Defending NL East Champs Hit New Low With Record-Setting Futility
The Washington Nationals tried everything: two straight bunts to begin the game, a hit-and-run play, plus a delayed steal. Once more, it added up to zero.
Bryce Harper and the Nationals were shut out for the third game in a row, something that had never happened since the team moved from Montreal, when Zack Wheeler and the New York Mets posted a 3-0 victory Saturday.
“The name of the game is to score runs,” Harper said. “Just couldn’t get it done.”
Amed Rosario and Todd Frazier hit solo home runs to back Wheeler, who pitched seven innings and won his seventh straight decision.
“I didn’t have the best command today, but I was able to get through it and just figure out ways to get the out,” Wheeler said.
The Nationals fell to 64-66 — they’ve already lost more games than they dropped last year in going 97-65 to take their second consecutive NL East title.
Blanked by Aaron Nola and the Phillies on Thursday and by Jason Vargas and the Mets on Friday night, the Washington bats again went silent at Citi Field.
Not since they were the Montreal Expos and were shut out in three straight by the Florida Marlins in 2004 — all three games were played in Puerto Rico — had the franchise been held down like this. The Expos moved to Washington in 2005.
“We can’t score a point,” manager Dave Martinez said. “It’s frustrating. The offense, a lot of zeros.”
“It’s like someone shut the door,” he said.
Wheeler (9-6) gave up six hits and set a career-best winning streak.
“I hope this is who he is,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “I think he can be this.”
Daniel Zamora retired Harper on a flyball to begin the eighth and fellow rookie reliever Drew Smith got the next three outs.
Jerry Blevins recorded the last two outs, completing the combined seven-hitter.
The Nationals tried everything to eke out a run. Adam Eaton bunted for a single on the first pitch of the game and Trea Turner followed with a sacrifice.
Turner delivered a hit-and-run single in the third, then swiped his major league-high 33rd base on a delayed steal. A walk to Harper loaded the bases with one out, but Anthony Rendon lined out and rookie Juan Soto grounded out.
“I’m trying to get things going, moving things around,” Martinez said.
“It’s really hard to explain,” he said, adding, “These three days … I’m scratching my head.”
Harper, leading the Nationals with 30 home runs and 81 RBIs, batted with two on in the fifth and hit a hard grounder up the middle that the Mets’ shifted infield quickly turned into a double play to end the threat and keep the game scoreless. Moments after that, Harper and Soto were talking in shallow center field when they almost were hit by a warmup ball tossed by an attendant.
Soto, who struck out to strand runners at the corners in the first, was later caught stealing and thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double.
Tanner Roark (8-13) limited the Mets to four hits in six innings, striking out seven without a walk.
Rosario homered in the sixth and Frazier connected in the seventh. Rookie Jeff McNeil singled twice and extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
With the way the Nats are hitting, that was plenty for the Mets. Now Washington is hoping to avoid a shutout sweep on Sunday.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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