Two straight wins for NATS:
San Francisco GiantsStarter Logan Webb threw 10 quick pitches to the Washington Nationals hitters in a 1-2-3 first, but then after Joey Meneses struggled nine pitches with a right-handed pitcher, he grabbed a changeup outside, hit right and singled in the bottom of the second.
Keibert-Lewis threw 10 pitches before getting the base after the leadoff hitter, and in his next at-bat, Dominic Smith battled Webb for 10 pitches, before single-hitting to center to put Meneses ahead, giving the Nats a 1-0 lead.
In the first no-death situation, Webb threw up to 29 pitches on target and 39 pitches in the game.
Alex Cole hit a triple and added two more runs to make it 5-0 (After Corey Dickerson hit the fourth of the inning), Webb threw up to 49 pitches before C.J. Abrams hit the 51st home run by a Giants starting pitcher to end the game with a 6–0 score for Webb and an eventual 10–1 win.
Josiah Gray allowed 10 hits and 4 runs in 5 innings in his first start of the second half, but pitched 7 innings on an efficient 87 pitches, allowing 4 hits, 3 walks and 1 run.
Speaking at the start of the game, Gray manager Davey Martinez said what he expects from the 25-year-old right-handed starter who struggled last season.
“He has to go forward, he has to throw strikes, he has to utilize his fastball,” Martinez told reporters.
“We had a lot of conversations about it with him,” added the Knotts captain. “He was very efficient when he threw the fastball and held the ball down, so we had to get him back on track.
“The key is [Gray] He has established a fastball. It made his curveball so much better, so regardless of what curveball he threw today, whether he threw a fastball, he could find the fastball and move on, and everything else would be a lot better. “
Gray threw 26% sliders, 22% curveballs, 20% cutters, 10% sinkers, 8% changeups, 8% sweepers, and 6% four-seamers for a total of 12 whiff strikes and 13 cold strikes.
He walked the first two batters he met, then struck out both of them, then struck out the leadoff hitter in the second. He allowed one run in the third inning with a single, double, and sack fly, but allowed only one run through the seventh inning.
“Josiah was good,” Martinez said at the post-match press conference.
“After hitting the first two hitters, he calmed down and it’s great to have 26 hitters ahead.
“So, like I said before, pitching like that, we hit the ball well, and that pitching really pushed us forward. Yesterday was good, today was really good, so I like that trend.”
It meant a lot to the manager to win the day he put the recently signed 2023 first-round pick into the capital.
“It’s an important day. It’s an important day for us. As I said earlier, the future here is bright. We’re really looking forward to it. Our young players are playing really well. The veterans are behind us well. It’s been a really good day. It’s been a good weekend so far.
Introducing Dylan Crew:
Before being selected by the Nationals as the No. 2 overall pick in 2023 MLB DraftDylan Cruz won the Golden Spike Award as a junior, given to “the top American amateur baseball player based on athleticism, sportsmanship, character and overall contribution to the sport.” LSUs.
The 21-year-old Cruz was the consensus of the best teams in the nation, “winning the Rawlings/ABCA Gold Glove Award after the 2023 season,” and was on his way to helping the Tigers win their seventh All-American at the 2023 Collegiate Championship. world series.
426, 16 doubles, 2 triples, 18 homers, 70 RBI, 71 walks, 46 strikeouts, 6 stolen bases and 100 runs scored in 71 games, leading LSU to its seventh national championship in the 2023 College World Series,” the Nationals said in a press release about the selection.
“He had a .567 on-base percentage and a .713 slugging percentage. Cruz led the SEC and ranked among the NCAA Division I hitters in scoring (1cent100), walk (1cent71), hits (2nd110), on-base percentage (2nd.567), batting average (3)rd.426).
Yes, the Nationals were excited to introduce new possibilities to the nation’s capital at their inaugural press conference in Washington DC yesterday.
“It’s another exciting day here at Nationals Park,” General Manager Mike Rizzo said in an opening statement.
“We have been here many times over the years, but few opportunities match the excitement of today. It is a special occasion for us to have one of the most decorated, accomplished and winning types of players in college history join the Washington Nationals.
“He’s a player who’s been on the field all season at LSU. We’ve been scouting him through LSU since he was in high school. [he had] One of the greatest careers of any college player ever.
“I think winning the U.S. Championship was the culmination of his college career. We have bigger and more important goals to accomplish here with Dylan.”
Jeff Burke – USA TODAY Sports
“To be honest, it all really flew by,” Cruise said of the whirlwind months between the end of his college career, the draft, and joining Nationals Park.
“It all happened so quickly between competing for a national championship, winning it, getting a gold spike and being drafted by a great organization.
“But I’ve learned how to slow things down and stay on my feet every day. So I’ve been having fun. Like I said, I couldn’t be happier with who I am right now.”
“I heard him at his press conference,” Nationals manager Davey Martinez said before last night’s 10-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants. I sat there listening to him talk about his leg position and I thought, ‘Oh, there’s a young Dave Martinez over there. not bad. ‘ But that’s a good thing. We are all excited to have him. Come on, he’ll come down and wet his feet to rejuvenate him.
“And hopefully he goes there [to the minors] And he’s doing what we know he can do and getting here as soon as possible. “
Rizzo said he plans to send Cruz to the club’s spring training facility to get started, then send him out to affiliates at some point this season.
“We’re trying to get him acclimated into the organization,” Rizzo explained.
“First of all today he’s going to run around the outfield and have a little bit of fun under coach Dave Martinez. .
“But I don’t think it will take long for him to get into shape and get back on track.”
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Jeff Burke – USA TODAY Sports
Martinez liked what he saw from the crew on the DC field
“He did some things that surprised me a little bit, but I really liked it. He really did it,” Martinez said. “He stayed in baseball really well and used his feet, but my first impression was good. I saw him play in college, but it’s always a little different on the big league field. But his ball was hot out of the bat, so there was no difference between the way he hit it and the players here. The ball was hot out of the bat, which was good.”
Crews didn’t bite when reporters asked how long it would take to reach the majors.
“At the end of the day, I just play my game,” he said. “I’m going to do my best and do everything I can to perform at my best. That decision is up to the nuts. And it’s up to them how quickly I get up, but I’m going to play my game at the end of the day.”
“It’s always great to have someone who is the cornerstone of an organization,” Lizzo said. “Like I said before, we’ve been here before.
Cruz said, “…not only is he a unique player, he’s the one I’ve seen over the years. I’ve watched him grow as a player. He was that guy for three years at LSU. [2006 Nats’ 1st Round pick] Anthony Rendon was when I met him in Rice. And this is a man who was about one thing. He did not impress the scouts with 4 hits in 4 at bats. It was to win the match. And I hit him solo, and he was a guy who put a lot of work into his preparation, between pitches, and I used to see him in the dugout, not just before the game, not just during the game, but after the game, and he was always trying to help people and get the upper hand. “
Cruz said he’s looking forward to showing everyone in the organization what he saw when Lizzo and the others were scouted.
“I’m just going to go out there and leave it on the field with all my might, no matter what the day is,” he said.
“I just really want to win. I want to bring that to this organization and I want other players to join my game and influence other people.”
