Cole Hensley and Cory Osbourne teamed up to pitch a 2-hitter against the Cubs, unfortunately, gave up 12 walks to assist the Cubs to a 9-7 victory over the Nationals. On the offense side, Cole Hensley went 2 for 3 and Drew Defay was 2 for 4, with a scored run and 2 rbi's. Devin Bailey also helped the cause with 2 rbi's. Alex Schimmel finally joined the team and showed his spark with a 1 for 1 (bunt single to lead off the 1st) and 3 walks. Also showing his catcher skills by throwing out a base steal attempt at 2nd base in the 3rd inning.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Nationals 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 3 3 3 Mets 0 2 1 0 0 1 x 4 8 2
This was a well-pitched game on both sides. Will Young went for the Nationals and Anthony Juliano for the Mets. Both went the distance and neither faced any real trouble. A couple misplays in the field cost the Nationals the runs that made the difference. The earned-run score was 2-2. Will deserved better.
In a game with only 3 hits, it was Nick DeFelice leading the charge with a pair of hits and an RBI. Nick was the only batter to reach base twice.
Will was another top-performer at the plate, netting a hit, a run scored, and an RBI. And there are your three hits.
Ian McWilliams had the other RBI, knocking in Will in the 5th with a grounder to second that also moved Nick from 2nd to 3rd with one out. That was the tying run at the time, but a pair of strikeouts wiggled Juliano out of the inning.
Drew DeFay scored a run in the final frame to make the game interesting. It was a swinging strikeout the catcher couldn't handle. Drew's speed made the catcher panic and throw the ball into right field. Drew took third on the play and scored a couple batters later.
The defensive rock was Ian McWilliams at shortstop. He accounted for 9 outs in the field - out of 15 'out' plays. Noteworthy web-gems were the pop up to left field he raced back and caught over his shoulder, then turned and gunned out a runner at home trying to tag up and score. The double-play ended the inning and squashed the Mets' best rally. Ian also owned the 6th inning, turning all 3 plays. The niftiest was a grounder to third that took a crazy hop on Nick and went off his glove. Ian was there expecting something and recovered the play, throwing out the runner by half a step for an unusual 5-6-3 put out.
More credit is due in the field. Gabe Blanco played left field today in what was a consistently strong wind. That wind played havoc with what otherwise may have been a routine fly ball. This was anything but - the wind pushing it mercilessly to Gabe's right. He stuck with it and tracked it into the glove making a fine catch. Gabe also earned his way on base, when the third baseman ever-so-slightly bobbled a grounder and Gabe's speed beat it out. He added a stolen base, then nearly scored on a close play that some feel may have been overturned if we had instant replay. Overall, quite a nice game for #23.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Cubs 1 5 0 0 0 1 1 8 8 3 Nationals 3 2 1 2 2 2 x 12 15 10
Top story, Ian McWilliams on the mound. Top story, Nationals score in every inning. Bottom story, early errors put the game in jeapordy. It was a beautiful morning at Fraser High School. Warm and sunny.
Ian took this hill at his favorite field. He has a couple buddies that attended this school. #6 went the distance, tossing 7 quality innings, throwing 75 strikes against only 28 balls. The 2-seam fastball had plenty of run, and the slider had plenty of bite. The pile of fielding misplays even had his angry fastball with plenty of giddy-up.
The offense was unstoppable, just look at that box score. 15 hits, including 3 by Drew and Nick. Ian, Hass, Cory, and David had 2 each. DeFay had the big blast with a triple - and scored on a throwing error. Bunch had the little hit, with a sweet bunt single down the first base line. Blanco was safe on error twice, and Beels was hit by a pair of pitches - and we did have ice! Seyerlein tallied a hit, run, and RBI. Hensley drew a walk, and added a SAC fly RBI. Everyone contributed !!
Defensively, the first good play of the game was Gabe Blanco in left field (again). This time running back full speed to corral a deep fly ball. This is the play that put an end to the fielding nonsense. After that inspring play, the entire team picked it up.
Also noteworty defensively, no wild pitches or passed balls. Hats off to the battery for the first clean game of the year in that regard.
Combine a stellar pitching performance by Will Young, along with being 2 for 2 at the plate and scoring 2 runs, a clutch 2 run single by Dennis Seyerlein, stolen bases by Drew, Has, Will and Nick, a fantastic foul pop up catch by Cole Hensley, and great defensive fielding by everyone on the team with only one error, and that adds up to a 4-0 victory over the Mets.
Another pitching gem turned in by Will Young against a hard hitting Tiger's team. Two line shot easy extra base hits were picked off at first base by Austin Benoit and turned into outs. Drew Defay, Cory Osborned and David Bunch reeled in some hard hit balls to the outfield without any incidence. Six runs scored in the first inning gave the Nationals the momentum they needed for a stellar defensive performance. Rbi's in the first inning went to0 Cory Osborne and Will Young, knocking in two each, with another RBI by Dennis Seyerlein. Alex Schimmel pounced on two hard-to-catch foul pop ups and made it look easy. He also went 2 for 2 at the bat along with 2 walks. Has Jafer led the scoring by crossing the plate two times. Has, Austin and Nick teamed up for a double play out at first and a tag at third for an advancing runner.
Tickets are rapidly selling out to see this hot team in action.
This game shows why you need 18 players on a team. Only 8 players showed up to play against the Twins, and thanks to Jim McWilliams for making the 9th player. This is also why when a lot of players show up, some may have to ride the bench. But you need extra players to avoid an almost forfeit. Also, when the players combine for 14 strike outs and 6 errors, nothing good can come from that. It amounts to a 7-0 loss to the Twins. Highlights, just a couple or so, would be Andy Gury's blast to left field that got him a triple (stranded on third), Cole Hensley's 2-out double, followed by Dennis Syerlein's base hit (both stranded on the bases). On the defensive side, a solid first base performance by Jim McWilliams, making or assisting with 8 outs. Andy Gury's pick off of a line shot to third, making a solid throw to first base. Gabe Blanco had a couple of good plays in center field. This loss, unfortunately, goes to the players that showed up, but also should go to the players who did not show up.
Adam Vance put an end to a no hitter by getting a base hit in the 5th inning. Andy Gury scored the only National's run by crushing a double to right center, stealing third, and scoring on Dennis Seyerlein's base hit. Some of the good defensive plays included three long fly balls to the outfield that were caught, one each, by Adam Vance, David Bunch, and Joe Beels. Joe made a great catch in right field that would have led to more runs, but he jumped and caught the ball, with the ball hanging half way out of the webbing (and he hung on). Andy Gury snagged a grounder to third with the bases loaded and one out. He ran over and touched third, then rifled the ball to Will Young at first base, to complete the double play. Alex Schimmel and Has Jafer had some good fielding plays at short and second base. Nick DeFelice pitched a solid game, but could not overcome the errors in the second inning.
The Nationals may have lost 7-2, but they played their heart out with only 8 players, 2 of which were subs. Jim McWilliams pitched a solid game, hitting the strike zone and making the hitters work for their runs. Gabe Blanco and Cory Osborne covered the outfield, and made some great catches when the ball was hit into their zone. Hassan Jafer stepped up the defense with some great short fly ball catches at 2nd base and into short right field. Andy Gury made a backward foul catch right at the fence and completed two shots to third, looking the 2nd base runner back to his bag, and finishing the outs with perfect throws to first base. Of course, good throws do not always complete an out, but Joe Beels played an outstanding game at first base. Alvin was involved in four put outs from short stop. David Bunch was behind the plate, and did a great job of handling all of the pitches that were thrown at him. Not much from the offense today. But a Cory Osborne double and a Gabe Blanco walk turned into the first run by Gabe stealing second, and Cory trotting home from third. Congrats to David Bunch on his 2nd inning single, which produced his first rbi of the season.
Not much to say when you lose 12-0. However, there were some fielding gems. A first inning pick off of a runner at 2nd base by William Young catching the runner of guard by throwing to Andrew Gury at 2nd base, who then threw the ball to 3rd baseman, Nick DeFelice to complete the put out. No errors in the outfield, with fine catches by Gabe Blanco and Adam Vance. Cole Hensley completed two put outs in the 7th inning, with one being an outstanding catch of a pop fly ball right at the fence in foul territory. Special mention to Adam Vance, who tried choking up on his 34" bat, and had a line drive single to right-center field. Another good first base performance by Joe Beels. Dennis Seyerlein also had a base hit, along with catching duties for the entire game. Other hits in the game by Nick DeFelice, a double, Will Young and David Bunch added base hits to the total.
It wasn't pretty. It was a nail biter. but the National's prevailed over the A's. 7-6. Handing the A's only their second loss of the season, and opening the door for a playoff bearth for the National's. The big play of the game was Hassan Jafer's diving catch in left field that ended the game. It was Hass's biggest play of the season. He lay on the ground after the catch for about 15 seconds, then got up, picked up his glasses that flew off of his face, and trotted back to the bench. The A's players were shouting that he dropped the ball and picked it up, but it was actually his glasses (or was it the old switch the ball for the glasses trick?). Solid fielding, without any errors, helped keep the A's in check. Two hit performances by Nick DeFelice with 3 rbi's, Cory Osborne with 3 rbi's and Andy Gury, with 1 rbi was all the National's needed to pull this victory off. Steller performance by Adam Vance at first base, making a couple diving catches from throws to first base. Dennis Seyerlein with a solid performance behind home plate, along with his unbridled enthusiasm. Gabe Blanco, always solid in the outfield, also had a stolen base, along with Andy Gury and Nick DeFelice. David Bunch walked in the last inning, trying to get another rally started. The bottom line is that the National's made the playoffs. Congrats to all the players.
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