October 14, 2019 – Nats 8, Cards 1 (NLCS Game 3) – Nationals Park

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/stephen-strasburg-nlcs-game-3-performance

 

Weather: 71 degrees, Clear.

Wind: 3 mph, L To R.

Umpires: HP--Miller, 1B--Cuzzi, 2B--Fairchild, 3B--Culbreth, LF--Guccione, RF--Conroy.

Time: 3:26

Attendance: 43,675

 

The action last night deviated quickly from the script of the previous two games, in that one of the Cardinals actually had the temerity to get a hit before the seventh-inning stretch. Fortunately for the Nats, Marcell Ozuna (who has always hit Strasburg well) followed his leadoff double in the second by getting caught between second and third on Jose Martinez’s comebacker to the mound, extinguishing the rally before it had a chance to get going.

 

An inning later, again referring to the previous two games, I commented that the Nats were about due to score their one early run. This would indeed come true, as Robles led off with a single, went to second on the first of two Strasburg sacrifice bunts, and scored on a two-out Eaton single after St. Louis ace Jack Flaherty fanned Turner. Turned out that I had underestimated our team, as Rendon then lined a double to left that Ozuna just missed catching, scoring Eaton. Following a walk to Soto and a wild pitch, Kendrick came through again, doubling to center to double the Washington lead.

 

Strasburg continued to deal for the next 3 innings, allowing a couple of harmless singles. In fact, he seemed to be getting stronger, finishing off a 10-pitch 6^th by fanning Paul Goldschmidt (who wound up going down on strikes in each of his 4 plate appearances) and Ozuna. Meanwhile, Washington feasted on the St. Louis bullpen after Jack was forced to hit the road, lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top of the 5^th. Doubles by Kendrick and Zim following a Rendon single plated two more in the bottom of the frame, and Robles led off the 6^th with a homer to increase the lead to 7-0.

 

Things did get a little tense in the top of the 7^th. Martinez, a thorn in Washington’s side the entire series, extended Stras’s pitch count from 90 to 100 before singling to left, and Yadier Molina got another hit on the very next pitch. With Tanner Rainey up in the bullpen, Strasburg fanned Tommy Edman, but Paul DeJong hit another single in Soto’s direction, with Martinez scoring an unearned run after Juan slipped while getting ready to throw the ball back in. During the subsequent mound visit, Stephen made clear that he intended to finish the inning, and he did so in style, fanning former Nat Matt Wieters and Dexter Fowler on a total of 8 pitches.

 

Things calmed down from there. The Nats got the run back after the stretch on Kendrick’s third double of the game followed by Zim’s single. Fernando Rodney and Rainey retired the final 6 St. Louis batters, leaving the Nats one win away from the World Series. (And we are now 2-1 this postseason when eating at Nando’s before the game.)