The Washington Nationals have defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2019 National League Wildcard game. The name of the game was pitching until late in the game when the Nationals mounted a quick comeback. The game was all the Brewers until the eighth inning when the Nationals took the 4-3 lead after an error in the outfield.
The comeback kids. pic.twitter.com/KIJgtne8NP
— MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2019
On just the seventh pitch of the game, Brewers catcher Yasmani Grandal took Nationals pitcher Scherzer deep. Grandal gave the Brewers the early 2-0 lead over the Nationals in the top of the first inning. If that was not enough, the Brewers had Eric Thames blast another home run to increase the lead to 3-0 in the second inning. The Nationals answered back when Trea Turner blasted a home run to cut the Nats deficit to two runs in the bottom of the third inning.
For the Nationals, Scherzer made some mistakes on the mound the resulted in the home runs and a quick night for him. After only five innings the Nationals pinch-hit for Scherzer in hopes of capitalizing on the situation. Scherzer’s opponent, Woodruff, was looking good for the Brewers throwing four innings for them before turning the ball over to soft lefty Brent Suter. Woodruff looked dominant on the hill, besides the blemish to Turner. Suter kept things in check until the sixth inning when Drew Pomeranz took over.
The Nationals headed into uncharted territory after they began the sixth inning with Stephen Strasburg on the mound. This was the first time he had thrown in relief before the game has never pitched in a relief appearance in his career besides in all-star appearances. Strasburg was able to keep the Brewers at bay until the Nationals regained the lead. Daniel Hudson came on in the ninth inning to close things out for the Nationals sending the Brewers packing. The Brewers let the game slip back into a tie after Josh Hader came on and Grisham made a massive error in the outfield to allow three runs to score and give the Nationals the win.
The Nationals will take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Divisional Series after defeating the Brewers in the Wildcard game. The Dodgers maintain the home-field advantage in the series that begins this Thursday. Now the attention turns to the American League where the Oakland Athletics play host to the Tampa Bay Rays in a win or go home game.
