Yes, It Can Get Worse - Nats Take Opener 13-0

Not much of a start for Trevor Williams – a homer by Adam Eaton, double, walk, wild pitch, sac fly and another homer by Matt Adams dug a quick 4-0 hole for the Bucs. Joe Ross 1-2-3′ed the Bucs, with Starling’s laser to center ending up gloved. The second started with a four-pitch walk and Eli error on a bunt by Ross, then Trea Turner launched a three-run shot into the bleachers on the next delivery. With two away, a single, walk and double plated another; it was also the third out as Melky-to-Fraze-to Eli nailed the back runner at home. Willy, btw, is at 64 pitches and down 8-0. The Pirates went down in order. Montana DuRapau put up a zero in the third and then got his first MLB hit in the Bucco half. In the fourth, a walk, three doubles and bopped batter produced three more DC scores. The Bucs put runners at the corners with an out and in came Javy Guerra; yep, he got Redbeard to ground into a DP.

Chris Stratton got the fifth frame and he and Guerra traded zeroes. Kyle Crick tossed a quiet sixth, as did Guerra. Keone Kela worked a clean seventh, and Guerra continued his Cy Young imitation. Michael Feliz spun a shutdown eighth. Kyle McGowin gave up a walk but no runs. Frankie broke the pitching run as the Nats swatted a leadoff double followed by an Asdrubal Cabrera dinger off the Rotunda. On the bright side, he stranded a two-out two-bagger. Tanner Rainey walked B-Rey with an out and Erik Gonzalez blooped a single before Rainey put it to rest.

Javy Guerra pitched 3-2/3 innings of perfect ball against the Pirates. He started the day with 5.59 ERA (now 4.77) and had given up 15 runs in his last eight outings over 14 innings. That about says it all for the offense. As for the the Pirates pitching…sheesh. Four more homers tonight.

Notes:

• The Pirates had four hits. B-Rey reached twice with a knock and a walk.
• Eli was removed from the game as a precaution after taking a foul to the mask in the fourth frame.
• The announced attendance was 11,284 tonight.
• Cole Tucker was the 26th man yesterday; he was returned to Indy today as Montana DuRapau stayed on the 25-man.
• Max Scherzer threw a bullpen today to determine if he’ll be good to go for Thursday’s finale here.
• Bradenton’s Travis Swaggerty was named the Florida State League Player of the Week. The #1 pick hit .542 during the week and had his first two-homer game.
• There are more rule change experiments afoot in the indie Atlantic League than you may be aware of, per Joe Rivera of The Sporting News.