Washington Nationals: A silver lining in a sour series finale

Bryce Harper and his friends waltzed into town and swept the Washington Nationals. The Nats did little to stand in the way of the Phills, as they crept to just a game and a half back in the National League East. Winning teams find ways to win and losing teams find ways to lose. The Nats did the latter.

After jumping out to a six run lead behind solid, early pitching from Paolo Espino, the bullpen was unable to keep the Philly hitters at bay and the lead shriveled. Shrank. Then disapperad.

Philadelphia is playing like a playoff team, led by their slugging outfielder, Harper. He has put the Phillies on his back and is having an MVP caliber season. He has also raked in his time against his former team.

In the first two games of the series, Harper had five hits and drove in four runs. After smacking his 100th career home run at Nationals Park, Harper kept the bat sizzling. That is until the series finale.

Nationals pitchers gave Bryce Harper the hat trick, though the Phillies got the last laugh in the series sweep.

Harper’s hot bat was slowed by the soft tossing Espino, and was kept off balance by a duo of relievers. After the way Harper has torched the Nats this year, holding him to a 1-5 day with a run scored, was a minor win, even though the Nats lost the game.

Wasn’t only a 1-5 though. Harper struck out three times, to leave town with the hat trick.

Nothing personal against Harper. He served the Nationals well for the seven years he was in town. Watching a fan favorite and your team’s star sign a lucrative contract elsewhere (especially with a division rival) is not easy to do. Having that star come back to town and own your favorite team (and his former employer) is like having salt put in a wound.

Bryce was supposed to win a title in DC. It didn’t happen. In fact the year after he left, the Nationals won it without him. For that reason I have to hope he never takes another team to the promised land.

Losing to the Phillies in three straight home games is terrible. Getting worked by Bryce Harper in two of those games, is terrible. Sending Harper on his way with the hat trick in his back pocket, a bandaid for the wound salt was sprinkled in.