GAME 5: “Freight Treinen”

Game 5 (Porcello vs Scherzer)

The aces were back on the hill for Game 5, with each manager looking to get the pivotal go ahead win. In contrast to the slugfests that the last two games featured, the pitchers would dominate this one. The Nationals struck first to open the game, as singles by Dan Murphy, Wilson Ramos, and Trea Turner plate one run. Red Sox got one back in the third, as Travis Shaw doubled and then scored on Bogaerts’ single. The game remained knotted at 1-1 after eight innings.  In the top of the ninth, with Tommy Layne on the hill, Jayson Werth coaxed a walk to open the inning. Ryan Zimmerman grounded out, but managed to hustle to first to avoid the double play. Chris Heisey then walked, leaving runners on first and second for David Murphy. Murphy lined a single to right center to plate Zimmerman with the go-ahead run, but Heisey was thrown out at third. Layne got Wilson Ramos to ground out to end the inning, but the Nationals held a crucial one run edge headed into to the bottom of the ninth. With Scherzer having only surrendered four hits, he remained on the mound. After Bogaerts flied out, reliever Shawn Kelley took over. Chris Young singled to put the tying run on first with David Ortiz coming to the plate. You could cut the tension with a knife. With manager Schneider fearing the Ortiz walk-off blast, the somewhat homer-prone Kelley was replaced with righty Blake Treinen. Treinen would be up to the challenge, as he struck out Ortiz and Mookie Betts to save the game. While no photos were taken, one can assume Jonathan Papelbon was scowling from the bullpen in resentment at not getting the opportunity as the “established closer” to lock down the win. Interestingly, Treinen’s was the only save of the series.

Nationals now led 3-2.