Washington Nationals news & notes: Patrick Corbin, CJ Abrams lead Nats in 6-2 win over Pirates…

Patrick Corbin had lost his last two starts before last night against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, but he had given up 14 runs on 17 hits, walked two batters, struck out seven batters, and hit .425. Against a .444/.800 line in nine innings.

Eight of his 14 points came in four 83-pitch innings against the New York Mets in D.C. last week, and the southpaw hit three home runs.

“The ball was going up,” Nationals manager Davey Martinez said of Corbin’s struggle to get up. “Every ball they hit was up. He’s got to get the ball down. He’s got to get the pitch down.

“They ended up fouling some tough pitches, but overall, the balls they hit were over the top. So he came back and tried to get the ball out the next game. Must.”

“Overall, everything seemed a little different today,” Corbin said of his start against the Mets. Quoted by Mark Zuckerman of MASN. “I felt like I was OK, but it seemed like every pitch I pitched today, I hit it hard.”

To play against the Pirates last night, Corbin handed out his club (Some length was needed in the starters as the bullpen was in trouble.), 6 ²⁄₃ He allowed five hits, one walk, and two earned runs with eight strikeouts, which was the second-highest K total in 2023.

Corbin’s slider was the key. He picked up 14-of-18 swinging strikes and 9-of-16 pitch-called strikes, throwing at PNC 52% of the time, up from his season average of 34.4% through last night.

“He was good,” Martinez said after the 6-2 win, which included two home runs from CJ Abrams, RBIs from Joey Meneses and Luis Garcia, and a solo shot from Dom Smith. “[Corbin] I controlled the ball and mixed up my pitches.But we talk about it all the time and I know [Pitching coach Jim] Hickey talked to him after the last game and he was very effective just holding the ball down, so we needed a big start from him today and he gave it to us. ”

And, yes, Martinez told reporters his slider was really effective.

“It was sharp. It was sharp tonight. When everything is going well, the slider plays.”

Why was it so effective in pitchers’ minds?

“I threw it in the zone and positioned my fastball and stayed in the corner tonight,” Corbin said. Quoted by MASN’s Bobby Blanco.

“If you get ahead, we’ll throw a few shots in there and hope you can take a swing.

“They’re an aggressive team and if you don’t pitch early, they can jump on it, jump on it and get hit early.

“So that was very important for tonight’s location, especially early in the count.”

“That was gold,” Abrams said of Corbin’s career. “His innings and outs are quick and his defense isn’t long, so hats off to him.”

The shortstop manager similarly praised Abrams’ performance in the game, where he had two HRs and three RBIs after taking a day off with a recent knee injury.

Martinez after Abrams hit a 2-2 changeup from Pirates starting pitcher Andre Jackson for a two-run hit in the third inning and a 96.5 mph 3-2 fastball from Bucks reliever Cody Bolton. “He hung on to the ball,” he said. 7th solo shot.

“We were trying to get the ball up a little bit high, hit a high changeup and then get a fastball up the middle.

“But I’m glad he’s OK because he was swinging the bat really well and playing really well. Like I said, when he’s leading for us. , he was the catalyst.”

Abrams said, “I’m just looking for my pitches. … There was something in the middle of my at-bat, but I didn’t miss it because I had two good pitches to hit.”

Abrams hit both home runs to right, the first at 417 feet and the night at 383 feet, making him his second homer and his 18th of the season. He has hit 16 of his 18 home runs this season to right center field.

“He’s ready early,” Martinez said of Abrams’ pull-side power. “He can adjust the ball in. That’s the big difference. We just work hard at that. One is to make sure he’s on a plane and stays at the top of baseball. And two, make sure you’re putting your foot down early on time, he’s done that and that’s where you’re looking at all this power coming from. I am.”

“It feels more direct to the ball,” Abrams said of his power-to-pull-side hits.

“Shorten the swing. Simplify it. For sure.”