Parker vs NYM:
Mitchell Parker threw five innings and 92 pitches last week at Tampa Bay’s Tropicana Field, allowing a solo home run and a one-RBI single, the only two runs he allowed.
Nationals manager Davey Martinez spoke about Parker’s composure on the mound and the 24-year-old rookie’s calm demeanor before and after the game against the Rays.
“He just focuses on the moment, doesn’t try too hard and gets the big outs,” the manager said.
“He pitched well. He threw a few more pitches, but he still had the juice to stay in the game.”
Parker told reporters that his goal every time is to keep his team in the game.
“Like I’ve said since I first got here,” he explained. Quote from MASN’s Mark Zuckerman.
“I’m just trying to keep my team in the game and give ourselves the best chance to win,” the rookie said.
“I keep saying, that’s really the end goal: to win as many games as possible, help the team win and conserve our pitchers.”
Photo: Greg Fiume/Getty Images
In his first 14 major league starts, he allowed three runs or fewer in 12 innings and three runs or fewer in 13 of 14 as a member of the Nationals’ major league starting rotation.
34 in six starts 1⁄3 Parker allowed just three home runs in one inning in June. Last night at Nationals Park, he allowed just three in six innings. Tyrone Taylor struck out a 1-0 fastball deep into the lefty’s arm in the third inning and smashed a 413-foot home run to left field. Mark Vientos hit a 1-2 fastball in the zone (435 feet) to center field for a two-run homer in the fourth inning. Francisco Lindor then hit a curveball low with a full count, but smashed it 414 feet over center field for a two-run homer to left-center field for a 5-0 lead after four and a half innings.
Parker ultimately allowed five runs on five hits and struck out five batters in the Nationals’ starting rotation on 84 pitches, 61 strikes, 14 strikeouts and 12 strikeouts called.
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But despite the predicament they found themselves in, Martinez’s team fought back in the fifth inning with an RBI single by Ildemaro Vargas (Luis Garcia Jr. walked as leadoff batter and advanced on a Joey Meneses single before scoring). Garcia Jr. hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning, sending both James Wood and Jesse Winker home after they reached base on consecutive one-out singles to make it 5-4.
The 21-year-old Wood, playing in just his third MLB game, hit a RBI single to tie the game at 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh inning.
In the eighth inning, Garcia Jr. hit a solo home run, his second of the game and ninth of the year, making the score 7-5.
Thus ended the game, and after the Nationals’ losing streak, Mets The first two of four events taking place in Washington DC this week.
“The whole team fought hard today. We were losing, but we hung in there and Luis hit a home run. That was some really good hitting,” Martinez said after the win.
“All our guys were out there fighting so it was a good win for us.”
“We’re going to fight. We’re going to go out there and we’re full of energy,” Garcia Jr. said after the game through translator Octavio Martinez. “We’re always positive. And no matter what the score is, if we’re down by six, seven, eight runs, it doesn’t matter. If we’re down until the last out in the ninth inning, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to go out there and we’re going to fight at the plate and we’re going to keep that same positive attitude and that same energy.”
When asked about Garcia Jr.’s two home runs, Martinez said it was hard work that paid off.
“He was able to stay back and drive the ball but he was also able to get the ball with both feet, which is great,” the manager said.
“They have worked diligently to steer these guys in the right direction. [Hitting Coach] Darnell [Coles] and C.J. [Assistant Hitting Coach Chris Johnson]They continue to work with the guys and try to get them to understand what it takes to hit, and it worked out well today. We had some better at-bats and hit the ball a little bit better. We’ve got to continue that tomorrow.”
The National League East rivals will conclude a four-game series in the nation’s capital tomorrow at 11:05 a.m. Happy Independence Day.