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Jayson Werth’s first hit of the season propels Nats to 4-2 win against the Marlins Jayson Werth’s first hit of the season propels Nats to 4-2 win against the Marlins
(about 3 hours later)
A player’s first hit of the season carries no extra significance, especially when he has been in the league 14 years. But when it comes in the fourth game of the season, after a slow 0 for 13 start, it undoubtedly feels better than most. On Sunday, in the seventh inning of the Washington Nationals’ 4-2 win over the Miami Marlins, Jayson Werth stepped to the plate with a target on his back. He will be 37 next month, coming off a 2015 season in which he battled injured. A player’s first hit of the season should carry no extra significance, especially when he is in his 14th major league campaign. But when that first hit comes in the fourth game of the season, after an 0-for-13 start for a soon-to-be-37-year-old outfielder, it undoubtedly feels better than most. On Sunday, in the seventh inning of the Washington Nationals’ 4-2 win over the Miami Marlins, Jayson Werth stepped to the plate with a target on his back.
The Marlins chose to challenge him. With Bryce Harper on second base and Anthony Rendon on third, they intentionally walked Daniel Murphy and brought in right-handed reliever Edwin Jackson to face Werth. Jackson attacked Werth inside but left a fastball up and outside, enough for Werth to softly flick to no-man’s land in right-center for the RBI single that broke the 1-1 stalemate. The Marlins wanted to challenge him. Werth, who is coming off an injury-riddled 2015 season, had stranded four base runners in his previous three plate appearances. So with Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon on base late in a tie game, the Marlins intentionally walked hot-hitting Daniel Murphy and brought in right-handed reliever Edwin Jackson to face Werth with one out.
On first base, Werth slapped his hands together and looked at his teammates in the dugout. The next hitter — Clint Robinson, who was starting at first base because Manager Dusty Baker wanted to get Ryan Zimmerman a day off – also collected his first hit of the season, a two-run single to left field that gave the Nationals the winning cushion. Jackson attacked Werth successfully inside but puzzlingly left a fastball up and outside, enough for the veteran outfielder to softly flick it to shallow right field for the RBI single that broke the stalemate and gave Jose Ross a win in his stellar season debut.
After sputtering for six innings, the Nationals’ offense finally turned baserunners into runs, giving Joe Ross the boost he needed to secure the win. Bad weather in spring training and on Saturday messed with Ross’s pitching schedule. Between March 21 and his season debut on Sunday, Ross had thrown only five innings against major league hitters. “Needed to dink one in there to get me going I guess,” Werth said later with a shrug.
[Ben Revere has an oblique strain, and his recovery time is uncertain]
On first base, Werth slapped his hands and looked at his teammates in the dugout. The next hitter, Clint Robinson, who was starting at first base because Manager Dusty Baker wanted to get Ryan Zimmerman a day off — also collected his first hit of the season, a two-run single to left field that gave the Nationals the winning cushion.
“That was huge,” Robinson said. “Talk about my confidence, I’m sure it does a lot for [Werth]. I know J-Dub doesn’t need that type of stuff for confidence, but it’s always good to go out there and help your team win and contribute.”
After sputtering for six innings, the Nationals’ offense had finally turned base runners into runs, enough to secure a win for Ross. Bad weather in spring training and Saturday’s postponement messed with Ross’s pitching schedule. Between March 21 and Sunday, he threw only five innings against major league hitters.
Despite the long layoff, Ross quickly settled into a groove and plowed through the Marlins’ lineup. He tossed seven strong innings, striking out five and allowing only one run on 97 pitches.Despite the long layoff, Ross quickly settled into a groove and plowed through the Marlins’ lineup. He tossed seven strong innings, striking out five and allowing only one run on 97 pitches.
Ross’s command was understandably off in the first inning. Before the game, Baker said he hoped Ross would pitch with his mind and not his body because it would be a challenge to instantly find his consistent delivery again. Ross navigated his way around his slider, a leadoff triple by Dee Gordon, a walk of Christian Yelich and a rocket single by Giancarlo Stanton. He allowed only one run and escaped a jam with a double play. “Just another day of rest,” Ross said. “I felt pretty good going out there. I don’t think missing out on those starts really affected me.”
From then on, Ross was in command. He found better control of his wicked slider and used a hard cut-back sinker to freeze batters and induce groundballs. He even flashed a change-up against left-handed batters, getting Yelich to fly out on one in the fourth inning. Ross’s command was understandably off in the first inning. He navigated his way around a slider that didn’t feel sharp, a leadoff triple by Dee Gordon, a walk of Christian Yelich and a rocket single by Giancarlo Stanton. He escaped the jam, after allowing only one run, with a double play.
In jams in the fourth and sixth innings, Ross found a way out. Martin Prado tripled in the fourth with two outs when Harper dove for a sinking line drive. But Ross got Centreville native Justin Bour to fly out to end the threat. In the sixth, Gordon singled but Ross did a good job of keeping him honest at first base, and catcher Wilson Ramos threw him out on a stolen-base attempt. Ross pitched around a walk to get two more outs. “After that, he threw perfect for six more innings,” catcher Wilson Ramos said.
Ross’s stout pitching allowed the Nationals to finally crack the Marlins’ pitching staff. Harper’s double in the first inning produced the first run of the game. From the second to the sixth inning, the Nationals produced plenty of baserunners but couldn’t push them across home plate. Ross commanded his slider better and used a hard cut-back sinker to freeze batters and produce groundballs. He even flashed a change-up against left-handed batters, getting Yelich to fly out on one in the fourth inning.
But once Rendon singled off Marlins starter Tom Koehler and Harper doubled off left-handed reliever Chris Narveson in the seventh inning, the Marlins chose to face Werth, and he finally came through with a hit. “I just kind of got into a good rhythm and I felt comfortable on the mound and it kind of just went from there,” he said.
Ross found a way out of jams in the fourth and sixth innings. Martin Prado tripled in the fourth with two outs when Harper dove for a sinking line drive. But Ross got Centreville native Justin Bour to fly out to end the threat. In the sixth, Gordon singled but Ross did a good job of keeping him honest at first base and Ramos threw him out on a stolen base attempt. Ross pitched around a walk to get two more outs.
[Barry Bonds: Bryce Harper ‘doesn’t compare to me yet’]
“The game appears slow to Joe anyway,” Baker said. “He’s 22, but he comes from a great family. His brother has been in pro ball for a while. He knows what he’s doing, and he’s not intimidated by any situation.”
Ross’s stout pitching kept the Nationals in the game before they were able to finally crack the Marlins’ pitching staff late. Harper’s double in the first inning produced the Nationals’ first run. From the second through the sixth inning, the Nationals produced seven base runners but couldn’t push them across home plate. Center fielder Michael A. Taylor also snapped his 0-for-12 start with a second-inning single.
But the winning rally started in the seventh inning when Rendon singled off Marlins starter Tom Koehler and Harper doubled off left-handed reliever Chris Narveson, his 100th career double. The Marlins didn’t want to face Murphy, who reached base in each of his previous three plate appearances. They licked their chops at Werth, who finally came through with a hit.
“I’ve never been the best player in April,” Werth said. “I never had a chance to win the player of the month for April. I’m usually a slow starter. Hopefully that’ll get me going. I feel good. I’m healthy. My drills and swings I have been taking are good. I feel all right. My timing has been a little bit off, and I have been moving my hands around a little bit trying to get comfortable up there. It’ll come.”