The Nationals lead the season series with the Phillies 11-6. The total, meanwhile, is sitting at 7.5 runs with Jordan Zimmermann set to face Jerad Eickhoff in the pitching matchup. Over his last four starts, the first overall pick from the 2009 Draft has allowed five earned runs in 30 1/3 innings, striking out 50 and walking four.
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And, as his career continues, the 22-year-old Nola hopes to draw on how he handles tough spots such as a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fourth inning, which he got out of cleanly, in what would become a 2-1 loss for Philadelphia to Washington on Bryce Harper’s RBI double in the 12th on Saturday night.
Second-year Washington manager Matt Williams was hesitant to even acknowledge his team had been eliminated from postseason contention during his postgame press conference.
“I think that’s just the way it was this year”, Harper told reporters in D.C. “The Mets had everything going for them”.
It may be an unusual sight, but it’s not the first time Redskins players have publicly gotten behind the Nats.
A native of Landstuhl, Germany, Altherr drove in five and capped his first four-hit game with a double in the seventh and a ninth-inning single.
Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post reports that Nationals manager Matt Williams lost his clubhouse as his club sputtered in the second half, frittering away the division lead in the NL East to the Mets, who clinched on Saturday evening. In their 10 most recent games, Philadelphia’s run production has dropped to 2.8 runs per game, compared to 4.5 for the duration of the season.
When leading after 7 innings, Washington is 36-34, while Philadelphia is 29-43.
“Really important to know what we can do in September and the beginning of October”, said Phillies starter Aaron Nola, a rookie.
“Just a good day I guess”, said Altherr, trying to explain his exceptional 33rd big-league game. “I hit into a triple play once”, Mackanin quipped. The Nationals are 8-2 in their last 10 during game 3 of a series and 2-6 in Gonzalezs last 8 starts.
The Phillies (58-97) have lost nine of 11 and are 25-55 on the road.
Harper had said upon arriving in spring training, “Where’s my ring?”
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Mackanin said he may give rookie OF Odubel Herrera a few days off after he went 0 for 5 Friday and fell to 2 for 21 over his last six games.
