The game started off so promising with a great lead-off hit by Trea Turner followed by a single by Jayson Werth. Rendon loaded the bases after a hit-by-pitch and then this happened where Wilson Ramos was quickly into a 2 strike “protect mode” at-bat because of poor umpiring by Jim Wolf. Ramos clearly should have walked home a run and Lugo’s pitch count should have kept going over 30 pitches in the 1st inning:
The Nationals would spend the game with a big 0 in hits with runners-in-scoring-position for the 2nd game in a row, and the only run the Nationals would get came from a solo home run from Danny Espinosa.
Reynaldo Lopez labored in the first inning, but also made some good pitches when he needed to. Lopez’s velocity was all over the place as he appeared to tire quickly. One pitch ruined his night at the hands of Curtis Granderson who hit a two-run home run off of him to make the score at the time 3-1. Mat Latos pitched two innings in relief and was tagged for a two-run home run.
While the Nationals lost 5-1, the good news is the Nationals head back home with 26 games remaining and an 8.5 game lead in the NL East.
