Nats and Rockies Strike Out Over 100 Times In 4-Game Battle

Some stats to keep in mind from the Nats-Rocks series

- 45 strikeouts in a 4-game series is a lot for a team.  The Rockies struck out that many times vs. the Nats.

- 58 strikeouts in a 4-game series is off the charts!  The Nats whiffed that many times vs the Rockies.

Strikeouts would happen, errors would be pivotal, and a series that looked like it was going to cut the Nats way took a u-turn at close to the last possible minute!

GAME 1

Nationals - 6

Rockies - 3

This game had six hits TOTAL.  The Nats only had 3 of them, but combined with 9 walks, 3 HBPs, and an incredibly costly Tyrone Taylor error, they needed no more for a comfy win.  The Nats got their first run with a Jonah Bride solo homer in the first, but would score in innings 2 and 3 with zero hits, as Charlie Morton could not find the zone, and a 2-base Tyron Taylor error in RF (1e6) keyed the the two runs in the 3rd that put them up 4-1.  The Rocks trailed 4-2 after 3.  But we'd have just 2 baserunners over the last 6 frames....for the L.

WP - Rodon  LP - Morton  HR - Bride, O'Neil, Duvall

GAME 2

Nationals - 4

Rockies - 3

Mike McGreevy stepped in with his limited innings and sweet Strato card!  And the young man let up hits to the first 5 Nats he faced!  He never recovered, letting up 4 runs and 10 hits over 4.  The Rocks claw back and the game reached a huge spot when Jacob Junis faced pinch-hitter Ildemaro Vargas in the 8th with men on 1st and 3rd and two outs.  Vargas gets the 4-9 - it's an "N" straight homer!  Alas, Vargas is a W, and well that's the kind of choice rolling the Rocks have done all year.  The single made it 4-3, but the Rocks would not get another baserunner - we ch-ch-ch....choked.

WP - Megill  LP - McGreevy  SV - Esteves   HR - none

GAME 3

Nationals - 5

Rockies - 6 f10

The Nats put up 5 over the first 5 frames, keyed by an ASTOUNDINGLY costly error by Joey Ortiz playing SS (3e8).  That was made with 2 outs and immediately preceded a Jared Triolo (?!) 3-run homer.  Down 5-1, the Rocks started thinking maybe jigsaw puzzles or macramé would be a better use of our spare time.  But, in the 8th, fortunes finally swung.  A Stephenson throwing error on a Tyrone Taylor steal plated a run, and then Will Smith would single and Michael Taylor would make his second error of the game (2e6).  Down 5-3, the Rockies faced Jose Ferrer with a man on in the 9th, and Adam Duvall was called on to pinch hit.  He rolls a 2-5 - it's a 1-8 homer shot - and he gets it!  The game is tied 5-5.  Jose Butto strikes out the side in the 10th (3/58) and then Matt Olson leads off the home 10th.  He gets a diamond - 1-8 shot - rolls a 5!  We walk it off.  Macramé can wait.

WP - Butto  LP - Ferrer  HR - Triolo, Wade, Duvall, Olson

GAME 4

Nationals - 3

Rockies - 6

The Rockies did the unthinkable.  We played a game where we never trailed.  Justin Steele was good.  Three guys had multi-hit games.  I was able to roll a 20-sided die without feeling sadness, anxiety, and rage.  

WP - Steele  LP - Sanchez  SV - Butto   HR - Kelly

The Nationals are 21-15, tied for 1st place.  The Rockies are 15-21.  That's not great but we are determined to hang in and let luck slowly turn.  Maybe game 3 was the beginning.  Maybe not?