Stephen Strasburg delivered a much needed win! Koda Glover with the save and the Nats get a well-earned day off tomorrow.
Strasburg had a shutout going into the 8th inning and was clearly on fumes on a hot and humid day while he could be seen stretching out his legs as it would seem he was cramping. Strasburg began the 8th inning at 93 pitches, and he struck out Jace Peterson to begin the inning then walked Rio Ruiz to raise his pitch count to 103 pitches. There was nobody warming up in the bullpen at that exact moment. The phone rang and Koda Glover got up.
The next batter was Brandon Phillips who was inserted as a pinch-hitter and Strasburg struck him out on a 3-2 count pushing the pitch count to 108. Ender Inciarte singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd base. Strasburg’s pitch count stood at 110 when Swanson stepped into the batter’s box.
The MASN cameras showed Dusty Baker inside the dugout in a deep conversation with his bench coach Chris Speier and his pitching coach Mike Maddux. No change was made as Koda Glover was ready to go, and Baker stuck with Strasburg. Dansby Swanson fouled off pitches and also looked at a slider that was in the zone (pitch #5) on a pitch that should have been strike 3, and Strasburg did not get the call. On the 8th pitch of the at-bat Swanson sent a low liner to the opposite field just out of Bryce Harper‘s reach for a 2-run double.
Strasburg ended up throwing 25 pitches in the 8th inning to finish with giving up 2 runs on 118 pitches and departing with the tying run on 2nd base. Koda Glover was brought in as Strasburg departed and angry. Luckily, Glover got Nick Markakis for the much needed 3rd out on a strikeout.
Glover closed out the 9th aided by a nifty unassisted doubleplay by Ryan Zimmerman on a Matt Adams hard liner.
Daniel Murphy, Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper provided the offense.
Talk Nats Podcast
The creative duo of Kevin Nibley and Bryan King have an exciting new TalkNats Podcast for us which includes the full Jude Oz interview, and Mike Weisman from Potomac Nationals to discuss the prospects in High-A which includes players like the Nationals number 1 prospect Victor Robles.
Next week Nibley and King interview Kevin Gehl of the Hagerstown Suns to discuss their prospects. The Hagerstown Suns are stocked with prospects including Juan Soto, Carter Kieboom, Sheldon Neuse, Blake Perkins, Nick Banks and more!
Thanks for the invite. We've got a first-place team with an explosive offense here in Hagerstown. Always happy to talk them up. #SunsRising https://t.co/bDyquGU9Jx
— Kevin Gehl (@GehlTales) May 20, 2017
Nibley and King are really delving into the talent down on the farm, and today’s podcast is certainly a great segment in the on-going series.
Here is today’s Podcast, give it a listen on the link below or tune-in on iTunes or Stitcher.
https://soundcloud.com/talknatspodcast/episode-106-the-jude-oz-interview-nerdin-out-w-mike-weisman
For those who don’t remember, the Talk Nats community started a Go Fund Me campaign to bring Jude and her family to Wasington, D.C. to see some Nats games, and it was successful and over-funded. On the reveal video when Jude Oz first heard that she was going to Washington, D.C. and the Trea Turner Camp, you can see that here:
