DC Homers Lead To Sweep, 3-1

Gregory doubled with an out against Jeremy Hellickson, who promptly whiffed Starling and Freeser. Willy tossed a 1-2-3 frame. Corey D singled to open the second, then Eli grounded into a DP, so what else is new? The Nats again went down quietly. It was three up, three down for Pittsburgh in the third. The DC nine used a knock and a walk to make some noise in their half, but no damage was done except to Trevor's pitch count. It was eight-in-a-row for Hellickson after four, and Willy kept pace with a clean inning. Make it 11 straight after five for the Bucs and it was quiet again for Washington, too. Fraze broke the sit-down string with a two-out rap in the sixth; Sammy Solis came on to retire El Coffee. The Nats lit the board when a single and Trea Turner line-drive dinger that made it 2-0. With two outs, Ryan Zimmerman smoked another big fly, bringing on Edgar Santana.

Willy had given up one homer going into today's 6th inning
(photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

Brandon Kintzler took the ball in the seventh. Freeser singled off Turner's glove with an out; he never got off first. Michael Feliz climbed the bump and had a no drama frame. Ryan Madson bopped Red Beard to open the eighth and pinch hitter J-Bell singled an out later. Fraze didn't have much of an at-bat, but the Nats bobbled his potential DP grounder to load the sacks. That triggered a call for Sean Doolittle, their closer, for a five-out save. He gave up a run when Gregory beat the rap by a hair on a possible twin killing grounder and Starling flew out, so advantage Nationals, blowing a pair of double plays yet escaping with just one run. George Kontos gave up a leadoff walk and nothing else. The Pirates went down 1-2-3 and Washington broke out the brooms.

Hellickson has always pitched well against the Bucs, but we have to wonder why Clint is so married to the batting order. In 11 of the past 20 games, they've scored two runs or fewer (they're 6-11 since J-Hay was injured, if you're wondering). But ours not to question why...and now it's off to Miller Park.

Notes:

• Pittsburgh had five hits; no runner reached base more than once. Seems familiar...
• The Pirates have been swept in their last two road series by the Phils and Nationals eight games-to-zip; looks like this year the NL East is their poisoned apple.
• The Nats were into Bucs and pucks today. They showed the Tuesday game-winning Caps goal on the big screen a couple of times and one of their racing presidents carried a hockey stick and "Beat Pittsburgh" sign (Honest Abe even cross-checked The Rough Rider over an infield railing, shades of Tom Wilson!)
• Jose Osuna was named the MiLB.com Class AAA Player of the Month for April.
• The Goose is on the loose again. IF Phil Gosselin was claimed by the Braves after being released by the Reds.
• The Mariners announced today that Ichiro is retiring and moving to a front office role where he’ll serve as a special assistant effective immediately. 44-year-old Icharo was hitting just .205, but with 3,000+ knocks is a sure Hall-of-Famer.