:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/34786971/451185332.0.jpg)
Of all the impressive things that took place in Milwaukee's Miller Park last night in the epic 5 hour, 22 minute, 16-inning game between the Brewers and visiting Washington Nationals, Ross Detwiler's four-inning, 46-pitch effort in relief stood out for Nats' skipper Matt Williams.
"Det was above and beyond tonight," Williams told reporters after the Nationals' 4-2 win. "Going in we had some guys that were feeling it so we didn't want to got to them, turned out we had to, but Det was fantastic, he really stretched it for us."
Detwiler took the Nats from the 10th to the 14th while the two teams battled it out. Ryan Zimmerman's 16th inning home run was all that kept Williams from having to take desperate measures.
"If we didn't score there it was [Adam LaRoche]," Williams said, meaning he was going to turn to a position player to spare his beleaguered bullpen. "I told him after his at bat make sure he gets to the cage and throws a little bit, but it turned we scored, so big home run by Zim."
Jerry Blevins took over once Jordan Zimmermann was done with six innings on the mound. Aaron Barrett, Craig Stammen, Detwiler, Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard got the Nationals through 15 innings. Rafael Soriano was available, but that was it. Zimmerman's home run robbed LaRoche of the opportunity to take the mound.
"I'm certain that he's okay with not having to pitch," Williams joked with reporters. "That's one of those games that you just... we had a chance to double switch when we brought [Stammen] in, but he's thrown so many games in the last week that we don't want to take him past an inning either, so Detwiler really stepped up."
Even with Detwiler's effort, the bullpen, Williams said, is spent.
Nationals 4-2 over Brewers on Ryan Zimmerman's 16th inning home run! #TKCHZ!
Photo © Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports
"We're gassed," he admitted. "[Stammen] is okay. [Blevins] is okay. Certainly [Soriano] would be okay, but yeah, it's gassed."
Williams was asked if the Nationals might call someone up to help out in the series finale in Milwaukee?
"We'll see how everybody is after the rave stops," he said, referring to the fog machine and music clubhouse celebration which regularly follows Nats wins. "And we'll see how we go tomorrow, but I'll talk to everybody tonight and see what we've got."
According to several reports this morning, the Nationals are planning on calling up 25-year-old right-hander Taylor Hill to help out:
Sounds like Taylor Hill, starter who's thrown well at Class AAA Syracuse, is joining Nats in Milwaukee. His college coach tweeted such, too.
— James Wagner (@JamesWagnerWP) June 25, 2014
We talked about the Nationals' extra innings win, Zimmerman's home run and more on Nats Nightly at 2:00 AM EDT last night/this morning...