Nationals @ Red Sox, Game 3

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Washington Nationals vs Boston Red Sox
Fenway Park
1:35 PM EDT

Nationals
OP: Brad Lord (RHP) 54.1 IP, 5-1, 3.31 ERA / 3.93 FIP
PP: Andrew Alvarez (LHP) 36.2 IP, 1-1, 3.44 ERA / 2.75 FIP, 26.8 K%, 9.6 BB%, 55 GB%, 10.5 HR/FB%

Red Sox
Payton Tolle (LHP) 71.1 IP, 4-5, 2.78 ERA / 3.19 FIP, 24.2 K%, 7 BB%, 34.4 GB%, 6.3 HR/FB%

Nationals
1. James Wood L LF
2. Curtis Mead R 3B
3. Andrés Chaparro R 1B
4. Dylan Crews R RF
5. Daylen Lile L DH
6. Jacob Young R CF
7. Jorbit Vivas L 2B
8. Nasim Nuñez S SS
9. Drew Millas S C

Red Sox
1. Anthony Seigler L 2B
2. Ceddanne Rafaela R CF
3. Wilyer Abreu L RF
4. Willson Contreras R 1B
5. Romy Gonzalez R DH
6. Caleb Durbin R 3B
7. Nate Eaton R LF
8. Andruw Monasterio R SS
9. Connor Wong R C

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Nationals going with the regular platoon at 1st and giving Abrams the afternoon off at the start. Millas gets a rare start vs a LHP with the early afternoon game following the night start for Ruiz.

With Mikolas and Cavalli pitching 7 innings each the past couple of games, the bullpen is rested. Kent may be unavailable, and Riibalta might only be spotted in. Lord has had 4 days since he went 50 pitches vs. the Os last Friday.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Tolle gets away with being a lefty fly ball pitcher in Fenway by being a bit tough to pull. lots of Ks vs righty batters in Fenway (37.7%), limits BBs. 

You might notice that Monasterio, who has come in the past 2 games when Contreras has been kicked  out, is really a middle infielder and playing SS today

[varoadking]

Tolle gets away with being a lefty fly ball pitcher in Fenway by being a bit tough to pull. lots of Ks vs righty batters in Fenway (37.7%), limits BBs. 

The wind must be blowing out to left today...

[nats2playoffs]

INNING                                         WSH   BOS
1st   Chaparro homered to left center (396 feet), Mead scored.   2   0

Washington Nationals  2
Boston Red Sox          0

[GataNats]

Chappy finally does something.   But, sitting Louie down is still stupid

[GataNats]

Good job by Alvarez to get the pitch count under control there

[Slateman]

Chappy finally does something.   But, sitting Louie down is still stupid

Don't want to hurt his trade value teaching him to hit lefties

[tomterp]

Chappy finally does something.   But, sitting Louie down is still stupid

Giving players, even red hot ones, some innings off keeps them fresher.  It also gives the manager the ability to put a player in the game, typically pinch hitting, at a high leverage moment.  It also keeps bench players, even those at the bottom of our performance list, engaged and motivated. 

[tomterp]

Nice we're hitting this guy, he's not a bad pitcher but teeing off now.

[tomterp]

They finally acknowledged some of the problems with the telecast.  We missed Nas' homer because the inning break went on too long, and the double play with appeal overturning the call was another missed play.

[GataNats]

Great at-bats.  Now, need to put this one away

[tomterp]

Knocked Tolle out after only 3 innings.   

His previously shortest outing was 4.2 innings, twice.  So Nats breaking new ground, breaking down a good pitcher early.

[GataNats]

Louie!!!

[tomterp]

And there we have it, Luis hits with 2 men on, drives them both in.  Perfect timing.

[GataNats]

Awful baserunning by Mead

[varoadking]

And there we have it, Luis hits with 2 men on, drives them both in.  Perfect timing.

Bases were loaded, weren't they?

[GataNats]

Jake!!

[varoadking]

The wind must be blowing out to left today...

[tomterp]

Bases were loaded, weren't they?

Yes, I stand corrected.  Mead advanced to 2nd, later scored on the DP.

[tomterp]

Boys are having some fun in the bandbox (so far)

[nats2playoffs]

Knocked Tolle out after only 3 innings.   
His previously shortest outing was 4.2 innings, twice.  So Nats breaking new ground, breaking down a good pitcher early.

INNING                                         WSH   BOS
1st   Chaparro homered to left center (396 feet), Mead scored.   2   0
4th   Nuñez homered to left center (372 feet).   3   0
4th   García Jr. singled to left, Millas scored and Wood scored, Mead to second.   5   0
4th   Lile grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Mead scored, Crews out at second, García Jr. to third.   6   0
4th   Young doubled to left, García Jr. scored.   7   0

Washington Nationals  7
Boston Red Sox          0

[Dave in Fairfax]

15 unanswered runs since the 1st inning yesterday. If I'm reading it right, this is Boston's first extra-base hit since that inning as well.

[OfftheBat]

15 unanswered runs since the 1st inning yesterday. If I'm reading it right, this is Boston's first extra-base hit since that inning as well.

Wow, I didn't know that. That's impressive!!

[GataNats]

Great job by Alvarez to navigate that