For the first time this postseason, Davey Martinez bullpen turn to one of his starters backfired. Leading 2-1 over the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLDS, the Nationals turned to Patrick Corbin, who started Game 1, to relieve Anibal Sanchez.
It was the same move the Nationals did in the NL Wild Card as Stephen Strasburg pitched three scoreless innings out of the ‘pen as Washington rallied to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3. Martinez did it again in Game 2 of the NLDS, turning to Max Scherzer, who struck out the side in the eighth on 14 pitches, in route to a 4-2 win over the Dodgers.
Scherzer was able to redeem himself after a struggling start in the Wild Card game. Corbin was trying to shake his Game 1 struggles, but unlike Scherzer he failed.
Corbin allowed six runs, four hits, and two walks, as the Dodgers pounded him in the sixth until Martinez hooked him with two outs. By then, the Dodgers had flipped a 2-1 deficit into a 7-2 lead. They’d tact on one additional run off Wander Suero before the inning closed with the Dodgers leading 8-2.
Third time was the charm for the Dodgers. They finally got to the starter-heavy plan of Martinez. As a result, are on the brink of advancing to the NLCS, as they take a 2-1 series lead over the Nationals with a 10-4 win in Game 3. The same Nationals that have never advanced past the NLDS.
It’s hard to fault Martinez’s decision. His bullpen posted a MLB-worst 5.66 ERA. They also have been rattled in this series as exemplified in Game 1 with Fernando Rodney, Tanner Rainey, and Hunter Strickland. So, turning to his Big Three starters may be his only ideal option.
Corbin just has not had a good series. He allowed two runs in his Game 1 start, including walking in a run. Sunday in relief, he got totally rocked. And still going to Corbin was the best option.
It’s not like Rainey, Strickland, Rodney, and Wander Suero could be trusted. Heck, even Sean Doolittle yielded a home run in Game 2’s win before Scherzer cleaned up in the eighth.
So, it didn’t work Sunday. But, the Nationals still have Monday to even the series in a do-or-die game for them. Martinez is not letting tonight’s failure shake his philosophy. He has already announced it’s all hands on deck for Game 4.
