What can be said that you can’t see in this chart with all the baby blue squares of “In Play Run(s)” in Max Scherzer’s outing:
From Brooks Baseball F/X
To have the lead on the go-ahead Grand Slam in the 4th and even hold it into the end of the 5th was a win you must get:
The Nats had a few more highlights and all the momentum leading 5-3 and had opportunities to add on……like pinch-hitting for Scherzer in the 5th with men on 3rd and 2nd and 2 outs.
You can question and 2nd guess all day long. Matt Williams did not see things the same as some of us in handling Max Scherzer.
Listen to the full Matt Williams presser and the 2:40 mark where he’s asked (by who?) about not pinch-hitting for Scherzer in the 5th:
MASN Matt Williams Presser VIDEO
One other point, the Nats wouldn’t score again after the Werth double with 1 out in the 4th inning. Ryan Zimmerman had 2 on base and Torres threw him a mistake pitch on pitch #5 and then Ryan swung at Ball 4 up at his eyeballs.
Some would say the big bats did not get the job done for the Nats. Rendon went hitless and so did Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman had a day mixed with good/bad.
Rivero walking Granderson was a key mistake in that fall apart 7th inning and it snowballed from there to lose 8-5.
Plenty of balme to go around.
