The Washington Nationals scored three runs in three games. You’re not going to win much scoring three runs in three games.
But it’s not like they’re not hitting the ball, hard.
Trea Turner, for instance. Had an exit velo on a groundout in the Game 5 loss at 102.4 mph, and another lineout at 107.7.
Howie Kendrick hit into a fielder’s choice on a batted ball with a 105.4 velo.
The Nats were 3-for-11 on balls hit 90 mph or harder on the night.
Houston: 7-for-19.
Going back to Game 4: Washington was 4-for-17 on exit velos of 90 mph or better, Houston 8-for-15.
Game 3: the Nats were 8-for-13, Houston 6-for-18.
“We actually hit some balls hard, we really did. We just can’t get nothing going these last three days. But we hit some balls hard,” Nats manager Davey Martinez said after the Game 5 loss on Sunday.
“You’re facing some pretty good pitching right now. We’ve just got to keep battling,” Martinez said.
How do the numbers from the weekend compare to Games 1 and 2, the two Washington wins?
You want to know.
In Game 1: Washington was 6-for-12 on balls with 90 mph or better exit velos. Houston was 9-for-16.
In Game 2: Washington was 7-for-10 on balls with 90 mph or better exit velos. Houston: 6-for-15.
In the two Nats wins: Washington was 13-for-22 (.591), Houston 15-for-31 (.484).
In the three Astros wins: Washington was 15-for-41 (.366), Houston 21-for-52 (.404).
Breaking it down further: Washington actually had more hard-hit balls per game in its losses (13.7) than in its wins (11), but hit 225 points lower on those balls in its losses.
Houston got 15.5 hard-hit balls per game in its two home losses, and was at 17.3 hard-hit balls per game in its three wins in Nats Park, and hit 80 points higher on those balls in its wins.
The difference between the games: essentially, where the hard-hit balls from either side area ending up.
That’s baseball.
Story by Chris Graham