The Nationals are now 11-21 in one-run games after this walk-off loss. Think about whether that is even possible, and it is because the Nationals have sunk that low. This defeat came from another bullpen implosion as the Nats lose on a 9th inning walk-off by a score of 7-6 after a blown save by the Nationals in the bottom of the 8th inning that led to the Cardinals blowing a save in the top of the 9th inning .
If I’m analyzing this game — and I wrote this once first base came open after a wild pitch and two runners on-base in the 8th inning, you have to walk the hottest hitter on the planet, Matt Carpenter, with first base open and manager Dave Martinez decided to pitch to him and he smoked a 3-run home run to put the Cardinals ahead by two-runs in the 8th inning. It was Carpenter’s league leading 33rd home run. Up until that point, Dave Martinez seemed to manage the game well.
With a 2-run deficit in the 9th inning, the Nats clawed back into the game to score two runs set-up by an Anthony Rendon single, a Juan Soto walk, followed by a Daniel Murphy RBI single and a game tying Matt Wieters single with advancement on an error which put Michael A. Taylor on 3rd base and Wieters on second base with only one out. They were set to go ahead but Wilmer Difo couldn’t score Michael Taylor from 3rd base with one out and Adam Eaton then struck out to end the threat. The Nationals took the game into the bottom of the 9th inning with a 6-6 tie.
The Nationals wasted some clutch hitting from the team which included home runs from Bryce Harper and Juan Soto and 4-10 RISP hitting. Every Nats position player had a hit tonight except for Adam Eaton who struck-out to end the 9th inning with 2 men on base.
“You match-up guys to where they are going to succeed,” manager Dave Martinez said. “It didn’t work out. We just have to battle.”
Sammy Solis came out of the bullpen in the bottom of the 8th inning and had the task of facing Matt Carpenter in a lefty/lefty match-up and gave up the 3-run home run to Carpenter.
“I don’t know what else to do,” Martinez said about Solis. “He’s got to get lefties out.”
It was Koda Glover who gave up the walk-off home run to the first batter he faced in the 9th inning. With this loss, the Nationals have fallen 7.0 games out in the NL East race making their chances a very low probability.
