Jekyll and Hyde Nationals Explode for 15 Runs after 32-Inning Scoreless Drought

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The Washington Nationals’ Jekyll and Hyde season continued on Sunday. After being shut out for three consecutive games, dropping them two games below .500, the Nationals’ bats finally woke up. The Nationals ended what turned into a 32-inning scoreless drought by exploding for 15 runs in a 15-0 shutout win over the New York Mets.

Trea Turner scored off a ground out from Juan Soto to break the ice cold streak, and a scoreless tie in the sixth inning. It was Washington’s first run scored since Ryan Zimmerman’s two-run walk-off home run back on Aug. 22.

Soto drew a bases loaded walk in the eighth that scored Adam Eaton to put the Nats up 2-0 and start an avalanche of runs. Washington would score eight runs in the frame, including Bryce Harper’s pinch-hitting three-run double and home runs by Wilmer Difo and Eaton.

Mark Reynolds hammered a grand slam in the ninth inning that capped a six-run inning for the Nats and their scoring for the game. The Nats were 7-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

Mark Reynolds aka the Sheriff of Swattingham. pic.twitter.com/q7BrYHsmSP

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 26, 2018

Harper went a perfect 2-of-2 while scoring two runs for the game. It’s the second time the Nationals had beaten the Mets by 15 or more runs. On July 31, they thrashed the Mets 25-4.

Sunday’s offensive explosion highlights how up and down the Nationals’ season has gone. They’ve hovered around .500 for much of the season in large due to their inconsistent hitting under hitting coach Kevin Long. The Nationals have been shutout 14 times this season, they were shutout all but seven times in 2017.

The Nationals have won games by margins of 15-2, 11-2, 17-7, 18-4, 25-4 and 15-0 this season.

In all other games, Washington’s run differential is -24.

— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) August 26, 2018

Sunday’s outburst shows how potentially good the Nationals can be. Unfortunately, consistency was far and in between and now a seasons that had World Series aspirations is wasted, as they improved to a 65-66 record.