Sunday, August 11, 2013

Instant Analysis: Nats 6, Phillies 0

Photo by USA Today
Game in a nutshell: Stephen Strasburg was dominant in his 23rd start of the season, recording ten strikeouts in the first complete game shutout of his young career. It was the tenth time in his four MLB seasons he's tossed up double digit Ks and the second time this season. He capped it off with a quick ninth inning that brought the crowd on their feet for a standing ovation and 'let's go Strasburg' chants. Strasburg's teammates gave him a good amount of help on offense with a run in the first inning and five more later on. He got even better as the game progressed with a big lead, retiring 15 of 16 batters at one point. Jayson Werth stood out on offense with three singles as five different Nats players had multiple hits. Desmond and Adam LaRoche both scored a pair of runs in this one as the Nats blew out the Phillies to complete three-game sweep.

Hitting highlight: The Nats jumped all over Kyle Kendrick in the fourth and fifth innings, adding five runs across the two frames. Ian Desmond scored the first run in both innings that featured seven Nats' singles and two walks.


Pitching highlight: Strasburg pitched an absolute masterpiece against the Phillies, striking out ten and giving up just four hits and a walk across nine scoreless innings. He was crisp right from the start with eight strikes on eight pitches in a 1-2-3 first inning. The Nats' ace now has a 2.83 ERA on the season with an even more impressive 1.04 WHIP. He earned his sixth win of the season to give him a 6-9 record on the year.

Key stat: Werth had another three-hit day and pushed his season average to .328 through 86 games. Since the beginning of the 2012 season Werth has hit .314 through 167 games for the Nats.

Up next: The Nats are off Monday before hosting the defending champion San Francisco Giants on Tuesday for a three-game series. Gio Gonzalez (7-5, 3.52) goes up against Madison Bumgarner (11-7, 2.75) in a battle of lefties.

56 comments:

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

That felt good. I don't care what some people say about how bad the Phoolies are.

That was a CG-Shutout with complete domination!

MrsB loves the Nats said...

What a game by SS... Just a great game by the Nats, all around ( i didnt even cuss T Jewitt out for some non-sends/sends).

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

MrsB, you are correct on Trent as he just stinks. Sending Ramos was not smart but the game felt like it was in-hand at that point.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Ryan Zimmerman had a very good game in the field. Still don't like him playing so far in but he made all the plays today and a very good throw in the 8th inning.

(Rumors of his demise could be greatly exagerated)

David Proctor said...

Kolko:

A good indicator of how dominant Strasburg was tonight: He didn't allow a runner into scoring position all night.

MrsB loves the Nats said...

Ya know, Ghost, I swear almost every game I can account a dumb play to him.... But today, I will not complain... I will be happy that we not only have a 3 game winning streak but we swept the Philthies....

Hopefully, this will start the run that we have all been waiting for...

MicheleS said...

WOOOOOO HOOOOOO!SAW GIO'S SHUTOUT LAST YEAR!SAW STRAS TODAY!

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

I was flipping to mlb and espn to hear talking heads.

Who did tge gator aid spill?

MrsB loves the Nats said...

I don't understand why Utley went home too... I thought he had the DP, easy...

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

MrsB, Stras was on a mission today. He looked great and the defense came through for him.

From the player side, I can't think of any mistakes. Execution was almost flawless. That's impressive.

Faraz Shaikh said...

wow what a game! what a player! SS is special.

Unknown said...

it's about damn time SS threw a complete game...said it in the last thread and will say it again but am happy as heck for him, the team and us the fans...LONG time coming.


MrsB loves the Nats said...

It was definitely a clean game... And a good series after that demoralizing Braves series...

It's just a shame that we aren't in a better position than we are in... This club has the line up and the D to get it done....

It just seems the ball, literally, bounced our way this series...

Joe Seamhead said...

(Rumors of his demise could be greatly exaggerated)

Zimmerman didn't just make all of the plays tonight, he looked real good doing it. That play to end the game was a Gem.

Stras was the most completely dominant that he's been yet. Great game!

Desi is hitting better, but six RBI's in the last 36 games is a weird aberration.

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

Joe, I have been a big critic before Davey lambasted him. Notice the improvement since Davey spoke out.

He still is playing too far in but if he can make those reactive dives, then fine.

I got lambasted by one person here and said my thing before Davey went public. I was right then and Davey was right. RZim showed improvement and that's what he has to do.

Faraz Shaikh said...

game score of 92 I believe.

Rabbit34 said...

This will be a great way to end the season, on a winning note. We will all have something to look forward to next year! Go Nats!

Faraz Shaikh said...

that trot to home by desi will add significant weight to his wRC+. :D

Ghost Of Steve M. said...

What's amazing is that there is less chatter here after one of the best pitching performances and team wins in Nats history then a poorly played loss. smh

David Proctor said...

James Wagner ‏@JamesWagnerWP 3m
Tyler Clippard, who helped dump Gatorade on Strasburg, saw coach Jim Lett wander towards the bullpen phone. "We told him to sit back down."

MrsB loves the Nats said...

Come on Ghost - you know folks like to live in the negative... It's easier...

I'm so glad I recorded this game... This was one of the better pitched games I've seen this year...

Glad to see the Bats come alive this series as well... I hope we take this same approach for the Giants game...

Drew said...

Jake Johansen had another excellent outing at Auburn: 5 innings, 1 earned run, 3 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts.

He's progressing nicely. Next stop Hagerstown, where 2012 pick Brett Mooneyham is having a dandy year. After tonight's win, he's 9-3 with a 2.09 ERA.

A.J. Cole gave up three earned over 6 in Harrisonburg. It was a good night for three of the dozen promising starters on the farm.

3on2out said...

A telling observation, Ghost. I saw a t-shirt that summed it all up: "We're not happy unless you're unhappy"

Eugene in Oregon said...

Once again, the sort of game I had expected to be seeing throughout the season. Keep it up, please, Nats. Create a positive trend heading into next season, much as the solid second half of 2011 set the tone for 2012.

SonnyG10 said...

3on2out said...
Pony League, where? Sonny G 10
August 11, 2013 5:01 PM


Just saw your post a few minutes ago in the game thread so I'll answer here.

The Pony League was in Winchester, VA. Our all-star team went to the Baltimore area to play in the championships and we missed going to Williamsport, PA by one game. Winchester had a parade for us when we got back and WINC radio interviewed a number of us (including me). The following year Winchester bought new all-star uniforms for the team. We really started a following, but I don't know if Winchester ever did that well again.

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

Clippard was one of the gatoraid guys. Who was the other?.

Nats 128 said...

Certainly savor this weekend. The Nats looked very confident today.

Also agree on Ryan Z. Let us hope that is a trend with him.

Candide said...

(Reposting...)

Okay, just got home from the game, and a few things happened that we got no clear explanation for, hope someone can help us out here:

1) Second inning, everyone and his brother went to visit Strasburg at the mound. We missed what prompted the visit, if anything. Naturally worried that he was hurt...

2) Fourth inning: What do the replays show - was SS HBP or not?

3) Finally, what was the scoring on the play that Desmond scampered home while the Phillies catcher was standing around? Total blackout of the play, of course, but no official scoring was ever shown.

BTW, the official scorer must have been smoking some loco weed tonight. Had the balls and strikes count wrong several times.

What a great game, though. Phillies fans were mercifully quiet, SS pitched a great game, fabulous play by RZimm to end the game, and Teddy put a serious beating on the Sharknado - even did a belly-flop on him while the other presidents stood around and watched, and then somehow caught up with all of them and won the race.

Life is good.

SonnyG10 said...

If we can keep everybody healthy, I have a good feeling about next years team. I think this year the guys could not handle all the expectations placed on them and when things went bad they just tightened up and could not ever get loose. I don't know what else it could have been.

Nats 128 said...

MNF, Staymen?

MrsB loves the Nats said...

Wasnt Stammen the other Gatorade guy?

SonnyG10 said...

Candide, Stras had a slight twinge in his groin, but it only hurt we he flied open. That's what he told Davey, Cat, and the trainer. He said he would just try not to fly open again. I guess he was successful at that.

Candide said...

MicheleS said...

WOOOOOO HOOOOOO!SAW GIO'S SHUTOUT LAST YEAR!SAW STRAS TODAY!


Heh - we were at Gio's CGSO last year, too. That was the game where he did a full face-plant on the mound, wasn't it?

BTW, Cunegonde mentioned she was wearing her #37 jersey today because Stras was pitching. "I guess I have a lot of jerseys if I can pick one out for whoever's pitching that day..."

I told her, "I believe MicheleS has more jerseys than there are Nats," or something like that.

So she's still a work in progress.

SonnyG10 said...

Yes, I think Stammen was the other Gator Aide guy.

Nats 128 said...

"3) Finally, what was the scoring on the play that Desmond scampered home while the Phillies catcher was standing around? Total blackout of the play, of course, but no official scoring was ever shown."

I believe E-4 allowing 2 runs to score and no RBIs on the play.

SonnyG10 said...

3) Finally, what was the scoring on the play that Desmond scampered home while the Phillies catcher was standing around? Total blackout of the play, of course, but no official scoring was ever shown.

Utley was given a throwing error on the play allowing both Werth and Desi to score.

SonnyG10 said...

OK Nats 128, I owe you a virtual drink. I will pay up on the spread sheet.

3on2out said...

Sonny: I played Pony League in Palos Verdes, CA 1963. I was an All Star as a 14 year old (every team had to be represented....I think that's how I got in). We lost in the 1st round if memory serves. Congrats on your exciting run! A great memory, I am sure!

SonnyG10 said...

Couldn't figure out how to add Nats 128 to the spread sheet. Can someone else do it?

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

Candide point 2. SS never pulled the bat back, so ruled a swinging strike. Looked like he backed body bak, but no time to pull bat back.

Also official scorer has nothing to do with balls and strikes on the board. That is a different person altogether.

Candide said...

SonnyG10 said...

Couldn't figure out how to add Nats 128 to the spread sheet. Can someone else do it?


Done. Row 27 and column AR.

Candide said...

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

Also official scorer has nothing to do with balls and strikes on the board. That is a different person altogether.


Well, he's still out to lunch.

Thanks for the clarification on Strasburg's non-HBP.

The Real Feel Wood. Accept no substitutes. said...

I checked the MLB At Bat app on my phone after that play for the scoring.

Wilson Ramos reaches on a force attempt, throwing error by second baseman Chase Utley. Jayson Werth scores. Ian Desmond scores. Adam LaRoche to 3rd.

It seems unfair to have Utley's error bear the brunt of both runs. I would have scored an E4 on the throw allowing Werth to score and then an E2 for the catcher taking his time getting the ball after the throw and allowing Desi to score. Desi didn't break for the plate until the ball went off Kratz's glove.

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

Joe not sure anyone answered you Zim had a complete 1-0 shutout in may.

Gio had one late Aug against Cards last year. Tgink it was 10-0.

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

I would have made same ruling as you E4, E 2

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

You mean scorebpard operator? I sometimes do that at local school, and hste when I hit wrong button.correction takes to long.

TexNat said...

Jose Abreu has defected from Cuba. He is widely considered the best hitter in the world outside the MLB. Will the nats make a play for him? He is a first baseman, so you would have to have faith that zim can play 3b for the future.

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

Nats should at least try.

SonnyG10 said...

Candide said...
SonnyG10 said...

Couldn't figure out how to add Nats 128 to the spread sheet. Can someone else do it?

Done. Row 27 and column AR.
August 11, 2013 9:38 PM


Thanks Candide.

Candide said...

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

You mean scorebpard operator? I sometimes do that at local school, and hste when I hit wrong button.

*****************************************

(Emphasis mine.)

I bet that happens a lot...

;-)

Manassas Nats' Fan said...

Not a lot as the button are much larger, but when it happens, you have to go through a few steps to correct it.

Dryw Loves the Nats said...

Can't give an error to the catcher on a mental mistake. Even though you should be able to. Lollygagging is not technically an error. :-)

And while I can understand human error and would probably make my share on the scoreboard if I were up there, down in section 313, we speculate that our operator may, in fact, be a chimp. I can't remember the last game where there was NOT some sort of scoreboard error. Another funny one last night was on the Phils' 3-6 DP, which the scorer put up as 3-4. Now I know it's hard to see the players from up where the scorer sits (313 being in almost the exact same spot)--but Utley and Rollins have a fairly distinct difference in skin tone!

Now, let's do that again!

Rabbit34 said...

I believe the other Gatorade guy was Harper. Didn't SS say when he get into the locker room he's getting after Harper? Or, something to that effect.

natsfan1a said...

Candide, that's just part of the package with Manassas, whose eyesight isn't the best. Love ya, MNF. ;-)

Didn't see the game because I was out and about (but did record it). Did see lots of Nats gear at the Montgomery County Fair, as usual. Was checking the score on my not-too-smart phone. When I noticed the shutout, I wondered whether SS had done something special. Turns out that he did. Good for him, and good for the fans who were there. Some of my fave in-person games are complete game shutouts (the winning end of).

btw, displayed in the photo contest was a pic of a "man" with baseball on his cap. The "man" was Druuuu, who was sporting it on the ball of his ballcap, as he is sometimes known to do. Not sure why the display note didn't use his actual, you know, name, or even the team name. Anyhoo.

Last but not least, I hear that Slovakia is lovely in the fall, sjm. :-)

Holden Baroque said...

The gatorade-dumpers on SS were Drew (apparently top dog among the pitchers now), and Stammen, who also helped Harper get Werth the day before.

In the scoreboard operator's defense, Hirshbeck behind the plate couldn't tell a ball from a strike, either.

natsfan1a said...

I think you meant to type "Clip" rather than Drew?

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