Washington Nationals news & notes: DJ Herz earns W in 6-4 win over Brewers; Luis García, Jr.: A year later…

Hearts Day W:

DJ Hurts, making his second start after an extended break and a short trip to the minor leagues, pitched well over five innings and 79 pitches, walking one batter, striking out eight and allowing three hits.1 home run), and two runs.

Hurts pitched well, striking out 10 of the last 11 batters he faced with seven strikeouts, and also varied his pitching, striking out 18 batters overall, throwing 15 fastballs and throwing 8 of 13 fastballs for strikes, increasing his fastball reliance to 62% from his season average of 54.2%.

“He didn’t rely on his off-speed pitches,” Nationals manager Davey Martinez said after Hurts’ appearance.

“He took the lead and continued to throw his fastball, which was good. Our instructions were to pitch the ball high against some of these guys, and he did a great job, especially against the lefties. … He was very effective.” [late in the outing].”

Hartz said he decided early on to rely on the heaters because they felt good.

“I said [catcher Riley Adams] The second was, “My fastball is looking good today.” As quoted by MASN reporter Mark Zuckerman, Hertz said:.

“You can feel it on your hands. You can see it. It has more life to it. I told him that and we just embraced it.”

It was his second consecutive strong five inning pitching performance after extra rest.

“I’m going forward, I’m attacking and I’m playing efficiently,” Hurts said. “That’s all I ask of myself.”

Martinez said Hertz is on a limited playing time at this time due to an extended break.

“He had only pitched four innings when we demoted him, so we’re going to limit him to about five innings, about 80 pitches, but we’re going to get him back on track.”

“If he’s pitching well, we’ll try to get him to pitch a little longer.”

Hurts threw 77 pitches (49 strikes) over five innings on Saturday, allowing two outs, one walk and one earned run.

He struck out six BrewersIn three consecutive five-inning starts, he struck out the same batters 10 times (8 of which were fastballs) and 12 times (8 of which were fastballs), recording a fastball rate of 68% in these appearances.

Hurts worked around one walk in the first inning and took to the mound in the second inning with a 3-0 lead. With two outs, Luis Garcia doubled (his first of three hits on the day) and scored on an RBI single by Keibert Lewis. Lewis walked and Travis Blankenhorn (designated hitter Saturday) doubled to center field to score off Brewers right-hander Aaron Civale. Alex Cole also singled, sending Blankenhorn home.

Hurts got the Brewers out in order in the top of the second, avoided a hit by pitch in the third, and was up 5-0 when he took the mound in the third (after a home run by Garcia Jr.). The lefty struck out the leadoff batter with a double in the fourth, then scored the visitors’ first run in the fifth on a ROE, a two-out wild pitch and a single to make it 5-1 and ultimately win the game 5-4.

“[The four-run first inning] “It lifted me up, it motivated me,” Hurts said after the win. Quoted from MLB.com“And we went from there.”

When asked about putting more emphasis on his fastball, Hurts said: Quote from MASN’s Mark Zuckerman.

“I always feel like that’s my best pitch and the one I use to attack.

“When my fastball is going well, it’s going to be a good day, and it’s been good lately.”

Martinez again removed his left-handers early, but explained it was all part of a plan to limit the innings of young starters.

“He’s one of those young guys we’ve got to keep an eye on pitching from him, and he was hot today.”

“But there will come a point where we feel like if he can get two more outs in the sixth inning, we’ll keep him on the mound.”

Garcia Jr. celebrates anniversary:

If Luis Garcia Jr. didn’t get the message that something needed to change when he was demoted to Triple-A for a month last season, manager Davey Martinez emphasized it repeatedly over the winter.

“The message to him is there are no guarantees in spring training,” Martinez said in December about Garcia Jr. and the possibility of landing the second base position in the nation’s capital.

“You have to fight for your job. I think I sent that message to him when I demoted him. It was tough for me because I love him. But he’s got to get better. It’s his fourth year with us and I know the good in Lewis but we’ve got to get it out of him. He’s got to be consistent.”

A year after being demoted to Triple-A Rochester, Garcia Jr. entered Saturday’s game with a .282/.316/.436 batting average with 18 doubles, 11 home runs, 17 walks and 59 strikeouts in 94 games and 361 at-bats. He was 3-for-4 in Friday night’s series opener against the Brewers at Nationals Park.

“He’s trying not to chase, that’s the biggest key,” Martinez said in his pregame press conference Saturday afternoon, “but he’s putting himself in good situations to hit good balls, so he’s getting better and he’s starting to understand a little bit more how to hit with guys on base.”In 151 at-bats, he hit .343/.378/.539, but before Saturday’s game he was hitting .361/.404/.608 with RISP.) And he’s been working hard on getting the ball into the zone more selectively. He’s getting a lot better. Really getting better. So I’m proud of him. He’s been working really hard on it.” [Hitting Coach] Darnell [Coles] He’s played better in certain situations, especially with guys on base, knowing where he wants to throw the ball and not chasing anything.”

Garcia Jr. doubled with two outs and the bases loaded in his first at-bat Saturday afternoon to score the team’s first run. He homered in the top of the third (12), singled in the top of the fifth to come close to triple for the cycle and stole second base (17) before getting out on a triple. The 24-year-old infielder then hit a line drive to center field in the seventh to score three runs in his 3-for-4 at-bats and win the game 6-4.

A year later, Garcia Jr.This season, his batting average is .287 and his OPS is .772.) said after the game that the Nationals’ decision to demote him last season was a step in the right direction.

“It’s something that probably had to be done,” he said. Quote from MASN.

“That’s a lesson that had to be taught to me, and here I am now, I think I learned a lot from it, and now I just have to keep moving forward.”

“For him, it’s definitely paying off. He’s a different person. He’s more confident and knows what to do. … He’s playing really well.”