WASHINGTON, DC-The Nats (47-53) and Cincinnati Reds (47-53) contest Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park marked game number 100 on the calendar for the home team. While the Nats are firmly in fourth place in the NL East at six games under, they are playing with renewed energy after the all-star break. Jake Irvin, the most dependable member of the rotation, took the mound for his 21st start as the Nats looked to sweep this three-game series.
Irvin came out firing strikes to begin the first, his fastball up in the zone. The first two batters faced – Jonathan India and Elly De La Cruz – went down on swinging strikeouts. Former Nat Jamier Candelario grounded out to Irvin, closing an easy inning for him. In the bottom of the inning with one out, Lane Thomas drew a walk. With Juan Yepez up, he attempted to steal second but was caught for only the tenth time this season out of 35 attempts. Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott got Juan Yepez to hit a pop fly to third.
Irvin’s complete dominance from the first failed to carry over. Though he got Jake Fraley on strikes with his four-seamer, Noelvi Marte hit a solo homer to left center, giving the Reds a 1-0 lead. The Nats had runners on base in the bottom of the second trying to counter, but failed to score.
A scary moment occurred in the top of the third when Irvin threw an out to first. The trainer was called from the dugout to check on his leg. After a brief chat and a few throws, Irvin stepped back on the mound. The first time through the Reds’ lineup, he retired all but De La Cruz.
Moments after the check on Irvin, umpires gathered to confer when De La Cruz was hit by a pitch. With eight eyes on the field of play, none of them saw what happened. De La Cruz should have been awarded first base, but home plate umpire Mike Muchinski made the call of a wild pitch by Irvin. With a full count and unfazed by the brief delay, the pitcher notched another strikeout.
The Nats broke through in the bottom of the third. Juan Yepez picked up his 13th straight hit on a double, moving Young to third. He scored on an error by Marte at third. Yepez scored as well, giving the Nats a 2-1 lead when Harold Ramirez singled to left.
James Wood hit a long fly ball to left in the fourth, perhaps a sign of what would come. If not for a spectacular diving catch by Will Benson, Wood could have run for a triple. He made another great play, moving to his left, catching a fast-dropping fly by Young on a tumble for the last out.
Irvin surrendered his second home run in the top of the fifth to Stuart Fairchild, tying the game at two. The second time they batted around, the Reds went three for nine against Irwin. CJ Abrams, hitting leadoff in the bottom of the inning, hit a line drive single to left. With one out, the Reds tried to turn a double play on a grounder hit by Yepez. Manger Dave Martinez challenged the call. The umpires determined Yepez beat the throw to first. Ramirez, seeking to move him up, instead hit a pop fly to shallow center, stranding the Nats’ fifth runner of the day.
Irvin entered the sixth on 75 pitches, facing De La Cruz. With Robert Garcia warming up in the Nats’ pen, De La Cruz hit a double to center. Third baseman Trey Lipscomb tagged him out on a fielder’s choice during Candelario’s at-bat The inning marked Irvin’s 15th time going at least six this season. Ildemaro Vargas, 3-for-6 in the series to that point, reached on a single with one out in the bottom of the sixth. Next up, Wood hit a fly ball 390 feet to center for a long but impressive out. They stranded another runner when Lipscomb flied out, bringing the bottom half to a close.
The Nats’ starter returned for the seventh. He easily retired Marte and Fairchild, the two who earlier hit homers against him. Benson grounded out. Irvin’s day ended on 100 pitches, 66 of which were strikes. He amassed six strikeouts on two earned runs, walking none. His counterpart, Abbott, went almost as long: 6.2 innings. Reliever Lucas Sims entered to face Lane Thomas. He tipped a foul ball for a strikeout, unable to make Irvin the pitcher of record.
On Irvin, Martinez said, “He was good. His curveball was really effective as well. He was sharp.”
Garcia pitched the eighth, scheduled to face Austin Wynns, India, and De La Cruz. Retiring the first two batters, he walked the third, a dangerous move putting a speedy runner on first. As if expected, De La Cruz took second with Candelario at the plate. He moved no farther; Thomas caught a fly near foul territory for the third out. In the bottom of the inning, Jesse Winker appeared in the on-deck circle, a pinch hitter for Ramirez. With one out, he hit a long fly to center, perhaps a swing of despearation. Next up, Keibert Ruiz hit a single to left. Following him, Vargas bunted safely , moving Ruiz to second. A lefty-lefty matchup, reliever Justin Wilson faced Wood, who promptly crushed a fastball down the middle 404 feet for a three-run homer.
“We talked about him being more aggressive today. [The coaches] want him to swing the bat,” Martinez said. “He had a good day today.”
Closing three days in a row, Kyle Finnegan entered, facing three and retiring them without trouble. The Nats got a 5-2 win and the sweep, putting smiles on the faces of most of the 23,967 in attendance. The victory is the Nats 27th comeback win of the season.
View the highlights and box score HERE.
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