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Erick Fedde got the start this afternoon after it was rumored that Max Scherzer might go one more time in 2018. Sorry, Dodgers.
It didn’t go too well for Fedde, Washington’s 2014 1st Round pick, who gave up two two-run home runs in four innings of work on the mound in Coors Field, while the Nationals’ hitters failed to get much of anything going against Colorado Rockies’ left-hander Tyler Anderson, who tossed 7 2⁄3 scoreless in what ended up a 12-0 win.
The loss left Davey Martinez’s Nationals 82-80 overall on the season. See you in 2019... or, really, tomorrow, because we’re not going anywhere.
Fedde vs Rockies: Erick Fedde was unbeaten in four starts since returning from a DL stint for shoulder inflammation before taking the mound in the season finale this afternoon in Coors Field.
In those outings, the 25-year-old righty had a 4.42 ERA, 12 walks, 24 Ks, and a .203/.325/.313 line against in 18 1⁄3 IP, though he was coming off a less-than-stellar 3 1⁄3-inning start against the New York Mets in which he gave up five hits, four walks, and three earned runs.
Davey Martinez talked after the outing about Fedde falling behind and failing to put hitters away, but the 2014 1st Round pick said he thought it was more of the former.
“I’d say more falling behind,” he explained, “... it puts you in tough spots if you’re pitching from behind all day. Last couple starts I haven’t been great about that, so I’m just going to have to get ahead a little quicker.”
Fedde fell behind 1-0 to the first batter he faced today, Charlie Blackmon, and gave up a leadoff triple to right on his second pitch of the game. Two outs later, Blackmon was still standing on third, but he came home on a two-run homer to left by Nolan Arenado, who crushed a 3-1 slider inside, 2-0 Rockies.
Big game? You already know Nolan is going to be Nolan. #NolanBeingNolan pic.twitter.com/SSbJzYAaUS
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) September 30, 2018
Tyler Anderson managed to shoot an 0-2 sinker into short left field for a leadoff single in the Rockies’ third, and Blackmon hit a 1-0 splitter to right in the next at bat, sending the second two-run shot of the game off Fedde over the out-of-town scoreboard for his 29th home run of the 2018 campaign and a 4-0 lead.
Pitcher gets on base? You got to bring him home. pic.twitter.com/Z8mOo1E7UR
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) September 30, 2018
Fedde held it there through four, but was done for the day after 64 pitches overall...
Erick Fedde’s Line: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 Ks, 2 HRs, 64 P, 39 S, 6/1 GO/FO.
Spin your head, Dan!:
Game 162 is underway! Watch #Nats baseball one more time on MASN2. pic.twitter.com/aKySXuegZc
— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) September 30, 2018
Anderson vs the Nationals: Tyler Anderson took the mound this afternoon winless in his last 13 starts, going back to July 10th, with a 6.08 ERA, 23 walks, 65 Ks, and a .266/.321/.506 line against in 66 2⁄3 IP.
Anderson faced the Nationals in mid-April, giving up two hits, six walks, and three runs, one earned, in just 4 2⁄3 IP, over which he threw a total of 94 pitches before he was lifted from a win for the Rockies in which he received no decision.
This afternoon in Coors Field, the southpaw worked around two singles in the first, picking Victor Robles off after a leadoff hit, and erasing a single by Trea Turner on an inning-ending double play off Bryce Harper’s bat.
After back-to-back walks started the second, Anderson got a fly to left and another double play on a liner back to the mound off Adrian Sanchez’s bat.
With a 4-0 lead after three, Anderson worked around a double by Bryce Harper in the fourth and retired the Nationals in order in the fifth to complete five scoreless on 61 pitches.
Anderson worked around a hit-by-pitch in the sixth, came back out for the seventh with another scoreless frame, and recorded two outs in the eighth before he was lifted with runners on first and third after Mark Reynolds walked, took second on a single by Adrian Sanchez, and moved up to third on a fly to right by Wilmer Difo...
Tyler Anderson’s Line: 7.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 Ks, 98 P, 66 S, 6/1 GO/FO.
Everyday Trea: With his start this afternoon, Trea Turner appeared in all 162 games this season for the Nationals, starting in 158 and coming off the bench in four [checks math - yep, that’s 162].
Turner fell short of Ryan Zimmerman’s record of 162 starts in a season, but with his 158th start, the 25-year-old shortstop tied Alfonso Soriano (158 in 2006) for second on the list.
Congrats to Trea Turner who is the 2nd player in #Nats history to appear in all 162 games in a season. pic.twitter.com/HOFa1UOQlC
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 30, 2018
Shut out: Washington’s 9-0 loss today was the Nationals’ 15th shutout loss of the season, after they were shut out just seven times in 2017, and seven times in 2016, in two seasons under former manager Dusty Baker. If I said things like, “Just sayin’,” I might say that here, but I don’t say, “Just sayin’,” other than like the two times I just said it here, which was just making a point about not saying it.
Thanks: For anyone who actually reads this far, thanks for sticking with us through a fairly frustrating 2018 campaign, and thanks to Will, Matt, Ryan, Adam, Audrey, Jim, and every other writer and reader who contributed to FBB in some way this season. We’re eternally grateful.
Take A Look Ahead to the #Nats' 2019 schedule, brought to you by @WellsFargo. #ad pic.twitter.com/VlOxzP072g
— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) September 30, 2018
BULLPEN ACTION: Tim Collins took over on the mound for the Nationals in the bottom of the fifth and gave up back-to-back singles and a three-run home run by David Dahl, whose 16th blast of the season put the Rockies up 7-0.
Jimmy Cordero came on for Collins and held it there, finishing off the fifth.
Austin Voth got the bottom of the sixth for the Nationals, and worked around a leadoff walk for a scoreless frame, but he gave up a solo homer by Nolan Arenado in the home-half of the seventh, 8-0, and 9-0 on a Trevor Story blast in the next at bat.
Seunghwan Oh took over for Tyler Anderson with runners on the corners and two out in the Nationals’ eighth and got a fly to left from Victor Robles to end the threat.
Kyle McGowin gave up a leadoff double by Chris Iannetta, a walk to Matt Holliday, and an RBI double by Charlie Blackmon, who completed the cycle with the two-base hit, 4 for 5, leadoff triple in the first, two-run home run in the third, single in the fifth, and the two-run double in the eighth. Congrats, Charlie. 10-0 Rockies. DJ LeMahieu’s sac fly made it 11-0.
Congratulations Charlie Blackmon on hitting for the cycle! ♻️ pic.twitter.com/zoow1XjOdd
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) September 30, 2018
Trevor Story singled off McGowin to drive in the Rockies’ 12th run.
Chris Rusin came on to finish things off, and gave up a one-out double by Bryce Harper, in what could have been his last at bat as a National (No. 34 of 2018 for No. 34).
But Harper was stranded on second...
Ballgame.
Final Score: 12-0 Rockies
Nationals finish 82-80