Row-Row-Row Your Ark Top 5:
5. Quick Recap: Matt Garza needed 42 pitches to record one out in the bottom of the first inning tonight, and by the time he was lifted from the game, the Milwaukee Brewers were down 5-0 to the Nationals in the second game of three in Washington, D.C. Ryan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond and Wilson Ramos each drove in runs, with Ramos knocking Garza out with a one-out, two-run single to center.
WATCH: @WRamosC3's two-run single pushed the #Nats first-inning lead to 5-0: http://t.co/uWFZv7wVRi
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 19, 2014
Jonathan Lucroy doubled and tried to steal third with one down in the Brewers' second, and scored when Wilson Ramos bounced a throw to third that Ryan Zimmerman couldn't handle. 5-1 Nats.
Bryce Harper went the other way with a 1-2 fastball outside, doubling to the corner in left for his sixth two-base hit of the season, then took third on a fly to right by Ian Desmond before scoring on an RBI single to left by Wilson Ramos, who drove in his third run of the night to make it 6-1.
#HornsUp! Make it 6-1**, #Nats as @WRamosC3 brings home @Bharper3407 (who doubled) with a base hit to left!
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 20, 2014
Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche both walked with two down and Werth scored from second on a two-out RBI single to center by Ryan Zimmerman, who collected his third RBI of the night on a hit off Brewers' righty Marco Estrada. 7-1 Nationals.
Anthony Rendon connected for his first hit of the series with one down in the Nationals' sixth, took third on a double to center by Jayson Werth (no.22) and scored on a sac fly to left by Adam LaRoche to make it 8-1 Nats after six innings in the nation's capital.
Ryan Braun hit a two-run home run to left off Jerry Blevins in the Brewers' eighth, getting Milwaukee within five with his 12th HR of the season. 8-3.
That's how it ended...
Checking in from Nationals Park...#Nats v. #Brewers @ESPNRadio980 pic.twitter.com/DEitWhFnqL
— ESPN 980 (@ESPNRadio980) July 19, 2014
4. Myth of Row-Ark: Tanner Roark had a 3-0 lead courtesy of a Jayson Werth home run when he took the mound in the bottom of the first inning in the final start of the "first-half" last weekend in Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park.
Washington's 27-year-old right-hander went seven innings last Sunday afternoon, giving up four hits and one earned run while striking out six Phillies' hitters on the way to earning his eighth win of the 2014 campaign.
"Momentum for us early with Jayson hitting the homer and it set the tone real well for Tanner too," Matt WIlliams told reporters after the game. "He pitched well again for us, so it was a great way to end the first-half for sure."
Roark finished the first-half of his second season in the majors with an (8-6) record, a 3.01 ERA, 3.35 FIP, 25 walks (1.98 BB/9) and 85 Ks (6.73 K/9) in 18 starts and 113 ⅔ IP.
"Not as many curveballs again today as normal," Williams said of Roark's work in the finale of the three-game set with the Nationals' NL East rivals, "but he established fastball early, first time around the lineup, both sides of the plate and was able to throw it wherever he wanted to today."
After Roark was able to establish his fastball on a muggy day in the City of Brotherly Love, he started working in his secondary pitches.
"He threw his changeup later," Williams explained, "used his curveball occasionally and worked his way through the lineup."
The win snapped a two-game losing streak for Roark, who allowed 19 hits and eight earned runs in back-to-back starts against the Chicago Cubs. Before those outings, however, the right-hander was on a bit of a roll with a (4-1) record in five June starts in which he put up a 1.44 ERA over 31 ⅓ IP, holding opposing hitters to a .233/.276/.292 line.
In the nation's capital tonight, Roark, who entered the game (4-4) in nine starts in D.C. in 2014 in which he put up a 2.02 ERA and a 3.04 FIP, with 17 walks (2.64 BB/9) and 39 Ks (6.05 K/9) in 58 IP in which opposing hitters have a .240/.299/.319 line, was taking on the Milwaukee Brewers for the first time.
Roark's first start of the so-called second-half began with a pop over the infield...
Thanks for signing, @C_Gomez27! #MILvsWAS pic.twitter.com/ZSfQZJjoCL
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 19, 2014
1st: Carlos Gomez popped up to Adam LaRoche at first to start tonight's game. Scooter Gennett grounded out to short. Ryan Braun sent a one-hopper out to Ian Desmond for out no.3 of a quick, 12-pitch, 1-2-3 first.
2nd: After a 42-minute bottom of the first, Tanner Roark retook the mound and struck Aramis Ramirez out with a 2-2 slider outside. Jonathan Lucroy doubled to right on a 93 mph 2-2 fastball for the Brewers' first hit and scored after stealing third on a throwing error by Wilson Ramos. Khris Davis lined a single to left in the next at bat, but he was doubled up on a grounder to second off Lyle Overbay's bat in the next AB. 4-6-3. 19-pitch inning for Roark, 31 total after two.
3rd: Jean Segura popped out to second to start the Brewers' third. Marco Estrada K'd looking for out no.2. Carlos Gomez dropped a two-out single into center on a bloop hit on a first-pitch fastball, but Scooter Gennett popped up on the first pitch he saw to end a quick, 10-pitch third. 41 pitches total for Roark.
4th: Ryan Braun took a 93 mph 1-2 two-seamer for a called strike three. Aramis Ramirez grounded out to short. Jonathan Lucroy took a two-out walk. Khris Davis worked the count full, and took a high fastball for a called strike three. 19-pitch frame, 60 total after four.
5th: Lyle Overbay tested Adam LaRoche's backhand with a sharp grounder to first. LaRoche passed the test. Jean Segura battled for 10 pitches before doubling to left, over Bryce Harper's head and off the bullpen wall. Marco Estrada grounded out to short for the second out of the inning. Carlos Gomez singled to short after Wilson Ramos dropped a pop behind home. Ian Desmond threw behind Segura at third on Gomez's hit, but bounced the throw when he had a chance. A fly to left off Scooter Gennett's bat ended the frame. 21-pitch fifth, 81 total after five.
6th: Ryan Braun grounded out to third. Aramis Ramirez lined a one-out single to left on a 2-1 slider. Jonathan Lucroy chased a 3-2 fastball up high inside. Khris Davis grounded out to short to end a 19-pitch frame that left Roark at 100 even.
7th: Lyle Overbay sent a high fly out to center to start the top of the seventh. Jean Segura grounded back to the mound. Pinch hitter Logan Schafer sent another fly ball out to Span, who caught out no.3 of a 12-pitch frame. 112 pitches total for Roark.
The line on Tanner Roark: 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K -- 112 pitches, 76 strikes. #Nats pic.twitter.com/jUiy3xOi0N
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 20, 2014
• Tanner Roark's Line: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 Ks, 112 P, 76 S, 9/2 GO/FO.
3. Garza vs the Nationals: Matt Garza, 30, took a loss when he faced the Washington Nationals in Miller Park in late June, falling to (4-5) on the year for the Brewers and (0-2) in five career starts against the Nats in which he's put up a 5.74 ERA with 10 walks (3.38 BB/9) and 30 Ks (10.13 K/9) in 26 ⅔ IP, with Nationals' hitters putting up a combined .287/.347/.435 line against him.
Matt Garza and the #Brewers are ready to take on the Nationals. #MILvsWAS pic.twitter.com/VLPRX61uyo
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 19, 2014
Just one of his five starts against the Nationals before tonight took place in the nation's capital, back in 2011, when Garza was knocked out after just two innings, having surrendered eight hits and seven runs, six earned in what ended up a 10-9 win for the Chicago Cubs he was pitching for at the time.
In three starts since he last faced the Nationals in Milwaukee, Garza went (2-1) with a 2.31 ERA in 23 ⅓ IP in which he held opposing hitters to a .175/.212/.213 line, leaving him (8-8) on the year with a 3.69 ERA, a 3.42 FIP, 38 walks (2.75 BB/9) and 93 Ks (6.73 K/9) in 19 starts and 124 ⅓ IP.
Away from Miller Park, the nine-year veteran put up a 4.50 ERA in 50 IP before tonight's outing, over which he walked 20 (3.60 BB/9), struck out 32 (5.76 K/9) and held opposing hitters to a .233/.310/.347 line.
Denard Span singled to right to end the seven-pitch at bat that started the bottom of the first, and one out later took third on a double to right by Jayson Werth, who pushed a 1-2 slider outside into the right field corner for his 21st two-base hit of the season. Adam LaRoche stepped in with two runners in scoring position and walked to load'em up for Ryan Zimmerman, who singled to center on a chopper up the middle that drove two runs in. 2-0.
Bryce Harper walked to load'em up again with Ian Desmond due up. Desmond was 6 for 7 with the bases loaded overall in 2014 before tonight and 4 for 4 with one out and the bases juiced so far this season. Desmond sent a weak roller toward short after a six-pitch battle and Brewers' shortstop Jean Segura failed to come up with it. 3-0. Wilson Ramos followed with a two-run single to center that drove in two more and made it 5-0 Nationals. That was it for Garza...
• Matt Garza's Line: 0.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 42 P, 28 S, 0/0 GO/FO.
This is the eighth time in #Nats history (2005-present) that they have scored 5 or more runs in the first inning. First since 5/15/11 vs MIA
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 19, 2014
2. Turning Point: Milwaukee Brewers' starter Matt Garza must have some issue with the nation's capital. In his one outing in Nationals Park before tonight, back in 2011 when he pitched for the Cubs, the veteran right-hander was knocked out of the game after just two innings pitched in which he gave up eight hits and seven runs, six earned.
He recorded just one out in tonight's game, giving up five hits and and five earned runs before he was lifted. Ryan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond and Wilson Ramos hit RBI singles in the home-half of the first giving the Nats a 5-0 lead and knocking Garza out after he threw 42 pitches...
.@AustinMahone is getting ready for his first pitch! pic.twitter.com/6ZvOGi7eLE
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 19, 2014
1. The Wrap-Up: Marco Estrada took over for Matt Garza with two on and runners on the corners in the bottom of the first. Ian Desmond tried to score on a bunt by Tanner Roark, but Estrada made a glove toss to Jonathan Lucroy, who appeared to tag Ian Desmond out. The play was reviewed to see if he blocked the plate, but he didn't. A fly to center by Denard Span ended a long frame.
Estrada retired the Nationals in order in a quick, 10-pitch, 1-2-3 second.
Bryce Harper doubled to left field with one down in the Nationals' third, connecting for his sixth two-base hit of the season and his fourth hit of the series with the Brewers. Harper took third on a fly to right by Ian Desmond and scored on the second RBI hit of the game by Wilson Ramos. 6-1.
Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche took back-to-back, two-out walks from Marco Estrada and Werth scored on an RBI single to center by Ryan Zimmerman. 7-1 Nationals after four.
Anthony Rendon singled with one down in the sixth and took third on a double to right by Jayson Werth (no.22). An RBI sac fly to left by Adam LaRoche brought Rendon home to make it 8-1 Nats.
Tom Gorzelanny took over on the mound in the Nationals' seventh and retired the side in order, striking out two.
Jerry Blevins replaced Tanner Roark in the top of the eighth and gave up a one-out single by pinch hitter Martin Maldonado and a two-run home run by Ryan Braun that made it 8-3 after seven and a half. #banthewave
Ross Detwiler came on for an inning of work in the ninth and retired the side in order. Ballgame.
Nationals now 52-43