The Washington Nationals held off a late run from the New York Mets to get back in the win column during spring training
The Washington Nationals would get back in the win column on Saturday afternoon after shutting down the New York Mets en route to a 3-0 win, their first since taking down the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-1, on Tuesday.
After a disappointing showing from the Nationals arms in Friday night's tie, Saturday proved to be the exact opposite after holding New York to just one two hits through the first seven innings in the win. The team posted eight strikeouts and five walks in the win.
In his second start during spring training, Jake Irvin became the first Nationals pitcher to throw three innings in a start after finishing with one hit allowed, one walk and four strikeouts in an encouraging follow up performance.
The Nationals would once again kick off the scoring after a one out double from shortstop Nasim Nunez sent second baseman Seaver King to third, setting up left fielder James Wood for a sacrifice ground out that sent Nunez home.
Brady House would follow it up with a leadoff double to open the fourth inning before a grounder by Robert Hassell III sent him to third, setting up Andres Chaparro for a sacrifice fly to center to add the second run of the game, giving Washington a 2-0 lead.
The Nationals would keep it up into the sixth inning after another double from House opened up the inning before a wild pitch sent him to third, but a grounder by Hassell would lead to House getting caught at the plate. Hassell would give Washington another runner in scoring position after stealing second before Warming Bernabel would clean up though after a single into left field sent Hassell home, pushing Washington's lead to 3-0.
After being held to just one hit through six inning, the Mets would get on the board in the seventh after Paxton Shultz walked a batter, then gave up a double to make it a 3-1 game.
With Richard Lovelady taking the mound in the eighth inning, the Mets once again cut into the lead after consecutive singles put runners on the corners with no outs before a double led to two runners in scoring position and one crossing the plate, making it 3-2. Lovelady would get out of the jam to preserve the lead after tossing a strikeout then forcing a grounder to end the inning.
The Mets would load up the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but after a brief meeting from pitching coach Simon Matthews, Washington got out of the jam with a pop out to left field.
Now standing 5-2-2, the Nationals will return to action on Sunday, March 1 to take on the Miami Marlins. The two teams previously met on day two of spring training when Washington blew out Miami, 16-8, before seven runs in the bottom of the ninth narrowed the gap.