The Cubs had won three in a row.
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It was the longest regular-season game for the Nationals since the franchise moved from Montreal to Washington after the 2004 season.
That takes us to the third – and final – incredible play of the game, which came in the top of the 18th inning via Starling Marte.
With a chance to win their sixth straight overall and sweep the three-game set with the visiting Pirates, the Nationals sent Scherzer to the mound in the nation’s capital today, where he and rookie right-hander Chad Kuhl engaged in a pitchers’ duel.
The Pirates took the 1-0 lead off Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer in the sixth inning when Marte again went first ball swinging, this time for a double, his 20th of the season.
That would be Jon Niese, both the newest member of the Pirates bullpen and the final man standing Sunday evening.
Instead, Baker was slow on the trigger in asking for an intentional walk, and the Nationals lost to the Pirates 2-1 in 18 innings Sunday on Starling Marte’s solo home run off Oliver Perez. With Niese on deck, Washington manager Dusty Baker wanted to intentionally walk Marte but couldn’t get the signal to Ramos in time, and it proved costly. “It hurts to make a mistake like that”. “I was aware of the situation, before I could get Wilson’s attention”.
The 18-inning marathon, shorter than only the 19 innings Cleveland and Toronto played July 1, took 5 hours, 48 minutes. “Before I could, he hit the first pitch out of the ballpark”.
“I just didn’t execute enough pitches”, Cole said. Unfortunately he made good contact o that pitch. “It was my mistake”. Whether it was Niese, starter Chad Kuhl or the relievers in between, the Nationals couldn’t get much going at the plate and finished with eight hits. Second baseman Stephen Drew had three doubles and one RBI in place of NL batting leader Daniel Murphy. “I saw some good things”.
“Like I said about Murph being a special hitter, Danny’s got a special arm”, Turner said. The homer by an injured Murphy took Scherzer off the hook for what would’ve been his second loss in a 1-0 game in three starts. “And then when Marte hit that home run, it kind of gave me an extra boost of energy to finish it up”.
INDIANS 6, TWINS 1: Josh Tomlin pitched 72/3 strong innings, Mike Napoli hit one of three Cleveland homers and the Indians beat host Minnesota.
“I just love the grit of our club”, said manager Clint Hurdle, whose Pirates snapped a three-game losing streak and avoided a series sweep. Hurdle accurately called it a insane game. My other theory is the kid is mad because they cut off beer sales after the seventh inning, but that’s probably not it either. That same day the Pirates won a 13-inning game at Arizona, which had been their longest game by innings this season until Sunday.
Whoever takes the blame, whoever actually deserves it – if blame ever belongs to one person after six hours of baseball – those 18 innings added up to one game, not more. “He needs to get back here and help us and get involved in the fight with us”.
Nationals: 3B Anthony Rendon was scratched with flu-like symptoms.
“It is my job to know the situation”, Perez said through a translator, when told that Baker owned up to the miscue. If RHP Joe Ross (7-4, 3.49) isn’t activated off the disabled list, RHP Lucas Giolito (0-0, 4.70) will make his third major league start against Dodgers LHP Scott Kazmir (7-3, 4.52).
Pirates: After an off-day Monday, top pitching prospect Jameson Taillon (2-1, 3.86 ERA) is expected to start Tuesday at PNC Park against the Brewers.
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Odorizzi (4-5), who was 0-3 in 10 previous starts at Tropicana Field, gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings.
