Scooter Gennett and Khris Davis hit home runs off Washington Nationals' starter Stephen Strasburg when they faced the right-hander last month and they took the Nats' starter deep again tonight in a 4-2 win for the Milwaukee Brewers in Nationals Park.
Strasburg in the nation's capital:
5. Quick Recap: Milwaukee Brewers' second baseman Scooter Gennett ended the first half of his 2014 campaign with a .309/.346/.482 line, 22 doubles and seven home runs in 84 games and 308 plate appearances. One of those seven home runs was a grand slam off Washington Nationals' starter Stephen Strasburg when the two teams met in Miller Park in June. Gennett started the so-called second half of the season with his eighth home run, a solo blast off Strasburg in the top of the first tonight, taking a 2-0 change to right and over the out-of-town scoreboard to give the visiting Brewers a 1-0 lead early in the series opener in Nats Park.
Watch Scooter Gennett give the #Brewers an early lead with a solo shot in the 1st: http://t.co/QVfx7p2WYY
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 18, 2014
Khris Davis worked the count full in his one out at bat in the top of the second and turned a 97 mph fastball around, sending the second solo home run off Strasburg out to right again and over the out-of-town scoreboard again to give the Brewers a 2-0 lead after one and a half in the nation's capital.
Watch Khris Davis extend the #Brewers’ lead with an opposite field home run in the 2nd: http://t.co/5cANr8VVkG
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 18, 2014
Strasburg walked Scooter Gennett the second time he faced him with two down in the top of the third and a two-out double by Ryan Braun and two-run single by Aramis Ramirez followed as the Brewers jumped out to a 4-0 lead.
Ryan Zimmerman doubled to start the fourth, connecting for his 19th two-base hit of 2014 and one out later scored from second on a line drive single to center by Ian Desmond that got the Nationals on the board. 4-1 Brewers.
WATCH: @IanDesmond20's 34th extra-base hit of the season put the #Nats on the board in the fourth: http://t.co/6cXI1j51RK
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 19, 2014
Bryce Harper teed off on a 1-0 fastball from Francisco Rodriguez in the bottom of the ninth, sending a solo blast into the visitor's bullpen. 4-2 game on Harper's third.
That's as close as the Nationals would get. 4-2 Brewers final.
#Nats vs #Brewers: Span CF, Rendon 2B, Werth RF, LaRoche 1B, Zimmerman3B, Harper LF, Desmond SS, Ramos C, Strasburg P pic.twitter.com/2Z1YrwdBpx
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 18, 2014
4. Will Strasburg have his revenge?: Four of the seven runs Stephen Strasburg allowed in his June 25th outing against the Brewers in Milwaukee's Miller Park came on home runs, a grand slam by Scooter Gennett and a solo blast by Khris Davis.
The Nationals' 25-year-old right-hander was lifted after just 4 ⅔ IP in series finale with the NL Central leaders.
The seven runs allowed were the most he gave up to that point. The problem that day?
Strasburg told reporters, including The Washington Post's James Wagner, that his mechanics were "not right" though he wasn't sure exactly what was wrong.
"'Still trying to figure that out,'" he said. "'Just doesn’t feel the same. Doesn’t look the same.'"
The three walks Strasburg issued that day were more than he allowed in 31 ⅔ IP over his previous five starts.
The rough outing against the Brewers was the third straight start in which the '09 no.1 overall pick struggled on the mound.
In 17 ⅓ IP, against St. Louis, Atlanta and then Milwaukee, Strasburg gave up 24 hits, four walks and 14 runs, all earned, (7.27 ERA), with opposing hitters putting up a combined .324/.359/.595 line against him.
Before his next turn in the rotation, however, Strasburg and pitching coach Steve McCatty worked on fixing whatever mechanical issue was causing the problems.
After looking back at the start, they said they saw something they could fix, with Strasburg telling reporters, including MLB.com's Cody Ulm, that the "mechanical flaw" was resulting in him rushing his delivery and leaving his fastball up:
"[My four-seam fastball was] not really keeping the angle and not really pounding it down, and I think it's just something that I kind of focus in on mechanically to get back to hitting the spots a little bit better and not having it tail over the plate."
Over his next three outings against the Rockies, Orioles and Phillies, Strasburg went (1-0) with a 2.21 ERA in 20 ⅓ IP over which he held opposing hitters to a .213/.244/.320 line, ending the first half with a (7-6) record, a 3.46 ERA, 2.72 FIP, 26 walks (1.87 BB/9) and 149 Ks (10.73 K/9) in 20 starts and 125 IP.
Rare color shot of Griffith Stadium in D.C., 1958. Shot from the upper deck. RF 41' scoreboard in play. #Nationalspic.twitter.com/ICu3FLu3Ua
— MLBcathedrals (@MLBcathedrals) July 18, 2014
Tonight in the nation's capital he got an opportunity to take on the Brewers again.
This time, however, he was facing Milwaukee in Nationals Park, where Strasburg was (6-1) with a 2.38 ERA, 2.08 FIP, 14 walks (1.50 BB/9) and 56 Ks (11.63 K/9) in 72 IP over which he's held opposing hitters to a .239/.278/.336 line.
Strasburg's 21st start of the season started with a pop to right...
1st:Carlos Gomez was first pitch swinging and popped up to right. Scooter Gennett got hold of a 2-0 change in the next at bat though, and hit a solo home run over the out-of-town scoreboard in right for a 1-0 lead. Ryan Braun fell behind 0-2, and K'd swinging at a diving 89 mph 1-2 change. Aramis Ramirez popped to second to end the first after 10 pitches from Strasburg.
2nd: Brewers' catcher, Jonathan Lucroy K'd swinging at a 95 mph 1-2 fastball. Khris Davis worked the count full and inside-outed a 97 mph heater, hitting a solo home run to right and over the out-of-town scoreboard. 2-0 Brewers. Mark Reynolds K'd swinging at a brutal 1-2 change. Jean Segura lined out to center to end the top of the second after 18 pitches from Strasburg, who was up to 28 total after two.
3rd: Kyle Lohse K'd swinging through a high 95 mph fastball. K no.4. Carlos Gomez grounded out to Desmond's backhand at short. Scooter Gennett started up 3-0 in his second at bat and walked on four pitches. Ryan Braun doubled to left on a first-pitch curve up in the zone, sending Gennett around to third. Aramis Ramirez got a two-out RBI opportunity and dropped a single in short right, bringing both runners in for a 4-0 lead. A grounded back to the mound off Jonathan Lucroy's bat ended a 17-pitch frame. 45 total after three.
4th: Khris Davis lined a single over third on an 0-1 fastball. Mark Reynolds popped out to second. Jean Segura K'd swinging over an 0-2 curve. Kyle Lohse stepped in with two out and K'd swinging at another 0-2 curve in the dirt. K no.6, out no.3, 12-pitch frame, 57 total for Strasburg after four.
• #mesmerizing:
#Nats' 2B Anthony Rendon doesn't let something like bobbling the ball distract him... https://t.co/kDznyiEAFa
— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) July 19, 2014
5th: Carlos Gomez dropped a bloop single into short right in the first at bat of the fifth, but he was caught stealing with Scooter Gennett at the plate. Gennett flew to right for out no.2. Ryan Braun stepped in with two down and went down swinging to end a nine-pitch frame. 66 pitches total for Strasburg after five.
6th: Aramis Ramirez K'd swinging over a 2-2 bender low in the zone. No.8. Jonathan Lucroy sent a 96 mph fastball to short center where Denard Span caught the second out of the inning. Khris Davis fell behind 1-2, but got back to a full count before striking out on a diving change. K no.9. 19-pitch frame, 85 total after six.
7th: Mark Reynolds worked the count full and popped out to center. Jean Segura hit a slow chopper to third that Ryan Zimmerman barehanded before doing his thing. The call was overturned though, and Segura was ruled safe at first. Kyle Lohse popped a bunt attempt back to the mound, however, and Strasburg threw to first to double up Segura. 1-4 DP. 13-pitch frame for Strasburg. 98 pitches total after seven.
• Stephen Strasburg's Line: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 9 Ks, 2 HR, 98 P, 70 S, 2/4 GO/FO.
3. Lohse vs Washington: The Nationals missed Kyle Lohse during the series in Milwaukee. Before tonight, however, the Nats faced the 35-year-old right-hander 16 times in his 14-year career.
#WelcomeBackBaseball! pic.twitter.com/HefYcXGDmx
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 18, 2014
Lohse took the mound in D.C. with a (5-2) record, 14 walks (1.48 BB/9), 55 Ks (5.80 K/9) and a 4.75 ERA in 85 ⅓ IP against Washington, over which Nats' hitters put up a combined .263/.300/.427 line against him.
In the series opener in the nation's capital, Lohse was making his fifth start in Nationals Park, where he was (2-1) with a 5.76 ERA, two walks (0.61 BB/9) and 18 Ks (5.46 K/9) in 29 ⅔ IP since it opened in 2008.
Lohse ended the first half of the 2014 campaign with a (9-4) record, a 3.26 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 23 walks (1.63 BB/9) and 95 Ks (6.73 K/9) in 19 starts and 127 IP.
The second half of his second season with the Brewers began with a scoreless 19-pitch 1st that was somewhat controversial. Denard Span singled to start the frame, but appeared to be doubled up on a grounder to short by Anthony Rendon. Span looked safe, however, but was ruled out for interference and after a long talk between Matt Williams and the umps, the ruling on Span was upheld, while Rendon was ruled safe at first...? You can figure that one out yourself...
Don't forget to keep #Spanning and to get to @Nationals Park Sunday to get your @ThisIsDSpan bobblehead. pic.twitter.com/tjg6cXovYV
— SCREECH (@ScreechTheEagle) July 18, 2014
Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper hit back-to-back singles to start the Nationals' second. Zimmerman took third on Ryan Braun's arm on Harper's hit. Ian Desmond popped out to foul territory off first for the first out of the Nats' second. Wilson Ramos stepped in with runners on the corners grounded into an inning-ending 6-4-3. 12-pitch frame for Lohse, 31 total after two.
Given a 4-0 led to work with, Lohse gave up one and two-out singles by Denard Span (2 for 2) and Jayson Werth, respectively, in the third. Adam LaRoche stepped in with runners on the corners but sent a fly to center that Carlos Gomez caught to end a 21-pitch frame by the Brewers's starter, who was up to 52 after three.
Ryan Zimmerman doubled off the out-of-town scoreboard in right to start the Nationals' fourth. One out later, Ian Desmond lined a single to center that brought Zimmerman in to make it a 4-1 game after four. 15-pitch frame by Lohse, 67 total after four.
Denard Span was 3 for 3 on the night after lining a single to left to start the home-half of the fifth. Span stole second one out later with Jayson Werth at the plate, but was thrown out on a grounder to short by Jayson Werth. Adam LaRoche's fly to left ended an 18-pitch inning that left Lohse at 85 total.
Bryce Harper singled with one down in the Nationals' sixth, but he was doubled up in the next at bat on a grounder to short by Ian Desmond. Six-pitch frame, 91 total for Lohse after six.
Wilson Ramos singled to start the Nats' seventh and took second on a groundout by Nate McLouth. Denard Span's grounder to second moved Ramos to third, but he was stranded there when Anthony Rendon flew out to right to end the Nats' seventh. 12-pitch frame by Lohse, 103 pitches total.
• Kyle Lohse's line: 7.0 IP, 10 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 Ks, 103 P, 69 S, 7/2 GO/FO.
2. #Signed:
The #Nats have agreed to terms with RHP Erick Fedde, the No. 18 overall pick in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft: http://t.co/MbzGDK8BeQ
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 18, 2014
Excited to officially be a part of the Nationals organization! Just the beginning and lots of hard work still ahead #gonats
— Fedde (@ErickFedde) July 18, 2014
1. The Wrap-Up: Drew Storen took over on the mound for Stephen Strasburg in the top of the eighth inning. The Nats' right-hander gave up a two-out walk but completed a scoreless 17-pitch frame.
Brewers' right-hander Rob Wooten took over for Lohse in the top of the eighth and struck Jayson Werth out. Zach Duke came on with one down and retired Adam LaRoche and Ryan Zimmerman to keep it 4-1 after eight.
Craig Stammen gave up a leadoff single by Jonathan Lucroy but nothing else in a scoreless 17-pitch top of the ninth.
Francisco Rodriguez took the mound in the ninth looking for his 28th save of the season and gave up a solo home run on a 1-0 fastball for a ride to right. Solo home run, 4-2 game. That's how it ended.
Nationals now 51-43