Erick Fedde throws six scoreless vs Marlins in Nationals’ 5-0 win: Something to build on in a weird season...

Erick Fedde talked after throwing 92 pitches in 3 ²⁄₃ innings in his September 5th outing against the Atlanta Braves in Truist Park, about wanting to go as deep as possible in his start knowing that the club had played a doubleheader the night before.

Giving them just 3 ²⁄₃ innings of work, of course, was not ideal.

“It was definitely on my mind tonight, especially with the doubleheader and I know the guys have thrown a lot,” Fedde said.

“I think, even with the end of the last series, a lot of guys have probably thrown three out of four nights.

“You want to go deep for them and unfortunately I had a lot of long at bats and wasn’t able to do that.”

Last night in Miami, Fedde was starting the first of two in a doubleheader that kicked off a five-game weekend with the Marlins, so the Nationals needed him to go deep again, and this time he came through for the club, tossing six scoreless innings in which he allowed just one hit and two walks in a 91-pitch outing.

Erick Fedde’s Line: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 Ks, 91 P, 53 S, 9/2 GO/FO.

Fedde recorded just three swinging strikes overall, but he did get 11 called strikes with his fastball, which ticked up a bit as well, sitting 93.3 MPH according to Baseball Savant, but topping out 95.6 MPH, and he recorded 19 called strikes total, though the Marlins weren’t happy with Joe West’s calls low in the zone.

“I think today was as close to a best-case scenario,” Fedde said after earning his second win of the 2020 campaign.

“Only had to run one guy out of the pen,” he added, with the one guy, Will Harris, tossing a scoreless seventh to complete the combined shutout of the Marlins.

What they did together, Fedde said, was let the bullpen have a break so they could, “have everybody ready for tomorrow and hopefully a lot of guys get a day off to where we’re ready for the next couple doubleheaders coming up, but best-case scenario for sure.”

Fedde induced nine ground ball outs overall, from the 22 batters he faced, and he said he was happy with the way he was able to keep everything down in the zone.

“No doubt,” the 27-year-old, 2014 1st Round pick said.

“I think I was able to be really effective inside. And I think it opened up the down and away for late in the count, and something that was really effective for me, and it’s nice when you can hit your spots consistently and get the calls, so yeah, good day.”

“I mean, that’s the kind of pitcher that he is,” catcher Yan Gomes said after guiding Fedde through the outing.

“We’ve kind of seen how his velo has definitely elevated, it’s more consistently up there. I think it’s just a matter of knowing that that two-seamer, four-seamer that he’s throwing is very effective.

“The only talks we had about it today, was just let’s get early outs. Especially when he keeps the ball down in the zone and keeps getting ahead, he’s going to get early outs and then he can mix and match later on.”

“That was the key for him, is utilizing his fastball,” manager Davey Martinez said after the nightcap of the doubleheader, “and pitching on both sides of the plate. He did that really well today. Really well. I’m proud of him.”

“My fastball in and out was really good,” Fedde added.

“Had a changeup today that was really good, I got a lot of big outs with that, and mixed in some cutters and sliders, it’s just one of those days where you have four pitches, and you love those days.”

It was a promising development in an up-and-down season for Fedde, and everyone on the Nationals, really.

“Yeah, especially as we get close to the finish. A good one to build off and with I think pretty much one more to go for me, that’s a great place to be.”