Things have not been going well for the Washington Nationals recently after finally getting to and briefly over the .500. While the pitching remains solid on most nights, the hitting has been poor with a few exceptions. Next up the Nats head to Philadelphia for a three-game series against a surging Phillies team that sits at 31-14 on the season and in first place in the NL East.
Nats Week In Review: Week Eight Of The 2024 Regular Season
Game Forty-Three Of The 2024 Regular Season, Game One For The Week
Now would be as good a time as any for the bats to wake up. Especially after finishing up in Chicago by scoring zero runs in their last two games. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. After falling behind by one after one, the Nats tied it up in the top of the second inning. Then they fell behind again by giving up two more runs in the second. Starter Mitchell Parker was good enough to keep Washington in it during his five innings pitched, but again it wasn’t enough to secure the victory. After giving up another run to fall behind 4-1, the Nats were able to push one more across in the fifth to cut the lead to 4-2. But on another night where the bats were absent, Washington only managed four hits, and the 4-2 score held up for the final score and a Phillies win.
Game Forty-Four Of The 2024 Regular Season, Game Two For The Week
Entering the second game vs the Phillies, the Nats suddenly found themselves three games under .500 and starting to see a wild card spot slip away. After jumping ahead 1-0 early, the game turned into a back-and-forth pitching duel that was tied at two after eight. For a minute it looked like Eddie Rosario would be the hero after driving in a run in the top of the ninth to give Washington a 3-2 lead. The Nats looked to be in great shape after closer Kyle Finnegan retired the first two Phillies batters in the bottom half of the frame. Then Finnegan uncharacteristically gave up a game-tying homer and the game headed to extra innings. The Nats were unable to score in the top of the tenth and then were also unable to keep the Phillies from scoring. A certain victory had become a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat. Could the Nats at least avoid getting swept?
Game Forty-Five Of The 2024 Regular Season, Game Three For The Week
After falling behind 2-0 after giving up a run in the second and third innings, Washington fought back to tie it with two runs in the fourth and then took the lead with one in the fifth. That’s basically it for the Nats’ highlights on this one. The Phillies responded with four in the fifth and two more in the sixth to seize control. Nats starter Trevor Williams was OK in 4 1/3 innings pitched giving up three earned runs. The back end of the bullpen was worse and gave up another three in the eighth. A couple of ninth-inning runs from the Nats were only cosmetic and Washington lost 11-5 to complete the sweep at the hands of Philadelphia. At least the team was headed home although that hasn’t always been good news this season.
Game Forty-Six Of The 2024 Regular Season, Game Four For The Week
The Minnesota Twins invade Nationals Park for a three-game series with Washington needing a reversal of fortunes. After falling behind 1-0 early, the Nats countered with two in the second to jump ahead 2-1. Then for the first time in a while, the bats exploded. Washington scored eight runs over the course of three innings, the fourth through the sixth. Starter Mitchell Parker did what was necessary by giving up three runs in six innings-the definition of a quality start. Manager Davey Martinez was able to rest the top end of his bullpen as the Nats cruised to a rare stress-free 12-3 win.
Game Forty-Seven Of The 2024 Regular Season, Game Five For The Week
Any hopes that the previous evening’s 12-3 win would be a momentum builder for the Nats were quickly squashed. The Twins put up two runs in five different innings. Starting pitcher Patrick Corbin gave up eight runs on nine hits in six innings pitched. The Nats were only able to muster three hits on the evening, two by center fielder Jacob Young. The final was 10-0 Twins. At least Davey Martinez was able to rest the top end of his bullpen for the second night in a row, albeit for different reasons than the night before.
Game Forty-Eight Of The 2024 Regular Season, Game Six For The Week
After the first two games of the series were laughers, at least the rubber match of the series offered competitive baseball. The Twins put up single runs in the second and sixth innings, while Washington countered with one in the seventh. The score was 2-1 Minnesota heading to the ninth. Starter Jake Irvin was solid over 6 1/3 innings giving up two runs on only five hits, while striking out six and issuing zero walks. Unfortunately, the offense reverted to its ways of not scoring much this season. After giving up another run to the Twins in the ninth, the Nats got one of their own but fell short 3-2 to lose another series.
Observations: The Nats now sit at 21-27 on the season after fighting their way to .500 and actually going over that mark. The pitching has been good enough on most nights but the hitting has not. C.J. Abrams has cooled off after a hot start. Lane Thomas is still not back from injury although it appears that his return is imminent. The team could really use his bat in the lineup. Next up is a three-game set at home against the Mariners followed by four in Atlanta. The Nats need to show a sense of urgency before the wild card possibility slips away.
Nats Week In Review: Week Seven Of The Regular Season
Main Image: Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports
