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Nationals 3-2 Over Yankees: Jordan Zimmermann Perfect Through Four vs NY

Jordan Zimmermann retired the twelve batters he faced in four hitless innings in Viera, Florida's Space Coast Stadium and the Washington Nationals held on for a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees in Grapefruit League action. Also, Anthony Rendon is good at baseball.

By Patrick Reddington
Stacy Revere

Washington Nationals' starter Jordan Zimmermann got ahead 1-2 with a tight breaking ball inside to Jacoby Ellsbury, then went to a full count against the New York Yankees' 7-year/$153M leadoff man before he threw a 3-2 fastball low in the zone to get a groundout from Ellsbury to Ian Desmond at short. Zimmermann went up 0-2 on outfielder Brett Gardner when he got a called strike with an 86 mph change, letter-high outside, before inducing a groundout to third baseman Anthony Rendon with a 92 mph 2-2 heater. Nats' outfielder Nate McLouth handled a fly ball to center field off Mark Teixeira's bat and Zimmermann's 0-1 fastball to NY's first baseman ended a 14-pitch opening frame this afternoon in Viera, Florida's Space Coast Stadium.

Jayson Werth hit a half-swing one-hopper behind Anthony Rendon and into right field with the Nationals' 23-year-old second baseman running on contact from first. Wilson Ramos stepped in against 33-year-old lefty CC Sabathia with runners on the corners and one out in the home-half of the first and grounded into a force at second that brought Rendon home, 1-0 Nats early.

Brian McCann flew out to left on an 84 mph 1-1 change. Zimmermann was up to 21 pitches when he dropped a nasty 2-1 change on Scott Sizemore, but he went to a full count and his fastball to get a called strike three with a 93 letter-high heater outside to the Yankees' outfielder. Eduardo Nunez tried to bunt his way on, dropping a sharp one toward third, but Rendon was on it. Two scoreless for Zimmermann on 27 pitches after a 13-pitch, 1-2-3 second.

Scott Hairston stepped in with runners on the corners and no one out in the Nationals' second after Danny Espinosa worked a walk out of CC Sabathia and went first-to-third™ on a line drive single to left by Tyler Moore. Hairston K'd looking, however, and Nate McLouth was punched out on a questionable check-swing strike three, leaving it up to Anthony Rendon... whose two-run double to left made it 3-0 Nats.


Jordan Zimmermann threw an 0-2 fastball by Yankees' second baseman Dean Anna on his 30th pitch of the game. Austin Romine K'd swinging through a 93 mph 1-2 fastball knee-high outside. Zimmermann's 41st pitch was an 86 mph 2-2 change that outfielder Zoilo Almonte rolled over, sending a weak grounder to Danny Espinosa at second base. 3-0 Nationals after two and a half.

Jordan Zimmermann threw a 93 mph 2-2 fastball outside by Jacoby Ellsbury that home plate umpire Laz Diaz liked and called strike three on the Nats' starter's 47th pitch of the game. A 93 mph 1-2 fastball in tight on the wrists got Zimmermann his 11th straight out on his 51st pitch when Brett Gardner grounded back to the mound and a 1-1 fastball outside got a fly to center from Mark Teixeira that Nate McLouth picked off the top of the grass with a diving catch to make it 12 up and 12 down and four scoreless on 54 pitches by Zimmermann after a 13-pitch frame.


Drew Storen threw an 0-2 change inside by Brian McCann for the first out of the fifth inning. Storen's 0-2 slider inside to Scott Sizemore was called strike three to make it two outs and two Ks. Eduardo Nunez went to right with an 0-2 fastball up in the zone, and tripled for the Yankees' first hit. Nunez scored on a single by Dean Anna, but a 2-2 slider inside to Austin Romine got the Yankees' catcher looking and got Storen out of the inning. 3-1 Nats.

Felipe Rivero, one of the three players the Nationals got from the Rays in the Jose Lobaton/Nate Karns deal, gave up a run in the sixth with Zoilo Almonte doubling with one down and scoring on a sac fly to center by Brett Gardner that Nate McLouth tracked down on the track. 3-2 Nationals. 14-pitch inning for Rivero.

The Nats' left-handed reliever came back out for the seventh, dialing his fastball up to 94-95 and mixing in some mid-70s curves on his way to a scoreless 17-pitch inning. 31 pitches total in two scoreless innings pitched.

Daniel Stange threw a scoreless eighth. Manny Delcarmen came out for the ninth and retired the Yankees in order to end it...

• Zimmermann Highlights:


Nationals win, 3-2 final.

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