Nats top Bucs in 4

Game 1: Nationals 10 Pirates 5

Pirates sent ace Gerritt Cole to the mound opposed by Nats Stephen Strasburg. Both teams got the offense going early, as Gregory Polanco hit a 2-run homer in the top of the first and Nationals strung together a Bryce Harper double and three singles to knot the score at 2-2. Nationals broke the game open in the third. as three singles and two doubles led to an 8-run inning. Pirates would ultimately score 5 runs, but the game was not much in doubt after the Nets’ big inning.

Game 2: Nationals 3 Pirates 2

Washington sent Tanner Roark to the mound, while the Pirates countered with Ivan Nova. Pirates scored 2 runs on 4 hits in the 5th to take the lead, and held the Nats’ scoreless until Anthony Rendon scored on a Michael Taylor double in the 7th. Pirates took the 2-1 edge into the bottom of the 9th, with Felipe Rivero charged with locking down the win. Trea Turner coaxed a walk to start the inning, and “Dusty Baker” sent Ben Revere to the plate to pinch hit. The light hitting Revere promptly blasted a two run walk off homer to right, and the Nationals went up 2-0 in the series.

Game 3: Pirates 6 Nationals 1

With the Pirates facing elimination, Jonathan Niese took the hill opposed by Nationals Ace Max Scherzer. Gregory Polanco hit his second homer of the series in the first to give Pitt a 2-0 lead, then followed up with his third homer (and second of the game) in the 4th. Niese held the Nationals scoreless until the 7th, and Pittsburgh cruised to an easy victory. 

Game 4: Nationals 5 Pirates 3

Chad Kuhl started for Pittsburgh while Joe Ross served as the stater for Washington. Neither team scored through 5 innings. The Nationals got on the board in the top of the 6th, as Anthony Rendon singled home Area Turner. Nationals added another run in the 7th, but the Pirates were not ready to go quietly. In the bottom of the 7th, Nationals reliever Blake Treinen got 2 quick outs. Then

followed a walk, single, single, walk, and single to plate 3 runs and chase Treinen. With runners on 1st and 3rd, “Dusty” (and any observer knows he would NEVER do this in real life) summoned closer Mark Melancon to snuff out the rally. Melancon coaxed a fly out from Frazier, and as we headed to the top of the 8th the Pirates had a 1-run lead. Nationals pinch hitter Pedro Severino blasted a home run to tie the game, and after a scoreless Pirates 8th the game entered the 9th inning. With Neftali Feliz on the mound, Bryce Harper led off the 9th with a 443-foot home run to give the Nats the lead. Schugel replaced Feliz, and walked David Murphy to put the go-ahead run on base. He didn’t stay there long, as Wilson Ramos grounded into a double play. Up stepped Trea Turner then blasted the second Nats homer of the inning. Jonathan Papelbon came on to get the save, and the Nats moved on.

Enjoyable series to play, and good job by Stan. Other than Game 1, any of these games were tight, tense affairs.

--submitted by Bill Schneider--