GAME 6: “Step-hen the winning direction”

Game 6 (Price vs Strasburg)

Boston sent David Price back to the mound to oppose Stephen Strasburg, who had henceforth been a spectator due to usage limit concerns. After a scoreless Red Sox half inning, the Nationals got to work against Price. Rendon reached first to lead off the inning on a Shaw error, and was subsequently plated on a 400-foot Bryce Harper homer. 2-0 Nats. In the Red Sox second, two walks and a single loaded the bases with no outs. Strasburg struck out David Price, and then induced the double play ball from Pedroia to end the threat. After an uneventful third inning, the Red Sox once again threatened. With one out, Travis Shaw came to the plate with runners on second and third. Shaw struck out, though, and Price grounded out to again keep the Red Sox off the scoreboard. The Nationals chased Price in the bottom of the fifth, as Strasburg helped his own cause by singling to start the inning and scoring on a Bruce Harper ground out. 3-0 Nationals after 5. With the Red Sox still scoreless headed into the seventh, reliever Brad Ziegler chased Strasburg with an unlikely single. Game 5 hero Blake Treinen again entered with ever-dangerous Dustin Pedroia at bat, but Pedroia grounded out to end preserve the Nationals shut out. Trea Turner greeted Ziegler with a homer to open the Nationals’ seventh, given the Nationals an insurance run. In the Red Sox eighth, a Bogaerts single and Ortiz walk sandwiched a Chris Young fly out to put two runners on for Mookie Betts. Betts struck out, but Sandy Leon then walked to load the bases for Jackie Bradley with the game and the series perhaps on the line. Treinen again rose to the occasion by striking out Bradley. Red Sox went quietly in the ninth, and the Nationals held on to win the series 4-2.

Post Game

Good managing by Gary; certainly could have the other way had a couple of crucial at bats turned out differently. Thanks to Marc for putting on the tournament and to Dave Koch for sponsoring it. See you in KOD 25!

--submtitted by Bill Schneider--