Photo by Lynn G. for TalkNats
The Washington Nationals got a 5 1/3 inning, zero run outing, from Stephen Strasburg who returned from the IL to put the Nats in the winner’s circle. Of course the 9th inning with a 4-run lead wasn’t enough to have the game out of reach from drama as closer Brad Hand gave up two runs to close out the win by a final score of 4-2 over the Orioles. It was the bats of Josh Bell and Kyle Schwarber who paced this win. Bell arguably had his best game of the season with 3-hits and an RBI.
Even though the Nats didn’t cash in on all of the opportunities tonight, the stadium had the largest attendance of the season and it was a good game by most of the Nats. Bell was part of one of the top plays of the game in a relay throw from Juan Soto to cut down a runner at the plate as Yan Gomes athletically made the tag at the plate.
All of the Nats runs were pushed across with two outs. They did much better in RISP spots too. In total, the Nats offense had a dozen hits and four walks in this one.
Defense was big in this game as mentioned with the Soto-Bell-Gomes play that cutdown a runner at the plate while also snuffing out a potentially big inning; the game ended on a Trea Turner sliding play on the outfield grass in which he quickly got up and threw a seed to first base to end the Orioles threat in the 9th inning.
Onto tomorrow for an afternoon game.
