Ever wonder why baseball players high five each other on the field after wins, and act so jubilant even though they play 162 games and even the worst teams will get to celebrate at least 60 times? The answer is because they know and appreciate how hard it is to win an MLB game. They understand how easily the tides of a ballgame can change, and how fickle lady luck can be. The Nationals were the team giving high fives at the end of this game in what ended up being a 10-5 win over the Padres and a 3-1 series victory.
The outset looked good for the Pads with Almonte using his speed to score a hustle run for the Friars in the 1st. He swung and missed for strike three on a pitch down in the dirt, but it got away from the catcher and he outran the throw to first to reach base. He then stole second and a delayed steal. What really made it even more a stolen run was that with Kemp at the plate he took a running lead off second getting a huge jump to steal third and was so far advanced that when Kemp hit a grounder up the middle even though it was snared by the shortstop behind second base Almonte was still able to score on the play. He essentially scored from second on an infield single! Great way to start the day and set the tone after back to back blow out losses the previous two nights.
Kennedy for his part was trying to set a new tone as well as he looked sharp with all four of his pitches to retire the first nine batter he faced. In the bottom of the third Upton got a fastball inside to his liking and launched it over the left field wall for his 9th HR of the season giving the Pads a 2-0 lead. Kennedy again retired the side in order in the 4th, striking out the side and appearing to begin total control heading intp the 5th with a no-hitter intact.
Remember, though, this game is fickle as is lady luck. To quote Sinatra, “They call you lady luck, but there is room for doubt, at times you have a very un-lady-like way of running out.” She wasn’t a lady today for Kennedy or the Pads and left the Friar’s arm in the 5th to go hang out in the Nats dugout. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t all luck that caused the wheels to fall off this one, but they’re not getting any extra help right now either.
It started with an excellent at bat by Bryce Harper who was able to foul off a steady barrage of fastballs on his hands before finally getting what he’s been feasting on lately, a breaking ball away that he launched over Kemp’s head for a triple. Zimmerman then reached on an infield single that would have been extra bases down the third base line were it not for a full extension diving play by Spangenberg over the rid base chalk line. Then Ian went to work making a gutsy 3-1 pitch on the hands of Moore to pop him up on the infield and doing the same to get Lobaton to also fly out on the infield dirt for the second out. With the pitcher on deck Kennedy tried to go the fastball in well one more time to Espinosa, but left the ball out over on a tee right where he likes it and sure enough it was deposited into the right field stands for a 3 -run HR giving Washington the lead.
The question of course arises should the Pads have intentionally walked Espinosa with runners at first and third and two outs, to load the bases and pitch to the pitcher, Strasburg, on deck? The hindsight answer is of course “yes” because the lead was lost but is that the foresight answer? You could certainly argue that it could be a legitimate strategy, but keep in mind this.
- More often than not you re not going to intentionally walk a batter that forces the tying run into scoring position (unless of course it’s Barry Bonds inches prime or someone of that ilk). If it were second and third you have that situation already and a base open to put him, but slightly different story when you are purposely putting your lead in jeopardy of a bloop.
- This is the big leagues and you expect your pitcher to understand the situation, and to be able execute the pitches necessary to assure that the eighth hitter in the lineup doesn’t hurt you there. Kennedy had been throwing well, so there was little reason to believe he was not aware of the situation, and assume he would miss his spot so tragically.
- There is no guarantee that Strasburg would have even been allowed to hit. Roark was warming up in the bullpen for the Nats, and with Stras sitting at 80 pitches and trailing by two, Williams may have hit for him. At that point as a manager you have to decide if you prefer the Kennedy/Espinosa match up or the one with one of their players off the bench.
However you want to look at it, the execution of the pitch went poorly and it would ultimately cost the Pads the game as they would never see the lead in this contest again. The Nats would explode for four more in the 6th (thanks in part to a probable missed 3rd strike call to Harper) and three more in the 7th to ice it.
Along the way the Pads scored a run in the 6th, and solo runs in the 8th and 9th as well thanks to HR’s by Upton (his second of the day), and Gyorko respectively. The boys never quit playing hard on the field no matter what the score. but the pitching today put the offense in a hole it couldn’t recover from.
The boys will get at day off tomorrow, and will come back raring to go against the Cubs on Tuesday. s
The undefeated James Shields will fire for the Friars and look to get the boys back on track. First pitch will be at 7:10, and Uncle Teddy and I will be delighted to have you with us on the Mighty 1090.
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