Ceci Ferrara
October 6, 2014
Sports Writer
Sports Insider
A night that could have been historic — a potential 1-0 shutout from pitcher Jordan Zimmermann — unfolded into a painful, 18 inning affair for the Washington Nationals. With just one out left in Game 2 of the NLDS (National League Division Series), manager Matt Williams took that fateful walk to the mound to relieve his starting pitcher. That pitcher had dominated for most of the game and was just one out away from pitching the first postseason shutout by a Washington player since 1933. Then he was starting to look fatigued. After all, he had thrown 100 pitches and just given up a walk.
Zimmermann was removed in favor of Drew Storen, who had been nearly perfect in his role of closer. He had 11 saves, with a 1.12 ERA in 65 games, and hadn’t allowed a single earned run since August 5th. But sometimes even the best can make mistakes.
“I never disagree with Matt,” Zimmermann said afterwards. “I’d like to stay out there and get that last out. Drew’s been lights out all year. It just didn’t work.”
Storen gave up a single to Giants catcher Buster Posey, followed by an RBI double by third basemen Pablo Sandoval. After leading for eight innings, the Nationals found themselves in a 1-1 tie. The Giants’ go-ahead run was thrown out at the plate to end their rally, but the game was far from over.
The tie continued for another 9 innings—essentially a second game. After nearly 6 ½ hours, two ejections, and eight scoreless innings, the Giants went ahead on a solo homerun by San Francisco first basemen Brandon Belt in the top of the 18th inning.
As the ball traveled into the seats, the stadium became quiet. The fans that were left, maybe a third of the previous sell-out crowd, were stunned. After all they had endured — a blown save and dropping temperatures — is this how it would all end? It seemed beyond cruel.
Unfortunately, there would be no epic comeback for the Nationals. After 6 hours and 23 minutes, in the early moments of Sunday morning, they were retired in the bottom of the inning for a heartbreaking 2-1 loss.
For a team that won 96 regular season games and their division, they have struggled mightily against the Wild-Card Giants. They now head to San Francisco with a 2-0 series deficit. The next two games are win-or-go-home for the Nationals.
“We have an uphill climb,” right fielder Jayson Werth said. “But I believe in this team and I believe in these guys. If anybody can do it, we can. We just have to stay positive and play the game.”
For a team that was pegged to go all the way, Washington was not expecting to be on the brink of elimination this soon. But they’re not out of it yet, and they’re not giving up.
“It’s obviously not ideal to be down 2-0, but we haven’t lost hope, and we know that we can come back and do this,” Storen said. “It just takes one inning, it takes one little thing. That’s the fun thing about playoff baseball.”
Orioles
While Nationals fans are biting their nails as they ponder their team’s fate, some other local baseball fans are popping open the champagne.
On Sunday afternoon, the Baltimore Orioles beat the Detroit Tigers 2-1 to advance to their first American League Championship Series (ALCS) since 1997. Their performance in the Division Series has many people dubbing them the favorites to win not only the ALCS, but the World Series.
Though the O’s won 96 regular season games, no one expected them to sweep the heavily favored Detroit Tigers. Motor city’s roster looks like something out of a fantasy lineup: a trio of Cy Young winners (Max Scherzer, David Price and Justin Verlander), and the AL MVP for the past two years, first basemen Miguel Cabrera.
But it wasn’t enough to overpower the high-octane Orioles, who outscored Detroit 21-10 in the series, including a 12-3 rout in Game 1.
“We rise to the occasion,” outfielder Adam Jones said. “In the face of some good pitchers, we go after them and zone in a little bit more. There’s no answer to what we do; we just somehow, someway get the job done.”
The Orioles will next face another red hot team: the Kansas City Royals. After winning an extra-innings wild card game against the Athletics, the Royals unexpectedly swept the Los Angeles Angels, who entered the post-season with the best record in baseball (98-64).
It will be the Royals’ first Championship Series appearance since 1985. That year they went on to win the World Series 4-3 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The ALCS begins Friday, October 10th in Baltimore.
