https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WAS/WAS202304020.shtml
Time: 2:17
Attendance: 21,440
Our first of many Sunday afternoon games was an improvement
over Opening Day in almost every respect – the game time temperature was a more
pleasant 54 degrees, the wind wasn’t as bothersome, and the home team notched
its first win of the season.
The Nats started fast, loading the bases with no outs in the
bottom of the first on two singles and a walk. They kept the line moving with
an RBI single by Dominic Smith, two run-scoring walks issued by Atlanta starter
Jared Shuster, and a sac fly. That wound up being pretty much it for Washington’s
offense. Shuster, who was making his major league debut, settled in and made it
into the 5th inning, and two Atlanta relievers held the Nats without
a baserunner for the rest of the game.
Fortunately, Mackenzie Gore shined in his long-awaited
Washington debut, fanning six while working around 3 hits and 4 walks to yield
only a single run. Hunter Harvey took over with one out in the bottom of the 6th
with men on first and third and promptly induced an inning-ending double play, one
of three the Nats infield turned during the afternoon. Ramirez, Edwards Jr.,
and Finnegan blanked the visitors to close things out.
We had lunch at the Greene Turtle before going in to the stadium,
totally avoiding the Nats Park concessions. And the game was over in a tidy
2:17. (Just for the record, the Nats can also lose quickly, dropping the second
game of the series 7-1 in just 2:21. Hooray for the pitch clock!)
