Game 19: Nats at Pirates
The Nationals seek a four-game split and a 5-2 road trip this afternoon in Pittsburgh. They also reacquired Richard Lovelady from the Mets.
PITTSBURGH – It’s the final day of the road trip, and regardless of today’s result it will still have to be considered a good road trip for the Nationals, who enter their series finale with the Pirates having already gone 4-2. Of course, 5-2 feels a lot better than 4-3, so there’s plenty of motivation to try to leave town with one more win and a four-game split with a tough opponent.
It’s Foster Griffin on the mound for the Nats, looking to continue his strong return to the majors after three successful years in Japan. The left-hander has already faced the Phillies, Dodgers and Brewers and emerged with a 2-0 record, 1.76 ERA and 1.109 WHIP. He once again will be facing a lineup that’s never seen him before, hoping unfamiliarity plays to his advantage.
None of the Nationals have faced Braxton Ashcraft, either, so both starting pitchers are in a good position entering the game. The Pittsburgh right-hander is off to a strong start himself, having posted a 2.12 ERA, 1.000 WHIP and 20 strikeouts in 17 innings so far this season.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Where: PNC Park
Gametime: 12:35 p.m. EDT
TV: Nationals TV (channel listings)
Radio: 106.7 FM
Weather: Partly cloudy, 80 degrees, wind 15 mph right to left
NATIONALS
RF James Wood
1B Luis García Jr.
3B Brady House
LF Daylen Lile
SS CJ Abrams
CF Jacob Young
DH Jorbit Vivas
C Drew Millas
2B Nasim Nuñez
LHP Foster Griffin
PIRATES
RF Jake Mangum
3B Nick Gonzales
CF Oneil Cruz
DH Marcell Ozuna
1B Nick Yorke
2B Brandon Lowe
C Joey Bart
SS Konnor Griffin
LF Billy Cook
RHP Braxton Ashcraft
NATS REACQUIRE LOVELADY
Richard Lovelady is returning to the Nationals after they acquired the left-hander from the Mets for cash, the club announced this morning.
It’s been a strange journey for Lovelady, who was designated for assignment by the Mets in January and claimed off waivers by the Nationals. After beginning spring training in West Palm Beach, he was DFA’d again and claimed back by the Mets, who put him on their Opening Day roster. But New York DFA’d him last weekend after six appearances that included a 3.68 ERA and 1.636 WHIP, leaving him in roster limbo until the Nats reacquired him today.
Lovelady, 30, will join the Nationals bullpen in D.C. this weekend, giving them another left-hander. They’ll need to remove someone else from the active 26-man roster before officially adding him. They cleared a spot on the 40-man roster today by transferring left-hander Ken Waldichuk (who may be headed for Tommy John surgery) to the 60-day IL.
This game really has turned wild. The Nats re-tied it at 6-6 but at the expense of Jacob Young, who got drilled on the right hand by a pitch with the bases loaded. He's going to try to stay in the game. If he has to depart, Jose Tena probably has to play the outfield because they already used up Joey Wiemer as a pinch-hitter.
And now they've re-taken the lead on a wild pitch. What a bizarre 45 minutes or so we've had here.
Well, the scoreless streak is over. All it took was a groundball to short that scored three runs after a mess at second base, with Nunez barely beating Griffin to the bag and then Griffin spiking the ball after the two collided. And then just when it looked like Garcia was going to be picked off second base moments later, Ashcraft threw the ball away and Luis scored to make it 4-0. Wild stuff.