Nationals Lose Series Vs Giants
The Washington Nationals entered the weekend in a celebratory mood, as many of the players and staff had watched the Washington Capitals win their first ever Stanley Cup on Thursday night. The Nats however would not have much to celebrate.
The series got off to a rough start on Friday night as Stephen Strasburg had to exit the game after just two innings. The Nationals pitching staff got hit hard for fifteen hits in a 9-5 loss to the San Francisco Giants.
Saturday proved to be the exact opposite. The Nationals celebrated the Capitals on Saturday as they brought the Stanley Cup to Nationals Park and had captain Alex Ovechkin throw out the first pitch-and then the second. The Capitals were thought to leave after throwing out the first pitch-yet they stayed throughout the entirety of the game and their hype propelled the Nationals to a 5-0 lead, which they held on to for a 7-5 win to force a rubber game on Sunday. The day ended with a sense of relief for Nats fans as Stephen Strasburg’s MRI revealed no structural damage. Strasburg will head to the 10 day DL with shoulder inflammation.
Sunday did not provide nearly as much to talk about, as the only offense in the game came by way of a two run home run by Brandon Crawford in the fourth inning for a 2-0 Nationals loss as they recorded just three hits. This loss means the Nationals lose the series and conclude the homestand with a record of 3-2. However, since the Braves also lost two out of three against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, the Nationals remain in a virtual tie for first in the NL East.
The Nationals will have a day off and head to New York to face the Yankees in a brief two game series this week.
