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Doug Fister’s shutout of Marlins clinches home-field advantage for Nationals Doug Fister’s shutout of Marlins clinches home-field advantage for Nationals
(about 4 hours later)
The Washington Nationals can finally rest. With a 4-0 win over the Miami Marlins in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader, the Nationals have finally secured the National League’s top seed and home-field advantage for the first two rounds of the playoffs. Nothing remains for the Nationals to accomplish in the regular season. The Washington Nationals can finally take a deep breath. With a 4-0 win over the Miami Marlins in the first game of Friday’s day-night doubleheader, the Nationals secured the National League’s top seed and home-field advantage for the first two rounds of the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. After a shutout by starter Doug Fister, nothing remains for the Nationals to accomplish in the regular season.
Now, they can relax, play the final three regular-season games with ease and turn their focus completely toward the postseason. Their first-round opponent is not yet determined — it could be the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Pirates or San Francisco Giants — but the Nationals, behind a complete-game shutout from Doug Fister, have put themselves in a position to plan and catch their breath. Friday night’s second game ended too late for this edition. Check washingtonpost.com/sports for full coverage.
The Nationals’ plan to play the final three regular season games with the same intensity as before — “that light switch doesn’t just turn on and off,” Manager Matt Williams said — while turning their focus toward the postseason. Their first-round opponent is not yet determined — it could be the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Pirates or San Francisco Giants — but the Nationals have put themselves in a position to reflect and plan.
“We’ve had an extremely successful regular season,” General Manager Mike Rizzo said. “Our players performed great. I think a lot of things are hitting on all cylinders. The manager did a magnificent job piecing this thing together with so many injuries and so many missing days by important people. It’s a culmination by a lot of hard work, a lot of good planning and good execution.”
Playing in their second doubleheader in as many days, the Nationals needed just one more win over the final three days of the season to notch the top spot in the NL playoffs. And the Nationals handed the ball to perhaps their surest pitcher this season.Playing in their second doubleheader in as many days, the Nationals needed just one more win over the final three days of the season to notch the top spot in the NL playoffs. And the Nationals handed the ball to perhaps their surest pitcher this season.
Fister spun nine marvelous innings on 103 pitches. He carved through the Marlins lineup with effortlessness it made pitching at this level look so easy. As is his style, he worked so fast and filled up the strike zone with his pitches. His sinker dipped over the plate and the Marlins beat it into the ground. “That was a big milestone for us,” Fister said. “That’s going to give us some edge in the playoffs. It’s always nice to be home. You’ve got your home fans, we’ve got our own lockers, our own chairs, whatever it may be. Guys are comfortable here and that means a lot.”
Fister invites contact, but his location and movement baffled the Marlins. He struck out a season-high nine hitters. The only base runners Fister allowed were on two weak singles, a hit batter and a triple past a diving Bryce Harper with two outs in the ninth. Fister, on the other hand, smacked a stand-up double, drew a walk and scored a run.   Fister spun nine marvelous innings on 103 pitches. He worked effortlessly, his sinker dipping over the plate just enough for the Marlins to beat it into the ground.
Once the Nationals secured the NL East title on Sept. 16 in Atlanta, they set their sights on the NL’s top seed. And, while juggling some rest for regulars, the Nationals have not let up this late in the season. They are 7-2 since clinching the division, operating on a different level than their opponents in recent weeks. Deep into September, they are playing some of their best baseball. While Fister invites contact, his location and movement baffled the Marlins. He struck out a season-high nine hitters. The only base runners Fister allowed were on two weak singles, a hit batter and a triple past a diving Bryce Harper with two outs in the ninth. Fister nearly matched that by himself at the plate, smacking a stand-up double, drawing a walk and scoring a run.
The Nationals wanted to lock up home-field advantage for the first two rounds as soon as possible so they used a lineup of mostly regulars Friday afternoon. Fister had his choice of games to start and he wanted the afternoon game on a sun-splashed fall day. Rookie Taylor Hill, who has been staying active in the instructional league in Viera, Fla., will start the night game. “He was in command all day,” Williams said.
The Nationals took advantage of shaky pitching by Marlins starter Jarred Cosart and gave Fister an early lead. Two batters into the bottom of the first inning, Anthony Rendon smashed a solo shot to left field, his 21st of the season, to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead. Once the Nationals secured the NL East title on Sept. 16 in Atlanta, they set their sights on the NL’s top seed. And, while juggling occasional rest for regulars, the Nationals have not let up this late in the season. They are 7-2 since clinching the division, operating on a different level than their opponents in recent weeks. Deep into September, they are playing some of their best baseball.
Adam LaRoche later followed with a single and Ian Desmond doubled to right-center field to put runners at second and third with two outs. While Harper was batting, catcher Jarrod Saltamacchia couldn’t corral a Cosart pitch, and the passed ball allowed LaRoche to score and give the Nationals a 2-0 lead. “We’ve still been playing just as hard as if we were fighting to get into the playoffs,” center fielder Denard Span said. “That’s been even more impressive. Because you see a lot of guys taking deep breaths once you’ve clinched, and we haven’t done that.”
Cosart struggled for another four innings and the Nationals budged little in the batter’s box. Cosart walked eight of the 26 batters he faced over five innings. In all, the Nationals drew a season-high 10 walks, turning some of those into a run in the fifth inning. Hoping to lock up home-field advantage as soon as possible, the Nationals used a lineup of mostly regulars Friday afternoon. Fister had his choice of games to start and he was adamant to Williams that he start the afternoon game. Rookie Taylor Hill, who has stayed active in the instructional league in Viera, Fla., will start the night game.
Ryan Zimmerman led off the frame with a walks and Desmond drew a one-out walk. Harper’s groundout moved both runners over a base. Asdrubal Cabrera’s infield single plated Zimmerman, who ran more smoothly around the bases as he works his way back from his right hamstring tear. “I don’t want to sit around all day,” Fister said. “I just like being able to get up and play ball. It’s like a little kid.”
Zimmerman gave the Nationals a 3-0 lead in the sixth inning when he drove in Fister, who doubled to reach base, with an RBI single up the middle. Zimmerman is 4 for 12 with two RBI since his return on Sept. 20. The Nationals took advantage of shaky pitching by Marlins starter Jarred Cosart to give Fister an early lead. Two batters into the bottom of the first inning, Anthony Rendon smashed a solo shot to left field, his 21st of the season, to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead.
With Fister’s pitch count at 91 and the Nationals leading 4-0, Manager Matt Williams let the right-hander take the mound in the ninth inning. Fister won’t start for another 10 days, so stretching him out won’t be much of a risk. As Fister raced out to the mound, the crowd at Nationals Park gave him a standing ovation. While Harper was batting, catcher Jarrod Saltamacchia couldn’t corral a Cosart pitch, and the passed ball allowed Adam LaRoche to score and give the Nationals a 2-0 lead. LaRoche reached on a single and moved to third on Ian Desmond’s double with two outs.
With two outs, Donovan Solano sliced a ball to right field and Harper dived to catch it. Instead, it got past him and Harper had to track it down to hold Solano to a triple. Fister took off his cap, regrouped and stepped back on the mound. He got Casey McGehee to hit a line drive at a diving Cabrera to cap the second shutout of his career and give the Nationals the NL’s top seed.  Cosart struggled for another four innings and the Nationals budged little in the batter’s box. He walked eight of the 26 batters he faced over five innings. In all, the Nationals drew a season-high 10 walks, turning some of those into a run in the fifth inning.
Ryan Zimmerman, who reached on a walk, scored on an infield single by Asdrubal Cabrera, running more smoothly around the bases as he works his way back from his right hamstring tear. Zimmerman gave the Nationals a 3-0 lead in the sixth inning when he drove in Fister, who doubled to reach base, with an RBI single up the middle. Zimmerman is 4 for 12 with two RBI since his return on Sept. 20.
With Fister’s pitch count at 91 and the Nationals leading 4-0, Williams let the right-hander take the mound in the ninth inning. Fister’s start will be in the playoffs in 10 days, so stretching him out won’t be much of a risk. He raced out the mound to a standing ovation.
Fister and catcher Jose Lobaton joked earlier in the season about the right-hander pitching a complete game. As the year progressed, Fister worked deeper into games. The two talked about an eight-inning outing, and Fister delivered.
“So one day, we were talking about, let’s try to go nine right now,” said Lobaton, who shared a big hug with Fister near the mound after the game. “Well, last game of the season [Friday] and he did it.”
With two outs, Donovan Solano sliced a ball to right field and Harper dived to catch it. Instead, it got past him and Harper had to track it down to hold Solano to a triple. Fister took off his cap, regrouped and stepped back on the mound. He got Casey McGehee to hit a line drive at a diving Cabrera to cap the second shutout of his career and give the Nationals the NL’s top seed.
“We have something special in here,” Fister said.