#stayinthefight got real Friday night when Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer made his MLB debut as a setup man.
Worst bullpen in MLB? Here’s how you work around that, if you’re Nats manager Davey Martinez.
Scherzer started the NL Wild Card Game on Tuesday, and is scheduled to start Game 3 in Nats Park on Sunday.
Friday would be a throwing day.
Might as well have him throw in the game, right?
Stephen Strasburg, who debuted as a setup man himself in the Wild Card Game on Tuesday, giving the Nats three scoreless innings in relief of Scherzer, was masterful as the Game 2 starter, giving up a run on three hits in six inning, retiring the first 14 Dodgers hitters, then getting out of a second and third, one out jam in the sixth with just one run coming across in the sixth.
Strasburg struck out 10 LA hitters and left with a 3-1 lead.
Sean Doolittle gave up a Max Muncy homer in the seventh that made it 3-2 Nats.
The sight of Scherzer warming up in the bullpen ahead of the eighth told you how different it is to manage in the postseason.
An Asdrubal Cabrera RBI single extended the lead to 4-2, but, damn, the drama.
Mad Max struck out the side on 14 pitches to get Martinez to the ninth.
Daniel Hudson, who has emerged as the closer down the stretch, gave up a ground-rule double to Justin Turner leading off the bottom of the ninth, before striking out A.J. Pollock and getting MVP favorite Cody Bellinger to pop out to short left.
Muncy was given an intentional walk, and then Hudson walked Will Smith on four pitches, unnecessary drama, to load the bases.
Bringing up Cory Seager. Hudson got ahead 0-and-2, Seager fought off two pitches, then took two close pitches for balls, fouled off another.
Way too much drama.
Hudson finally got Seager on a slider to end it.
The Nats come home to DC for games Sunday and Monday with a chance, if they hold serve, to advance to their first-ever NLCS.
Martinez is officially undecided as to who his starter will be Sunday night now.
It was Scherzer before Friday night.
Two nights out of three, he had to use combinations of Scherzer and Strasburg to get this far.
Don’t be surprised to see Anibal Sanchez get the ball in Game 3, then Max in Game 4.
Martinez has been pretty good rolling the dice to this stage.
Story by Chris Graham
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Chris Graham
