The Washington Nationals offense was frustrated all night by the Houston Astros pitchers as they failed to come up with the big hit in Game 3.
It was the Houston Astros who struggled with runners in scoring position in the first two games, but this time it was the Washington Nationals who couldn’t get the clutch hit in a 4-1 loss.
The Washington Nationals had plenty of opportunities off Houston Astros starter Zack Greinke, but went 0-for-10 with RISP.
In the first inning Anthony Rendon was stranded at second after a two-out double.
Then in the second inning the Washington Nationals got back-to-back singles to start the inning but a strikeout and a double-play helped Greinke escape that jam.
And then in the third Trea Turner and Adam Eaton reached with one out but Rendon flew out to center on the first pitch. Juan Soto walked to load the bases, but Asdrubal Cabrera struck out.
The Nationals finally broke through in the fourth. After a leadoff walk to Ryan Zimmerman, Victor Robles later brought him home with a one-out triple.
And then came one of the biggest decisions in the game as Dave Martinez chose to let Anibal Sanchez hit with one out and the tying run on third.
Sanchez struck out and Truner grounded out to end the fourth inning threat.
I still think this was the correct call as it was just the fourth inning and just a one-run game. Plus, the Nationals had been all over Greinke and you knew he wouldn’t be in the game much longer.
And that happened to be true as Greinke didn’t make it out of the fifth inning, leaving the game with two outs and runners on second and third.
But once again, the Nationals couldn’t get that big hit.
They had runners on first and second with one out in the sixth, but a strikeout from Turner and a ground out from Adam Eaton ended the threat.
After the Houston Astros got single runs in the fifth and sixth, and with how many times the Nationals failed to come through in the early part of the game, it felt like it was over at this point.
And it essentially was as both bullpens were lights out the rest of the way as neither offense had serious threat in the last three innings.
All hope is not lost for the Washington Nationals. They still carry a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 with Patrick Corbin on the mound and the Astros going with a bullpen game.