Washington Nationals news & notes: Nats drop 3-2 decision to Mets; MacKenzie Gore out early + more…

Gore vs NYM Again:

Mackenzie Gore struck out 10 of 25 batters in six 101-pitch games. New York Mets In the game at Citi Field late last month, he gave up four hits and two walks in a 4-1 away win for the Washington Nationals.

“Double-digit strikeouts either happen or they don’t happen,” Gore said after the game, downplaying the importance of high strikeouts.this is still his best record of the season).

“But I’m feeling good right now,” added the 24-year-old southpaw. “If I’m ahead of other players, I can do it. I can beat them.”

“They were in the zone. The fastball was good tonight.

That night, Gore had 19 straight strikes (12 fastballs, 4 curveballs, and 3 sliders) and took 17 cold strikes, 9 fastballs, and 8 curveballs.

“If he can hit the strike zone, use his fastball and throw one strike, he’ll be who he is today. He’s very capable,” manager Davey Martinez said after the win in New York.

Heading into his second start of the year against the Nationals’ NL East rivals, Gore said he wants to see what starters learn from their first start, but that’s not necessarily what he’s done. It is not to repeat all of them, but to build on them.

“For me, it’s about understanding what you’ve done, learning from it and building from it,” Martinez explained. “You’re going to go up there and play against the same guys, but can you do something different with him?” How does he want to attack hitters in the next round? Did he do well at first? I’m actually very curious how he’ll handle hitters and what his approach will be, but to me he has to be him.

“And that’s what I know [Pitching Coach Jim] Hickey tells him about it. “Hey, you get out there and you become you. I understand catching the ball in, but get out there and be yourself.”

In his first game last night, Gore walked as many hitters as he did in all games in New York (2 walks), loaded the bases with a two-out single and back-to-back free passes, then flew out Sterling Marte. Throw into center field to end a long 37-pitch frame.

The 24-year-old entered the second with a 1–0 lead, and focused on singles with 1 and 2 outs within the 22-ball frame.

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After allowing one and two outs in the top of the third inning, Gore reached 79 pitches overall, and 84 pitches after stopping both runners within 25 pitches.

In the top of the fourth, Lane-Thomas made a jumping catch on the right field wall on the 1-2-3 third to steal long base from Brandon Nimo and save Gore’s 12 pitches, but that was the last time. ..

As noted above, that was all for the left-handed pitcher who hit 92 in six innings against the Mets in New York.

Mackenzie Gore quotes: 4.0IP, 5H, 0R, 0ER, 2BB, 3Ks, 96P, 58S, 1/5GO/FO.

“I actually threw some first-pitch strikes,” Gore said. Quoted by MASN’s Bobby Blancoafter the resulting 3–2 loss, he had a total of 9 swing strikes, 7 of which were fastballs, 16 call strikes, and 10 four seamers.

“I didn’t find any off speeding. And they did a much better job tonight in not chasing. I just made a few mistakes, I just didn’t find any speeding, I didn’t think about it at all. So it was tough, we managed to get through it, but yeah, we didn’t find the second pitch very well tonight.”

“I liked the way he did it,” Martinez said of Gore’s trip. “He kept taking big outs. He came up to me – and I love his there – he said he had more in the tank and I told him, ‘Don’t do that.’ said. That means 4 innings and (96) pitches, we need you in many more games than just this time. ’ But I love the fact that he came up to me and asked. So it was great. ”

“He fought,” added the manager, “he gave us all he could but you can’t send him back on 96 pitches.”

Key moments:

• Luis Garcia spits four pitches outside the strike zone off New York Mets starter Tyler Megill, walks one out, steals second base from right-handed catcher Francisco Alvarez, and hits Joey Meneses with an RBI. Scored. Leading the home team 1-0 in the series opener against rivals in the National League East.

• Lane Thomas struggled at times with wall play, something he’s worked with Nationals coaches for years, and the Mets’ 2-out in the fourth inning saw the right fielder hit a long fly to the fence. rice field. Then he scored a jumping grab in front of the wall to take the third from starter Mackenzie Gore’s fourth scoreless frame and take Brandon Nimmo to help keep the 1-0 lead.

Jake Alou also performed well in left field and got his first major league hit.

• Alex Cole scored in the bottom of the 4th with a high outside 3-2 fastball from Tyler Megill into right field, doubled on a grounder by CJ Abrams, and scored on a short grounder. Jake Al’s shot was hit by Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor with a backhand but missed, making it 2-0 for the Nationals.

• Andrés Machado was hit with a two-out single until the fifth inning, scoreless, but was reversed in the sixth, allowing Sterling Marte to single and a double to Mark Kerna, so the relief pitcher was pitching coach Jim J. Received a visit from Hickey. Machado made a surprising choice with Brett Batty’s chopper back to the mound, pitching home for an out at bat instead of first base to keep it 2-0. Karna didn’t make a play, defended second base, followed by a ground ball to first base, and was down two. Carl Edwards Jr. entered and gave Brandon Nimo a bases-loaded walk with two outs, then fell behind Francisco Lindor 3-1, but made a full count and allowed a base-clearing double to right-center. difference, 3-2 NY.

“Machado, you can’t do anything about the broken bat single and the fiasco,” Martinez said at the post-match press conference. and the matchup is [Edwards, Jr.] About Nemo, and walks, walks, we talk about him all the time, but they walk and he has throwing strikes. If he throws strikes, he’s good. He walked him on the ball, after which he reversed 3-2 to a very good hitter. It wasn’t a very hard hit, but he hit good enough. ”

Back Page – Basement Story:

It was a great try, but the reporter who asked Davey Martinez about his chances of moving up from No. 5 in the NL East this weekend didn’t stand a chance.

The Nationals started four straight games 1.5 games behind the No. 4 Mets, but the captain of the nation’s capital is Mr. Everyday 1-0, Mr. Be Where Your Feet Are, and he did not intend to do so. When I have a game, I talk about the big picture. So, a good try, but hmm…

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“I say this a lot and I think you’ve heard me say this. Our focus is today and we’re doing very well in terms of staying in the present moment. I have,” Martinez said. “And that’s what I always preach to my players, ‘Stay where your feet are.’ Come on, let’s go to the game.” And we’re doing really well.

“I know what is at stake. I know I’m playing with energy and that’s for everyone to see.So just go out there and keep it up.I don’t focus on anything other than the Washington Nationals. No guessing, so we’re going to be out there today and competing.”

Garcia Details:

Luis Garcia went 0-for-4, including a walk, in the final game of the series in San Francisco, ending his all-time hitting streak at five games, but has since gone 11-for-27 (.407/.448/.593). was recorded. He had 2 doubles, 1 homer, 2 walks, and 4 kicks in 29 at-bats, averaging .223 that year, but going up to .264 before the four-game series against New York City. Rose. weekend.

Earlier this year, Garcia hit a fastball 21 percent of the time, according to Baseball Savant, with a four-seamer batting average of .250 for the season and a changeup batting average of just .111 (17.2 percent).

Against the slider (17.2%), he had a .300 AVG before last night’s match, .389 AVG on the sinker he’s seen (12%), and .385 on the curve (11.4%). I was recording AVG.

Photo Credit: Greg Fiume/Getty Images

Garcia’s chase percentage, which posted 30.6, 34.9 and 40.8 in his first three seasons in the majors, is down significantly to 24% in 2023, as his manager pointed out during his recently completed trip. Davey Martinez brought up the topic again when talking about Garcia’s run-up this year and what’s behind it.

“He has a chase percentage of about 25 percent and does a great job of trying to keep the ball in the zone no matter what,” Martinez said.

“He also has a good swing on the curve ball, which is great. The minute he chases him, he’s in trouble. ”

And that’s where you’re more likely to shoot and do damage than just cut any ball in the zone.

“He has to understand that he has to get the ball up in the zone most of the time and he is really good when the ball is up. 3-0, I mean, you have the fastball ready, and if he happens to throw a changeup, we’re trying to tell him, “You still have two pitches to go, don’t do it.” Don’t chase unless it’s up. ”