He was talking about Bryce Harper, the 22-year-old right fielder for the Washington Nationals, who is hitting in a way that nobody has at his age since Ted Williams.
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Nationals: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (6-5, 3.16) faces the Giants for the first time since allowing one run over 8 2/3 innings in Game 2 of their NLDS matchup past year. Tanner Roark replaced him to protect an early 3-0 lead. “Definitely being in D.C., playing for the Nationals“.
Unlike three seasons ago, rain delayed Saturday’s scheduled first pitch by 19 minutes, and when play started temperatures were in the mid 70s.
Tha Nationals took a caffeinated approach against Bumgarner. Uribe pulled Adam Morgan’s first pitch in the seventh over the 380-foot sign in left field.
Bumgarner tried another first-pitch fastball with the next batter, Yunel Escobar, and he, too, was prepared. Josh Harrison hit a leadoff double off the top of the center-field fence and came around on Walker’s single.
After reaching base on an error by shortstop Alexi Amarista to start the eighth, Pham stole second and moved to third on a groundout. Harper revels in holiday games and a big stage.
Luis Valbuena’s RBI single with two outs in the ninth broke up the shutout. Only six players in their age 22 season or younger in major league history have hit 25 home runs at the halfway point of the season: Harper, Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Bench, Harmon Killebrew, Mel Ott and Eddie Matthews.
Bumgarner six runs on eight hits in five-plus innings of work, striking out four and walking one. Left-handed hitters have hit.
Bumgarner (8-5) made slight adjustments to his routine during this road trip, waking up a little earlier every day to ensure he would be as strong and awake as hot coffee.
Roark gave Williams another stellar relief performance, allowing two runs on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
A crowd of 41,683, Washington’s 10th sellout in 37 home games, watched newest Racing President Calvin Coolidge win his debut by knocking over fellow Republicans Abe Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. Is the team overachieving with a depleted lineup? After discussing it with the 26-year-old right-hander, Strasburg left.
The Giants had a home run of their own, but they lacked a hit of any kind with runners on base. Making his first career start against a left-handed starter, Clint Robinson went 2 for 3 against Bumgarner.
The post Jake Peavy’s solid effort goes up with one swing as Giants lose at Nationals Park appeared first on Giants Extra.
“Hard to pitch better than he did”, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. Danny Espinosa drew a walk to drive in a run.
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The Giants entered the day three games behind NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
