The Features, The Nationals

Nats Fall 2-1 to Giants in Historically Long Playoff Game, Giants lead 2-0 in the NLDS

Photo Credit: Rachel Levitin

Photo Credit: Rachel Levitin

All anybody could talk about before Saturday’s Game Two of the NLDS in Washington, D.C. was the pitching match-up scheduled to start the game – San Francisco’s Tim Hudson versus Washington’s Jordan Zimmermann. Six hours and twenty-three minutes plus eighteen innings later, the longest game in recorded playoff history wrapped up and the San Francisco Giants advanced to game three with a 2-0 lead in the five-game series by beating the Nationals 2-1.

Hudson – who is notorious for his successful and often dominant outings against the Nationals – was going to be a struggle for the Nats but Washington went into the game planning to be patient with him. On the other hand, Zimmermann was fresh and just six days removed from his historical no-hitter on the final day of the 2014 regular season. The match-up made the first nine innings what they were but the final nine innings played are the reason the evening’s game turned into the longest playoff game ever played.

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The Daily Feed

Zimmermann Solid Through Eight Innings, Nats Beat Giants 6-2

The Washington Nationals rebounded from Friday night’s lop-sided 10-3 loss that snapped their 10-run winning streak against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday by beating their visitors 6-2. Right-handed starter Jordan Zimmermann pitched a solid eight innings while throwing 107 pitches and 78 strikes. He gave up two runs on seven hits – including a Hunter Pence two-run homerun in the first inning – while striking out eight batters.

Washington answered right back after the Giants led off the game with a double hit by outfielder Angel Pagan and the two-run Pence homer; Giants 2, Nats 0. Outfielder Denard Span led off with a triple hit down the right field line off San Francisco’s right-handed starter Tim Lincecum. Third baseman Anthony Rendon followed by drawing a walk before Span scored on a single hit by outfielder Jayson Werth. First baseman Adam LaRoche proceeded to hit into a double play in his at-bat but his efforts sent Rendon around to score; Giants 2, Nats 2. Continue reading

The Daily Feed

Marquis Shuts-out the World Champions

Photo courtesy of
‘Nat’s-Phillies Marquis’ Premiere’
courtesy of ‘Tony DeFilippo’

It’s safe to say that any team facing Tim Lincecum and the world champion San Francisco Giants this season needs to take care when playing against such a strong competitor. But, for whatever reason, when the Washington Nationals face Lincecum … well, that’s a horse of a different color.

Lincecum made his fifth career start against the Nationals Friday night. The last time he faced Jim Riggleman’s lineup in 2010, he took a loss after allowing six runs in just 4.2 innings at AT&T Park.

Instead of Lincecum and the Giants pouncing all over the Nationals, Washington right-handed starter Jason Marquis was the better man on the mound. Continue reading