HR/9 was also an issue coming into the game. However, his post-start mark of 1.07 HR/9 is right at his career average, and slightly below the league average this year.
With his start, Corbin’s WAR goes above 1.0, joining teammates Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg by getting above that mark.
All in all, Corbin is giving the Nationals precisely what they expected when they gave him a $140 million contract in December.
His performance tonight gave the middle of the bullpen a day off as Kyle Barraclough and Sean Doolittle were the only relief pitchers used. This sets the bullpen up well for the next three days before an off day on May 13.
A realistic goal for the Nationals in this series is to go home with a 2-2 split.
With one win down and Scherzer and Strasburg scheduled to pitch the final two games of the series, a split is well within reach.
Next. The State of the Nats Bullpen. dark
Tomorrow night, Anibal Sanchez will take it upon himself to get a series split. If he succeeds, he will likely earn his first win of the season.