Cards Fold Nats, 5-3
St. Louis scored five runs over the first five innings and held on for a 5-3 win yesterday afternoon in West Palm Beach
Patrick Corbin picked up where he left off last summer and gave up back-to-back two-out HRs to put the Nats in a 2-0 hole before their first “ups.” He then gave up a leadoff single in the 2nd and was lifted with two out after apparently hitting his pitch count.
Matt Adams doubled to lead off the bottom of the fifth and lumbered home after back-to-back singles by Victor Robles and Jeter Downs to break up the shutout bid.
In the 6th, Derek Hill’s one-out single pushed across the second Nat run while Stone Garrett’s sac fly completed the scoring for the afternoon.
The Nats got the tying runs into scoring position with two out on a Jake Alu single, a wild pitch, and an Ildemaro Vargas single before Drew Millas struck to end the 7th.
Downs was the sole watchlister in the starting lineup, as he manned 2B and went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a stolen base.
Here’s how the rest of the watchlisters and notable minor-leaguers fared coming off the bench:
- Jeremy De La Rosa followed Cory Dickerson in LF but was 0-for-2
- Alu subbed for Downs and went 1-for-2
- Armando Cruz pinch-ran for Vargas in the 9th
- Millas was the second backstop and was 0-for-1 at the plate and throwing out basestealers
- Yasel Antuna pinch-walked for Adams in the 6th and tripled in the 8th
The Nats visit the Yankees this afternoon in Tampa. Cory Abbott is expected to start for Washington, opposed by Domingo Germán. The game will be televised on ESPN but you cannot put it on mute and try to sync the radio feed.
I’m really pleased that Alu appears to be getting a real look so far in ST, having played in all three games so far (obviously, he couldn’t play in both of the split squad games).
I’m perhaps a bit worried that Alu has only been getting playing time at 2B, though. For one, the Nats starting 2B, Luis Garcia, is a lot more nailed down than whoever ends up there at 3B on opening day. But also, Alu was rated as the best defensive 3B in the minors last year. I’m a bit skeptical this isn’t just some statistical anomaly or something, but if it’s not, I’d like the Nats front office to see this first hand. Candelario and Kieboom are both, at best, average 3B defensively. So this could be the thing to set Alu apart from his competition. Also, Ildemaro Vargas seems to be getting a lot of time at 3B, despite his value being derived from his utility role. And the Nats have a tendency to get blinders for cheap pick ups who start well (thinking of Gerardo Parra and Alcides Escobar as a couple recent examples).
I feel like Alu’s competition to make the opening day roster is Vargas. playing multiple positions is required
Someone said that Kieboom still has pain to throw, so I was hoping that Alu would get the primary reserve reps at 3B. Alas, those have gone to Vargas. He’s 31 years old. They know exactly what he can (and can’t) do. Sigh.
James Wood making the trip to Tampa, someone to take Judge down in the paint and slam one home
LOL. That does remind me of something I saw recently, though. Even with guys who LOOK like they should have unlimited power, it still takes time to develop. In his freshman (age-19) season at Fresno, playing in a conference with several schools at altitude, Judge hit only two homers in 55 games. He hit four in 58 games at age 20. He had 12 at age 21 in his junior (draft) year, 17 at 22 in his first pro season, and 20 at age 23. At age 25 in the majors, he hit 52.
Something to keep in mind as we wonder when Wood, Green, House, Vaquero, and White are going to start numbers that their size suggests that they could. Just make consistent contact and grow into the power.
(Checks Jeter Downs’s stats over last couple of seasons. Shakes head at sub-Mendoza BA.) The kid has some power, some speed, . . . and a 30% K hole in his swing. It looks like the Bosox Rhineharted him past AA, perhaps while trying to prove that the Betts trade wasn’t their worst since Ruth. Alu is a significantly better all-around hitter than Downs but probably isn’t SS-capable.
The Nats have a truckload of utility infielder types in camp. No idea whether they’ll keep kids or vets.
It would be nice to see Alu make the opening day roster, but the Nats always take those with major league experience. Who knows what will happen as the season drags on.