Let’s begin this with a cliche. If I told you Washington Nationals starting pitchers did not issue a run during the four game against the San Francisco Giants, you’d be like Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin must have been lights out. What if I told you the starting pitchers who accomplished this feat were Erick Fedde, Jefry Rodriguez, and Joe Ross. Are you shocked?
If not, you may be to learn not once in the history of the franchise (dating back to the inception of the Montreal Expos in 1969) has a group of starting pitchers not issued a run in a four game series.
The Washington Nationals got a record setting performance from their starting pitchers over the weekend.
This is the first time in Nats franchise history (so that includes Expos) that they’ve gone a four-game series without a starting pitcher allowing a run.
— Dan Kolko (@masnKolko) June 13, 2021
Well, Max Scherzer did make a start and is credited with one third of an inning of the 17.1 innings pitched by starting pitchers without allowing a run. After he exited the game Friday night, recording just one out, Nationals relievers pitched the final 8.2 innings allowing just four hits. A taxed bullpen ahead of a double header was no way to enter the weekend for a Nationals team desperate to find their winning ways.
For those reasons, the Fedde five shutout innings of game one of the double dip were huge, and the Rodriguez four shutout innings were just what the doctor ordered in game two. Rodriguez was making his first start of the year after pitching to the tune of a 7.56 ERA at Triple-A Rochester. Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, or Joe Ross as you know him, was composed in his eight innings sending the Giants home with a series split, when they had hopes of a series win.
Joe Ross finished eight scoreless innings. He struck out nine. He didn't walk a batter.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) June 13, 2021
To think this has never happened before in the history of the franchise. Never with Scherzer, Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Tanner Roark, or Jordan Zimmerman. Never for the Expos with Pedro Martinez, Javier Vazquez, Steve Rogers, Charlie Lea, Dennis Martinez, Kenny Hill, Kirk Rueter. Not once has this happened. Not once, and the guys who pencil their names alongside this feat, well, three of the four of them surely surprised you. As they did me.
Time for Jon Lester to continue to stellar starting pitching and see if he can earn his first victory in a Nationals uniform.