Washington put one runner in scoring position against Los Angeles Dodgers' lefty Clayton Kershaw on Saturday in an eight-inning start by the southpaw, who gave up just three hits, recorded 14 Ks and got seven ground balls outs from the 27 batters he faced.
This afternoon in the nation's capital, the only runner the Nationals put in scoring position was Bryce Harper, who singled and took second base on an error with two out in the ninth inning, after Dodgers' righty Zack Greinke left the game having thrown eight scoreless in which he gave up just three hits and one walk, striking out 11 and inducing eight ground ball outs from the 27 batters he faced.
Greinke was up to 43 ⅔ straight scoreless innings on the mound when he left the game.
Nats' skipper Matt Williams was asked after the Nationals' 5-0 loss today about struggling to create many opportunities at all in the back-to-back losses to the Dodgers' intimidating tandem.
"We're not alone, recently, anyway, [Greinke] been pretty good," Williams said.
"Last two guys are really good pitchers, we swung at some out of the strike zone, they made good pitches as well, the results are the results, so we look forward to tomorrow."
It doesn't get any easier for the Nationals tomorrow, of course, as their depleted lineup will go up against the pitchers New York Mets' skipper Terry Collins lined up in what he sees as a significant series with the team the Mets trail in the NL East standings.
As Williams explained today, he and the Nats know that neither the Mets or any other team they come up against is going to have any sympathy for the injuries the Nationals are dealing with right now.
"They don't care if anybody is hurt," he said.
"We're going to have to play well to beat them, just like we had to play well against these guys to beat them. Same goes. Tomorrow is a new day, and we'll approach it that way and see if we can get the Mets tomorrow."
The Nationals start a three-game set with the Mets at 7:05 PM EDT on Monday night.
We talked about the Nationals' back-to-back losses to the Dodgers last night and this afternoon. Catch up on your Nats Nightly below: