Parker Returns:
Mitchell Parker of Philadelphia Phillies Last week at Citizens Bank Park10 hits, 2 walks, 9 runs allowed in 3 innings), Nationals manager Davey Martinez spoke to reporters about Washington’s 24-year-old, 2020 fifth-round draft pick’s development throughout his rookie season.
“For me, he really learned the routine,” Martinez said.
“He’s got a really good routine going right now, and I think that’s helping him understand that he’s ready physically but also really ready mentally. It’s been a long season for him. This will be his longest innings ever. He’s got to understand that no matter what happens today, when this is over, he’s got to play his next game in five or six days and go from there.”
“Some days you lose,” Parker said. Quote from MASN’s Bobby Blanco“I feel like we lost today. Everything was going well, but they’re a great team and everything went well today.”
Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images
As his manager suggested, he seemed to have already put it behind him in his post-match speech.
“We’re just going to keep getting better,” Parker said after his ERA improved from 3.83 to 4.44 in his shortened time on the mound.FIP 3.94 to 4.09) batted .256/.303/.419 with 31 walks (2.41 BB/9) and 98 strikeouts (7.63 K/9) in 115 games. 2⁄3 IP.
“It’s not the end of the world. It hurts and it sucks, but you have to bounce back from it.”
Parker did just that. Colorado RockiesThe left-hander pitched efficiently, allowing just five hits, one walk and one run in seven innings, striking out six, whiffing 10 and throwing 16 strikeouts in his 83 pitches.
The only run he allowed came on a Brendan Rodgers double in the top of the seventh, the second of a string of hits to start his final inning, but Parker got the next three outs on 11 pitches to end the inning and his start. He finished the night with a 4.26 ERA and a 3.97 FIP for the year.
“He doesn’t seem to be worried about anything,” Martinez said of his cool starting pitcher after a 6-1 win over the Rockies in the second of a three-game series in Washington.
“He learns from his mistakes at his last start and then bounces back and follows up on them.
“He attacked the strike zone hard today. At one point he had 40 strikes and 12 balls. But he’s got a leadoff. His curveball was a lot sharper than it’s been the last couple of games, but he threw it really well.”
![Colorado Rockies vs. Washington Nationals](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/R6dxAg05eT76sKn7gIdDVfijqoM=/0x0:6368x4245/1200x0/filters:focal(0x0:6368x4245):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25583748/2167837338.jpg)
Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images
“As I’ve said all year, there are things we can learn from events like the last time,” Parker said. Quote from MASN’s Mark Zuckerman“Let’s ride with them and keep learning.”
“Make an effort and learn every day.”
How does a young pitcher overcome a tough start like Philadelphia’s and move forward?
“He doesn’t need to think about what happened in the last game. He needs to focus on what he did today and build from there,” Martinez explained. “What we want him to understand is, let’s look at what he did today. He was way ahead, which always helps. His curveball was sharp. So just focus on what he did today and carry that over to five or six days from now.”
“The person I met earlier was [this season]What a player he can be. Today reminded me of the first five or six games of the year. That’s what he looked like today. So for him to bounce back and come back like that is awesome. Like I said, he’s a player who is focused on the moment.”
Luis Garcia Jr.’s big home run:
The home team was leading 1-0 after two innings, but the Nationals struck again in the bottom of the third, when Alex Cole, James Wood and Keibert Lewis all singled before Luis Garcia came to bat. Garcia made it 2-0 on an RBI single by Lewis, then hit a three-run homer off Rockies starter Tanner Gordon, smashing a 1-0 fastball 419 feet down the middle of center field to extend the lead to 4-0 and ultimately win the game 6-1.
Garcia’s 15th of 2024 was a major blow as the Nationals tied the Rockies heading into the final game of the season this afternoon in the nation’s capital. As the club emphasized in postgame notes, Garcia is now “… He’s had a hit in 16 of his last 20 games.” [and he] Batting average: .375 (27 hits in 72 at-bats), .597 [SLG] (4 doubles, 4 home runs), 12 RBIs, 6 walks, 4 stolen bases, 12 runs scored [scored] During this period.”
“It was nice to hit the big home run, but my at-bats were better today,” Martinez said after the win.
“So it was just about staying with it, not trying to push it, just trying to score goals. They did that and it was good for us.”
“We tried to stay in the middle of the field and throw the ball high,” Martinez added. “He had a good changeup and we were trying to throw the ball high in the strike zone. Lewis threw his fastball high, which was great, but we were all trying to throw the ball high and we hit it well.”