Max Scherzer gets amped for a regular season game in the dog days. So in the World Series, he can be forgiven for overthrowing early. He committed uncharacteristic walks and put Kurt Suzuki to work. During the NLCS, the TBS announcers inexplicably decreed Yan Gomes the better defensive catcher. If they had watched the Nats all year, they would've known Suzuki is great at blocking balls, framing pitches, and calling a game.
After Scherzer gave up only two runs in the first, Ryan Zimmerman his a solo homer. Zimmerman was the Nats first draft pick ever, but John Smoltz claimed he had played for the Expos. Ian Desmond was the last Expo player to last with the Nats. After the Nats made the playoffs the first time, I reminisced about all of the Nats during the club's first seven years. Making the World Series has made me think about all the ex-Nats over the last seven years.
In addition to Desmond, there's of course Jayson Werth, Wilson Ramos, Gio Gonzalez, Danny Espinosa, Denard Span, Jordan Zimmermann, Drew Storen, and well, even Harp.
Zimmerman is the Nats' franchise, but Juan Soto is the Nats' future and he his a solo shot to tie the game. The Nats took a 5-2 lead with their trademark: timely hitting. Adam Eaton has been Mr. Clutch all post season despite a below-par batting average. Soto provided the much-needed insurance runs.
Houston manager AJ Hinch made a mistake by leaving Gerrit Cole in through the 7th down 5-2. It seemed like a waste of Cole's pitches that could've been save for Game 4 or a spot relief outing before then. Nats manager Dave Martinez went with Patrick Corbin in the 6th. He could've went with Corbin again to start the 7th, but opted to go to elsewhere. While Joe Buck extolled the virtues of Tanner Rainey, every knowledgeable Nats fan bit their finger nails off. Save two guys, the Nats bullpen has been atrocious all year and Rainey is certainly no exception. He is the only guy you want to even sniff the mound I guess.
It was worth trying to steal an out with Rainey, but after the first homerun, ti was time to yank him out. Martinez left Rainey in to get an out but then put two men on. Daniel Hudson had to make some tough pitches and he did it. Sean Doolittle is back and he showed it with a four-out save to win 5-4.
When the Nats were 19-31, I started to get tired of waiting for them to turn things around. I tried to convince myself that maybe our run is over. Intellectually, it seemed like there was too much talent on the team, but the losses kept coming. When they turned things around from late May through the All Star break, it was a fun time, but when they finally slid into the Wild Card spot, it caught me off guard. The Nats still weren't picking up enough on the Braves, who were just as hot. Eventually, we had to let the dream of winning the division die.
But the Nats ended the season hot. During their streak, they came back late in so many games and the Wild Card game was no exception. Martinez completely out-managed his counterparts in LA and St Louis. The national media kept presenting the Nats as underdogs, but those who have watched the team all year (well, specifically since late May), understand how dominate this team is.
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