Not pinch-hitting for Sanchez in the fourth
This is probably the most controversial decision that we’ve seen on the Nationals side in this postseason.
In the fourth inning, Victor Robles got the Nationals on the board with an RBI triple to make it a 2-1 game.
The pitcher’s spot was due up next and instead of bringing in a pinch-hitter to try and tie the game up, Dave Martinez elected to stay with Sanchez.
To that point, Sanchez had certainly been battling giving up 2 earned runs on 6 hits through 4 innings on 65 pitches.
Certainly, if Martinez would have wanted to pull Sanchez there it would have been warranted, but I still think it was the correct decision to leave him in.
Even if the pinch-hitter ties the game up there, you have to get 15 outs from your bullpen.
I don’t think you pinch-hit for the pitcher there unless you’re on the verge of breaking the game open and taking a lead.
In hindsight, It doesn’t help matters that Sanchez went back out there and gave up single runs in the fifth and sixth before exiting — and that the Nats bullpen was lights out after Sanchez was later removed in the sixth.
He ended up throwing 95 pitches through 5.1 innings, allowing 4 runs on 10 hits and a walk with 4 strikeouts.
We’ll never know how differently this game might have gone had the Nationals pinch-hit for Sanchez there, tied the game up, and went with the bullpen the rest of the way.
But make no mistake, that decision will be questioned for a while if the Nats don’t hold on to win the World Series.