@Nationals 5, Tigers 4: Dan Haren wobbled in the 6th, and the Tigers just missed 2-out thunder in the 9th. But the Nats? early runs stood up, as they won their 4th straight. Detroit had 12 hits and the game?s only HR, but just once had the leadoff man on ? and Haren stranded that double by retiring the meat of the order on 3 straight pitches.
Cluster-funk: Before today, Doug Fister had allowed 15 runs in 6 starts this year, with one scoring inning in each start: 3, 1, 2, 3, 3, 3. His other 35 innings were zeroes. A pattern like that makes you think ?homers,? but he?s allowed just 1. Today he had little command, and the Nats scored 3 in the 1st and 2 with two outs in the 2nd. He was gone after a scoreless 3rd ? lifted for a PH, even though he stroked an RBI single in his only trip and is now 3-10 with a double in his MLB career.
?Matt Tuiasosopo pinch-hammered this Haren breaker with 2 outs in the 6th, shaving the lead to 1. He?s started only once against a righty, but he?s now 6 for 12 against them, with 2 HRs and 2 doubles.
?Prince thought he?d got this ?un, but the park just held it. Rafael Soriano allowed HRs in back-to-back games a month ago, but he?s unsullied in his last 12 games despite a diminishing K rate.
?Drew Smyly ran his scoreless string to 13.1 IP over 7 games (1 walk, 14 Ks). He?s top-10 in the majors with 21.2 relief innings, sporting a 1.25 ERA and 0.83 WHIP.
?Jose Valverde so far: 5 IP, no hits, 1 walk. It?s a funny game, no?
?Amid the calls for pitcher protection, note these shots at the box snagged by Haren and by Smyly. Our sport?s response to the scary injuries suffered by J.A. Happ and Brandon McCarthy must include reinforcing proper follow-through at all training levels. I don?t mean to be insensitive, but the video of Happ?s incident shows his delivery ended with him standing sideways to the plate, with his glove hand towards second base. Better position would have given a good chance to get a glove on that ball ? even with his glove on the far side, he was just late ? and the front of the skull is much stronger than the side. Even perfect form isn?t perfect protection, but it?s the right start.
from HighHeatStats
