Denard Span Bobblehead Top 5:
5. Quick Recap: Adam LaRoche connected for the Washington Nationals' first hit of this afternoon's game off veteran Milwaukee Brewers' right-hander Yovani Gallardo in the first at bat of the second inning and one out later, the "fleet-footed" first baseman took third on a single through the right side by Bryce Harper before scoring on a single to right by Ian Desmond to give the Nats a 1-0 lead early in the series finale in the nation's capital.
#Nats on the board! With @e3LaRoche on third & @Bharper3407 on first, @IanDesmond20 smacks an RBI-single to left. Nats up, 1-0!
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 20, 2014
The Brewers took the lead in the third. Gio Gonzalez issued back-to-back one-out walks to Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez and both runners eventually scored, Braun from second on a grounder back to the mound by Jonathan Lucroy and Ramirez on a two-out RBI single to left by Khris Davis. 2-1 Milwaukee.
#Brewers take the lead! Braun comes home on a grounder and Davis follows with an RBI single to make it 2-1 in the 3rd. #MILvsWAS
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 20, 2014
Jean Segura doubled to the left-center gap to start the top of the fourth, took third on a bunt by Yovani Gallardo and scored from third on a grounder to short by Carlos Gomez to give the Brewers a 3-1 lead after three and a half.
The Nationals tied it up in the bottom of the inning, however, with Adam LaRoche walking to start the frame and scoring on a two-run opposite field home run to right by Ryan Zimmerman, who took an 0-1 curve from Gallardo for a ride. 3-3 game on Zimmerman's fifth. Jose Lobaton doubled with two down after Zim's blast, took third on a swinging bunt by Craig Stammen and scored on a wild pitch from Gallardo, 4-3 Nats.
WATCH: The #Nats trailed by two. Then Ryan Zimmerman stepped to the plate with a man on. Tie ballgame: http://t.co/QQw6ONk22N
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 20, 2014
WATCH: Wild pitch! #Nats lead! http://t.co/4tztzjGNQh
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 20, 2014
It was still 4-3 Nationals when Rafael Soriano took the mound in the ninth and gave up a one-out single by Scooter Gennett, a walk to Carlos Gomez and an RBI single to center by Rickie Weeks. 4-4 game.
The Nationals rallied again in the ninth however, with Jayson Werth singling to left to bring Anthony Rendon around from third for the walk-off win! Nationals 5-4 final.
4. Gio vs the Brewers: Washington Nationals' lefty Gio Gonzalez's June 23rd outing against Milwaukee in Miller Park was the start of a strong stretch that followed the first DL stint of his major league career and a not-so-hot first outing off the Disabled List against the Houston Astros. Gonzalez, 28, threw six scoreless innings against the Brewers that night, walking four and striking out five in what ended up a 3-0 Nats' win.
The six scoreless innings that day and a scoreless frame at the end of his outing against the Astros were the start a stretch of 22 scoreless innings for Gonzalez that lasted through two more games before he gave up a run in the first frame of his last outing against the Baltimore Orioles.
Gonzalez allowed six hits, three walks and four runs, three earned in the Nationals' 4-3 loss to the O's in Camden Yards in the left-hander's final start of the season's first half, which ended with the seven-year veteran (6-5) with a 3.56 ERA, a 3.29 FIP, 33 walks (3.56 BB/9) and 85 Ks (9.18 K/9) in 14 starts and 81 ⅓ IP.
Over his last five outings before today's, Gonzalez was (3-1) with the Nationals 4-1 in his starts, putting up a 1.93 ERA with 13 walks (3.58 BB/9) and 32 Ks (8.82 K/9) in 32 ⅔ IP in which opposing hitters put up a .182/.272/.245 line against him.
The outing on the road in Wisconsin that began Gonzalez's strong stretch left him with a (2-0) record in three career starts against Milwaukee in which he's put up a 1.89 ERA, walked 10 (4.74 BB/9) and struck out 14 (6.63 K/9) in 19 IP while holding Brewers' hitters to a .175/.299/.222 line.
His fourth career start against the Brewers began with...
Today's #Brewers lineup vs. Washington at Nationals Park. First pitch 12:35 CT on @fswisconsin and @620wtmj. pic.twitter.com/s0qNLeljBV
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 20, 2014
1st: Carlos Gomez started up 3-0 in the first at bat of this afternoon's game, but grounded out to short on the next pitch. Rickie Weeks K'd swinging over an 83 mph 2-2 change. Ryan Braun kept the first inning alive with a two-out single through short and stole second on Gonzalez and Nats' backstop Jose Lobaton. Aramis Ramirez worked the count full and sent a grounder that looked like it was going to get up the middle until Anthony Rendon ranged over to get it on his backhand and made a strong throw across his body for the final out of a 17-pitch frame.
There are no such things as sure base hits when Anthony Rendon is … well, anywhere: http://t.co/VpdNxZoT4e pic.twitter.com/s1BhFW8yvV
— MLB (@MLB) July 20, 2014
2nd: Brewers' catcher Jonathan Lucroy walked to start the top of the second. Khris Davis K'd swinging at a 77 mph 1-2 bender. Mark Reynolds singled to left on a 1-0 change, putting two on in front of Jean Segura. Gonzalez fell behind the shortstop, 2-0, but got back to a 2-2 count and got a grounder to third that Ryan Zimmerman fielded, but his throw to second was high, so everyone was safe and the bases were loaded. E:5. Yovani Gallardo K'd swinging at a 1-2 curve for out no.2. Carlos Gomez got a two-out RBI opportunity, worked the count full, but K'd swinging through a 3-2 change. 28-pitch frame, 45 total after two.
3rd: Rickie Weeks K'd swinging at a 2-2 change for career strikeout no.1,000 of Gio Gonzalez's career. Ryan Braun worked the count full in his one-out at bat, and walked, taking the second free pass of the game from the Nats' lefty. Aramis Ramirez started up 3-0, and took a four-pitch walk to put two on in front of Jonathan Lucroy. The Brewers' catcher battled for nine pitches before grounding out to the mound, but Ryan Braun scored from second on the play to tie things up at 1-1. Khris Davis stepped in with Ramirez at second and lined a single to left to drive the runner in for a 2-1 lead. Mark Reynolds worked the count full too, but popped up to end a 33-pitch frame. 78 total.
Gio Gonzalez notches his 1,000th career strikeout. Here's the ball, with the MLB authenticator applying the sticker pic.twitter.com/sqjoL175VB
— Dan Kolko (@masnKolko) July 20, 2014
Congrats @GioGonzalez47! He just notched his 1000th career K! Gio is 1st P ever to earn his 1,000th K in a #Nats uni. pic.twitter.com/l6OXFKsFuz
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 20, 2014
4th: Jean Segura lined a double to the left-center gap to start the Brewers' fourth. Yovani Gallardo bunted Segura over third/gave up an out. Carlos Gomez came up with the runner 90 ft from home, but he had to wait for another pitcher to come out of the pen...
• Gio Gonzalez's Line: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 Ks, 88 P, 47 S, 5/0 GO/FO.
3. Gallardo vs the Nationals: Yovani Gallardo's six-inning outing against the Nationals back on June 24th was the last strong start for the 28-year-old right-hander heading into today's game. Gallardo gave up just four hits and one earned run in that start, in what ended up a 4-2 loss to the Nats. In three starts since then, however, the Brewers' starter has struggled, with a 6.23 ERA and a .338/.359/.527 line against in his last 17 ⅓ IP.
Gallardo ended the first half of the 2014 campaign with a (5-5) record, a 3.68 ERA, 4.16 FIP, 32 walks (2.50 BB/9) and 86 Ks (6.73 K/9) in 19 starts and 115 IP so far this season.
This afternoon's start was the eight-year veteran's 11th outing and 10th start against the Nationals in his major league career.
Heading into today's game, he was (3-3) with a 5.61 ERA, 18 walks (3.16 BB/9) and 58 Ks (10.17 K/9) in 51 ⅓ IP against Washington, over which Nats' hitters have put up a combined .282/.338/.470 line against him.
Gallardo's 20th start of the season began with a scoreless 20-pitch frame.
The Nationals got on the board in the second. Adam LaRoche singled through the shift, sending a grounder through short and one out later took third on a Bryce Harper single through the right side. Ian Desmond followed with the second straight hit and brought LaRoche in for a 1-0 lead over the Brewers after two. 17-pitch frame for Gallardo, 37 total after two.
.@C_Gomez27, professional climber of walls. http://t.co/X2SzDjvqqF #OUTstandings
— MLB (@MLB) July 20, 2014
Given a 2-1 lead to work with, Gallardo came back with a scoreless 17-pitch third that left him at 54 pitches overall.
After the Brewers went up 3-1 in the top of the fourth, Gallardo walked Adam LaRoche to start the Nationals' half of the inning and then gave up a two-run home run to right by Ryan Zimmerman, who tied things up with one swing, taking an 0-1 curve over the out-of-town scoreboard for his 5th home run of the year. A two-out double by Jose Lobaton and a swinging bunt by Craig Stammen gave the Nationals runners on the corners with Denard Span due up and a wild pitch allowed Lobaton to score for a 4-3 lead.
Adam LaRoche reached on an infield single with two down in the Nats' fifth, but he was forced out at second, ending a 15-pitch frame by Gallardo, who was up to 95 pitches after five.
Bryce Harper walked to start the Nationals' sixth, but was picked off first and two quick outs later, Gallardo was through a 13-pitch inning at 108 pitches overall.
#Nats' LF Bryce Harper's oven mitt stops him in his tracks and gets him picked off first... https://t.co/3DcJR71rCR
— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) July 20, 2014
• Yovani Gallardo's Line: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 Ks, 1 HR, 108 P, 61 S, 6/3 GO/FO.
It's a choc-full Signature Sunday with Jordan Zimmermann (right) and @WRamosC3 (left) signing for fans today! pic.twitter.com/AZQmqwbQ0X
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 20, 2014
2. Harper heating up: Bryce Harper walked in his first at bat last night, resisting the urge to swing away against an obviously-struggling Matt Garza and taking a free pass which loaded the bases for the second time that inning with Ian Desmond due up.
In his second at bat of the game, Harper doubled to left field, tucking a two-base hit into the corner on a fastball outside from Brewers' right-hander Marco Estrada.
Harper grounded out and K'd swinging against tough lefty Tom Gorzelanny in his final plate appearance, but Nats' skipper Matt Williams talked after the game about the 21-year-old outfielder's improved performance on offense over the last few games.
"Bryce had a good at bat in the first inning," Williams said. "And then stayed on a fastball the other way. He's got power to all fields and can drive the ball to any part of the ballpark. It's good that he's staying on fastballs away that he can hit. And he drove that one to left, just inside the line, but it's tough when you've got a guy who's got a really good changeup because the fastball looks even better. But again, that's a good sign. Last night's a good sign. Tonight's a good sign. He ran the bases hard. Got great jumps out there, so he played really well."
Harper entered the series finale today with a three-game hit streak. Adam LaRoche was standing at first with one down in Harper's first at bat this afternoon in the bottom of the second. LaRoche was standing at third after Harper singled through the right side on a first-pitch fastball. After the hit, Harper was 6 for 12 in his last four, with a four game hit streak.
• Harper's Day: 1 for 3, walk, 2 Ks.
1. The Wrap-Up: Craig Stammen took over on the mound for Gio Gonzalez in the fourth with a runner on third, one out and Carlos Gomez at the plate. Gomez grounded sharply to short, but as soon as Ian Desmond threw to first, Jean Segura broke for home and scored ahead of Adam LaRoche's throw to Jose Lobaton. 3-1 Brewers.
Teddy Burrito + belt pic.twitter.com/9UhXKOjAeI
— B Sheridan (@md_dc) July 20, 2014
Stammen came back with an 11-pitch, 1-2-3 frame in the top of the fifth after the Nationals took the lead. An eight-pitch, 1-2-3 sixth gave Stammen eight straight outs.
Drew Storen took over on the mound for the Nationals in the seventh and gave up a two-out single to center by Rickie Weeks, who stole second in the next at bat. Storen fell behind 3-0 to Ryan Braun, and walked him to put two on for Aramis Ramirez, who grounded to third to end the inning. Still 4-3 Nationals.
Zach Duke gave up a one-out walk to Denard Span and a two-out single by Jayson Werth, but nothing else in a scoreless inning of work in the seventh.
Tyler Clippard came out for the eighth and struck out the side in a 19-pitch eighth.
Pitch it, Soriano! Pitch it, Soriano! Strike'em out, Soriano! Strike'em out, Soriano!! Rafael Soriano came on looking for save no.23 of 2014 and gave up a one-out single to left by Scooter Gennett. Carlos Gomez walked to put two on in front of Rickie Weeks, who singled to center to tie things up. 4-4 after eight and a half.
Rob Wooten took the mound for Milwaukee in the bottom of the ninth. Denard Span singled with one down, but was forced out at second on a grounder to first by Anthony Rendon. Jayson Werth stepped in with two out and lined a single to left on a 3-1 pitch, bringing Rendon around for a 5-4 win.
Nationals now 53-43.