{"id":16254,"date":"2019-10-30T12:34:50","date_gmt":"2019-10-30T16:34:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=16254"},"modified":"2019-10-30T12:34:50","modified_gmt":"2019-10-30T16:34:50","slug":"nats-in-game-7-after-getting-swept-at-home-who-thought-wed-be-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalsarmrace.com\/?p=16254","title":{"rendered":"Nats in Game 7 after getting swept at home: who thought we’d be here?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"HOUSTON,<\/a>

Martinez really didn’t like the call last night :-).\u00a0\u00a0Photo by Mike Ehrmann\/Getty Images via usatoday.com<\/p><\/div>\n

After getting brutalized in a home sweep that cost the fan base a lot of momentum and positive thoughts, who came to our rescue in one of the best games I’ve ever watched?<\/p>\n

Stephen Strasburg<\/strong>, that’s who!<\/p>\n

In what might now be the seminal performance of his career, Strasburg pitches into the 9th against one of the most stacked lineups ever put together (and that’s not hyperbole; by team wRC this is the best offense<\/a> since the famed 1927 Yankees), recovering from two early runs to put down the Astros time and again, including an amazing streak against their top 6 hitters in the 7th and 8th to help keep the game out of reach while the offense came around and finally broke through after three straight games of ineptitude.<\/p>\n

What a game.<\/p>\n

We’ll have a crowd-sourcing discussion after the season ends on where to possibly “rank” all the games we’ve now lived through this post season.\u00a0 For 15 years we’ve clung to regular season games and non-series winning games as our “top ever games,” but now we have a slew of 2019 post-season performances to choose from and it’ll take some thought.\u00a0 But I’ll tell you how: last night’s game is going to be up there.<\/p>\n

As for tonight?\u00a0 The salient fact I keep pointing out to doubting friends: the Nats are now 9-0 this post-season when Strasburg or\u00a0Max Scherzer<\/strong> starts.\u00a0 9-0.\u00a0 And Guess who goes for the Nats tonight?\u00a0 Now, it doesn’t seem like it’ll be the same Scherzer … not sure why he was in the bullpen throwing last night if he couldn’t move his arm two days ago, but perhaps he was just trying to work off stress.\u00a0 Nonetheless, i’ll be shocked if he goes 5 tonight.\u00a0 But we’ve got a huge advantage thanks to Strasburg’s start; our bullpen threw a collective 11 pitches last night.\u00a0\u00a0Daniel Hudson<\/strong> is fresh, as is\u00a0Tanner Rainey<\/strong> and\u00a0Patrick Corbin<\/strong> (god help me if he gets in for more than a token appearance tonight), and\u00a0Sean Doolittle<\/strong> was barely taxed.\u00a0 meanwhile Houston had to put innings on half their pen, including most of the guys they’d bring in to spell tonight’s starter\u00a0Zack Greinke<\/strong> if he runs into trouble.<\/p>\n

I thought the Nats could win this in seven.\u00a0 I certainly did not think the first six games would be won by road teams.\u00a0 But here we are anyway.\u00a0 Can’t wait to watch tonight!<\/p>\n

—————<\/p>\n

Obligatory opinions on “the Turner play”<\/p>\n

You can make a simple argument that, because the ball hit Turner and he wasn’t in the runner’s box, that he is out.\u00a0 By the letter of the law (rule\u00a05.09(a)(11)) that’s the case.\u00a0 Fair enough.\u00a0 But its still a judgement call.\u00a0 Just because you aren’t in that box, doens’t mean\u00a0 you’re automatically out.<\/p>\n

however:<\/p>\n