The 3-2 loss to Arizona puts Washington three games back in Wild Card race.
There’s no such thing as a must-win game in July. But for the Washington Nationals, who are playing meaningful games after the All-Star break for the first time in six years, this series against the Arizona Diamondbacks is being managed like a playoff matchup.
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The stakes, despite the date on the calendar, are high. Heading into the series, the Diamondbacks held the third Wild Card spot, with four teams, including the Nationals, bunched up within two games of them. After the Diamondbacks took the first game of the series 3-2 Friday night, Arizona held on to their standing as the Nationals slipped three games back.
“They want to win,” Manager Blake Butera said. “They haven’t been in this position in a while. There’s a bit of excitement, a bit of energy and they’re looking forward to playing every night. Unfortunately, just not coming out on the right side tonight.”
This one loss, and this series as a whole, won’t determine whether the Nationals make it to October or not. But with teams so close together in the standings, every game could matter. And as the clock ticks closer to the Aug. 3 trade deadline, each win and loss helps the front office decide if they are going to be sellers, buyers or nothing at all.
“I don’t think anyone expected us to be where we are today,” Dylan Crews, who had a two-run homer in the loss, said. “I think to get to where we want to get to we have to win one-run ballgames and just come up with some big hits. …who knows what’s going to happen, but we’re fighting each and every day.”
Opener Carson Palmquist muddled through the first inning, allowing three runners to reach, but he got out of it after 32 pitches without allowing any damage. He faced three batters in the second inning, allowing a double to Max Kepler and a walk to Tyler Locklear, before his day was done.
Zack Littell came in with one out to pitch the bulk of the game, immediately giving up a run on a perfectly placed bunt from Tim Tawa. Ketel Marte then hit a grounder to first, but instead of turning a double play, the Nationals were only able to get the out at second base. The Diamondbacks took a 2-0 lead on the play, and Littell had to face two more batters before he got the third out.
Those runs would be all Littell allowed in five innings.
“Yeah, I mean it sucks, obviously I want to come in there and not let Carson’s run come across,” Littell said. “But the process is going to be the same. I go out there and try to do the same thing regardless of what the situation is and attack guys.”
The Nationals tied it up in the fourth. CJ Abrams, who has heated up since the All-Star break, reached on a soft grounder. He’s now 11 for 21 in his last five games, building on the stellar season that’s already included an All-Star start and new career-highs in home runs and RBIs.
Dylan Crews, who is hitting .311 against left-handed pitchers, followed with a two-run homer to make it 2-2.
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“Ball shot off his bat like a cannon,” Butera said. “When he’s on balance and on time like that, he’s able to do some pretty impressive things with the bat.”
The game remained tied until the seventh inning, when the Nationals bullpen took over. Tom Cosgrove inherited a runner on first base with one out. Two batters later, he had loaded the bases after allowing a base hit to Corbin Carroll and a walk to Geraldo Perdomo. Gabriel Moreno hit a sacrifice fly to drive in one run to give the Diamondbacks a 3-2 lead.
Butera then swapped Cosgrove for Orlando Ribalta, who was able to get the Nationals out of the inning without allowing any other runs to score.
A 3-2 deficit should have been minuscule enough for the high-powered Nationals offense to overcome. But they went down in order in the final three innings, failing to reach base against the Diamondbacks bullpen. Butera said that offense may have been pressing, the manager noting how badly the team wants to win these games.
“It’s an uncharacteristic one from our end, only scoring two,” Butera said. “Cruz got that two-run shot, but outside of that we just couldn’t get much going.”
Note: Trevor Williams (Tommy John surgery) and Jake Irvin (right shoulder strain) both pitched in rehab games on Friday as they inched closer to a return.
Williams, in his sixth rehab start, threw 64 pitches in 4 1/3 innings for Class AAA Rochester, allowing six earned runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking one.
Irvin, in his third rehab start, threw 63 pitches in 3 2/3 innings, allowing no runs and striking out four.
