Like Gio Gonzalez on Monday, Nats starter Stephen Strasburg struggled some with the heat but was stone-cold killer with his offspeed offerings, striking out six primarily with the curve and change over three innings. The Nats ace gave up a run in the first on a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly but finished with just three hits and two walks allowed while tossing 53 pitches, 31 for strikes.
As the headline teases, Anthony Rendon continues to impress this spring. The 22-year-old doubled to right with two outs to tie the game in the second, then tapped into a 6-4 putout with one out in the 4th to bring in the run that put the Nats up 3-1 in the 4th. In five games, Rendon is now 5-for-12 with a HR, two doubles, and five RBI and living up to hype that comes with being the team’s #1 prospect.
Zach Duke followed Strasburg on the mound and let in an unearned run in his two innings to “earn” a blown save while Yunesky Maya coughed up two earned runs in his two for his “BS.” Both gave up three hits. Pat McCoy rebounded from his previous outing to turn in a 1-2-3 frame. Ryan Mattheus closed out the game with two goose eggs. Nats pitchers combined for 14 K’s over the 10 innings.
Here’s a rundown of how the notable minor-league subs did:
• Eury Perez beat out an IF hit while going 1-for-3 in RF
• Corey Brown singled up the middle in a 1-for-3 effort as the CF
• Chris Marrero walked, doubled, struck out, and scored a run for his 1-for-2 at 1B
• Zach Walters singled and struck out twice while going 1-for-3 at SS
• Carlos Rivero pinch-ran and went 0-for-2 with a K while playing LF
• Matt Skole drew a bases-loaded walk for an RBI and struck out in an 0-for-2 effort at 3B
It’s a week off from local TV & radio for the Nats, who head back to the House of Mouse Orlando to take on the Atlanta Braves tonight at 6:05 p.m.