The story through nine innings:
Runners to first base: Nationals 14, Dodgers 11
Runners to second base: Nationals 8, Dodgers 7
Runners to third base: Nationals 5, Dodgers 3
Runners home: Nationals 1, Dodgers 1
Needless to say, it was a night of just trying to survive.
Then, after 239 minutes and 23 runners stranded between them, Washington and Los Angeles moved into extra innings. And Hanley Ramirez was heroic again, following Adrian Gonzalez’s 10th-inning double with his third hit of the night, a booming two-bagger of his own, providing the winning run in the Dodgers’ 3-1 victory, their 19th in 24 games.
Andre Ethier’s sacrifice fly added an insurance run, and then Kenley Jansen for the second night in a row struck out two in a perfect inning for the save.
Jansen followed Chris Withrow, who had pitched a perfect ninth with a With-wow strikeout of Bryce Harper to end the inning. Withrow came away with his first major-league win.
Earlier, in the eighth inning, Harper was struck out by Paco Rodriguez, who entered the game with two on and one out. Rodriguez was then pulled in favor of Ronald Belisario, who retired Jayson Werth on a grounder. Werth stranded seven runners on an 0-for-5 night.
Yasiel Puig went 0 for 5. His timing is off: He wasn’t swinging desperately at pitches that were out of reach, but rather missing hittable pitches that he was lashing only a couple of weeks ago. As nervewracking as that might be – we’re past the point, for example, that Matt Kemp was sent to the minors following his hot start as a rookie in 2006 – Puig deserves some time to see if he can counter-adjust. And he can still contribute on defense even when he is slumping.
Zack Greinke was bobbing and weaving in his six innings, but he allowed only one run and also went 2 for 2, raising his season on-base percentage to .486, currently the highest mark in major-league history for a pitcher with at least 39 plate appearances. Greinke had a 21-inning scoreless streak snapped.
Tim Federowicz was 1 for 5 and has a season OPS of .561, but we saw why the Dodgers finally decided to rely on him as the backup catcher instead of Ramon Hernandez. Federowicz made multiple big stops of tough pitches to help keep the Dodgers in the game.
The Dodgers also stayed alive with some big plays in the infield, close plays that the umpires could have called either way.
Los Angeles is one game behind Arizona in the National League West, with the Diamondbacks trailing San Francisco in the seventh inning and Clayton Kershaw on the mound for the Dodgers Sunday. Matt Kemp could be activated from the disabled list for the game, though the Dodgers could also wait until Monday, when they go to Toronto and can use a designated hitter for three games.
KT
Going for the sweep tomorrow…Go Kersh
KT
Play of the game…walking the batter to get Gio out of the game?
Jon Weisman
Yeah, that was an interesting moment. Though the Dodgers gave up a run, so it was definitely at a cost.
KT
yea but Gio was cruising before then only Zack and Hanley had him figured out
Jon Weisman
True. But I’d rather face him in a scoreless game after the 100-pitch mark than be losing. All worked out though.
Anonymous
Yeah, I had mixed feelings on that one as well, because of his pitch count.
Anonymous
Agreed. I was salivating at the chance to get gio out of the game. It backfired at first, but getting into the pen early paid off later because Dodgers got to hit against the Nats’ Guerrier-like relievers.
Anonymous
Nats have a case of the Dodgers blues, good SP, spotty RP, and miserable RISP (actually poor hitting in general). We seem to have recovered, perhaps they will as well.
KT
Dodgers need to show this to Chris Withrow.
http://i.imgur.com/JxnK4Lo.jpg
Anonymous
Cooper umping at 2nd base must have seen the replay from last night.
KT
Did you go to the game tonight Bob?
Anonymous
I did indeed, KT. Great time, but Nats fans are souring on their team. A lot of them stayed, but they sat on their hands and Dodger fans began to take over noisewise. Will be there again tomorrow, this time a couple of rows behind our dugout.
KT
I’ll look for you…way to keep the winning streak (post ASB) going…no looking back
Anonymous
I’ll be with the Blue Demon mask!
Linkmeister
I used to live out in Annandale, Va. I remember those Metro DC summers. It looked miserably hot and humid there tonight. Are you pouring water over your heads in the stands, Bob?
Jeffrey Thomas III
What would be the benefit of waiting til monday to activate Kemp? Either way you have to send somebody down. Are you thinking they’d wait til Monday and send down a reliever to have more bats for a DH inclusive series? Or isn’t it pretty much assumed Van Slyke goes down whenever they activate him?
Anonymous
Kemp seemed like he was starting to get back to it in the short time he was up before going down again. Be awful nice to have a hot Bison back in the lineup.
Jeffrey Thomas III
I wouldn’t mind Puig getting tomorrow off and having an outfield of Crawford, Kemp, Ethier.
Anonymous
Agreed – Puig has already been through a whirlwind of media attention with the whole ASG “controversy” etc – I think he could benefit by just chillin’ and watching a game from the dugout to just slow the mental part of the game down for a day.
Anonymous
I like the idea of giving gonzalez some dh time or even kemp. Withrow or domnguez could be loaned to aaa for 10 days to keep an extra hitter.
Anonymous
D-backs lose, 4-3. We are getting closer!
Anonymous
What’s great is the Dodgers are winning in spite of Puig’s slump. He was huge in the jump-start, but HAnley put the petal to the metal and now Andre is hitting . . . and Agon has single-handedly made me appreciate the Boston trade.
Anonymous
Today’s lineup has the All Star OF we were expecting at the beginning of the season, with Puig resting. He was starting to look like Matt . . . the struggling, striking out Matt. But he can still impact the game with his defense!
Hopefully Matt’s the Bison of old we we love and other teams fear.
Anonymous
Let’s hope. He did put up an OPS of .818 with two dingers in the nine games when he last came off the DL.
Jon Weisman
NPUT