Washington Nationals avoid getting no-hit, but drop opener to Seattle Mariners, 4-2

Fedde vs Seattle:

Erick Fedde, in his first start back after landing on the IL on July 30th with inflammation in his right shoulder, tossed four scoreless for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, walking just one batter and striking out four in a 63-pitch outing which was unfortunately shortened by a rain delay.

“He said he felt really good,” Nationals’ Manager Davey Martinez said when asked how it had gone for the 29-year-old, 2014 1st Round pick.

“It got a little shortened,” Martinez added. “He wished that he could go back out there, but he did finish an inning in the bullpen, so we’ll see how he feels throwing his next bullpen. If everything goes well, I could see him possibly starting here again for us after the day off [on Monday]. I’m going to sit with [Pitching Coach Jim] Hickey and redo our pitching, and then we’ll go from there.”

Once Fedde got through his between-starts work without any issues, Martinez confirmed he would return to face the Seattle Mariners tonight.

“Fedde is ready,” Martinez said. “He said he felt good, so he’ll start on Tuesday.”

In 19 starts and 92 ²⁄₃ IP before the injury, Fedde had a 4.95 ERA, a 4.96 FIP, 47 walks, 70 Ks, and a .269/.350/.423 line against on the year.

Tonight in Seattle, Fedde kept the Mariners off the board through three, working around a one-out single and walk in the second, but Jesse Winker singled to start the home-half of the fourth, and scored on a two-run home run to left field by Mitch Haniger, who hit a 2-0 sinker up in the zone 392 feet for his 6th of the season and a 2-0 lead.

Fedde retired the Mariners in order in a 15-pitch fifth, and was done for the night in his first start back in the majors coming off the IL...

Erick Fedde’s Line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 Ks, 1 HR, 81 P, 52 S, 4/2 GO/FO.

Ray vs D.C.:

Seattle Mariners’ starter Robbie Ray, 30, was a 2010 12th Round pick by the Nationals out of Brentwood High School in Brentwood, Tennessee, but they traded the lefty to the Tigers as part of the package which went to Detroit in the Doug Fister deal in 2013.

Eight years into his major league career, Ray signed as a free agent with the Mariners this past November, and in 24 starts and 142 IP this season, he’d put up a 3.87 ERA, a 4.07 FIP, and a .226/.300/.422 line against before today.

Going into tonight’s start, the nine-year veteran was on a nice run, with a 2.33 ERA, 3.07 FIP, nine walks, 27 Ks, and a .203/.295/.362 line against in three starts and 19 ¹⁄₃ IP this month.

Ray retired the first nine batters he faced, on 43 pitches, but issued a leadoff walk to Alex Call the second time around, only to pick him off first two outs later, to complete a quick, 16-pitch frame which left him at [checks match] 59 total after four scoreless, and he took the mound with a 2-0 lead in the fifth and worked around a two-out walk in 17-pitch frame, for five scoreless and hitless on 76 pitches.

A 12-pitch, 1-2-3 sixth had Ray up to 88 pitches in six scoreless, and hitless, with just the two walks allowed, but Joey Meneses ended his no-hit bid with a leadoff home run in the top of the seventh inning, hitting a 2-1 sinker up and over the middle of the plate 410 feet to center in T-Mobile Park to cut the Mariners’ lead in half, 2-1.

A two-out infield single by Lane Thomas ended Ray’s outing...

Robbie Ray’s Line: 6.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 Ks, 1 HR, 103 P, 67 S, 6/4 GO/FO.

Pitcher Wins Are The Dumb, But...

Once again, via the Nationals’ pregame notes, the streak continues.

Going into tonight’s game, Washington’s starters hadn’t earned a win since July 6th. That’s 39 games ago...

“A Nationals’ starting pitcher has not been credited with a win since Josiah Gray on July 6 at Philadelphia - a span of 39 games...

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, 38 straight games played without earning a win by a starting pitcher is the longest such streak in Major League Baseball history.”

So, would Fedde snap the streak? Nope.

Bullpen Action:

Victor Arano retired the Mariners in order after taking over on the mound in the bottom of the sixth.

Andrés Muñoz took over against the Nationals with two out in the top of the seventh, and got the final out to keep the Mariners up, 2-1.

Steve Cishek gave up a leadoff single by Carlos Santana, and then a two-run home run on a 2-1 sinker over the middle to Eugenio Suárez in the bottom of the seventh, 4-1 Ms. No. 23 for Suárez.

Cory Abbott came out of the bullpen to get three outs after Cishek struggled. Mariners up 4-1 after seven.

Erik Swanson worked around a one-out single by CJ Abrams in a scoreless eighth.

Abbott returned to the mound for a second inning of work in the Mariners’ half of the eighth and retired the side in order to keep it a 4-1 game.

Paul Sewald got the ninth for the Ms, and gave up a leadoff double by Joey Meneses (2 for 4, 2B, HR), and a two-out RBI single by Lane Thomas (2 for 4) 4-2 Mariners.

César Hernández stepped in next, as the potential tying run, and K’d swinging to end the game. “Early” start tomorrow at 4:10 PM ET in Seattle.

Nationals now 41-83