Once again Max Scherzer has a solid start wasted by the notoriously bad Washington Nationals’ bullpen and defense. Scherzer took the mound for the 12th time this season Monday against the Miami Marlins. And for the 10th time in his starts, the Nationals lost, as Marlins rallied to beat the Nationals 3-2. The loss snaps the Nationals’ three-game win streak.
To be honest it wasn’t Scherzer’s best stuff, but the three-time Cy Young winner threw 103 pitches through six innings, allowing seven hits, and a whopping 35 fouled pitches. However, he still struck out six batters, and kept the Marlins to one run. Not to mention he left the game with a 2-1 lead.
Unfortunately, like much of the season for Scherzer and the Nationals the lead evaporated quickly. The next inning to be frank. Tanner Rainey walked Miguel Rojas to lead off the seventh. After a sacrifice fly, Jose Urena laid a bunt down the first base line. It appeared the ball was headed foul, however, Nationals first baseman Matt Adams attempted to pick the ball up and tag Urena running. Unfortunately, the ball slipped out and Urena made it safely to first, moving Rojas to second in the process.
Curtis Granderson lined out to center, as Gerardo Parra made a good play to make a stretching catch over his shoulder. However, Rojas tagged to third. Harold Ramirez hit a chopper to short. While Trea Turner was able to turn to second, Ramirez’s raced to first safely preventing the inning-ending double play and allowing Rojas to score to tie the game at 2-2.
The Nationals didn’t have much better luck in the eighth, as Turner’s throwing error allowed runners on the corners. The very next batter Kyle Barraclough hit Jorge Alfaro to load the bases. Then Rojas hit a sacrifice fly right that allowed Starlin Castro to tag from third for the go-ahead run.
Already with the worst ERA in MLB, the Nationals’ bullpen continues to struggle to close out games. And the defense behind them does them no favors. Adams should have let the ball roll foul, instead he tried to make a play that turned out to be more harmful than good.
Turner, who was bailed out with Ramirez’s good speed on the game-tying fielder’s choice, wasn’t so lucky with the misfire in the eighth that lead to the game-winning run. The two errors pushed the Nationals’ total to 40 on the season.
Additionally, the Nationals (22-32) suffered their 11th blown save of the season, tying the Chicago Cubs for most in MLB this season.
Washington’s offense had their shot in the eighth to amend the defensive gaffes. They got as far as loading the bases behind a pitch-hit single by Howie Kendrick and walks by Turner and Anthony Rendon.
However, Juan Soto lined out to left to end the inning without the game-tying run crossing the plate. Soto was a perfect 3-for-3 with runners in scoring position in the series before that out.
Scherzer has a respectable ERA of 3.26, leads MLB with 102 strikeouts, and is in the top-5 in strikeouts-to-walk and strikeouts-per-nine innings. However, the Nationals have found ways not to win in his starts. Two wins in 12 starts is incredibly puzzling with such an ace on the mound.
