Washington Nationals fall to Arizona Diamondbacks 1-5 as Bryce Harper plays first game at home - MLB
Starter Jordan Zimmermann records his second loss of the season as the Washington Nationals face a 1-5 defeat against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. on May 1, 2012.
Only six hits in the game by the Nationals explain their struggling offence in the season. While offence declines, the pitchers appear to be following suit.
Zimmermann has managed an impressive career ERA of 3.63 and 265 career strike-outs, but the way he allowed four runs in the game is uncharacteristic of him.
Ian Desmond has been a top performer for the Nationals, but he also has slowed down a bit. Perhaps he is not getting the support to reach home plate or send base-runners there. His season batting average drops to .260.
Absence of Ryan Zimmerman was duly felt in the game as the Nationals witnessed no one lifting some momentum late in the innings for them. Bryce Harper though did assume the plate and faced three at-bats, expecting him neutralising his effect right away is
unreasonable.
While Harper did not find any hit, the play he made from left-field was incredible. It went straight to the plate, narrowly missing the target.
"I just thought I had a shot," Harper said. "Reared back and gave it my all. That's what I try to do, make plays like that."
The Nationals saw their first run coming in the bottom of the eighth, at a time when even the best of the performances will barely have got them past the Diamondbacks.
Trevor Cahill while starting for the Diamondbacks ended up becoming a ghost for the Nationals’ hitter. In little more than seven innings, Cahill struck-out five and conceded just one run. Reliever and the closer following him were just equally hard for the
Nationals to get away with.
Ryan Perry who came in the ninth inning for the Nationals had little to work with as his side was trailing by three runs when he stepped on the mound. One inning he threw went for one run and three hits.
After an injury of Drew Storen and Brad Lidge, the manager Davey Johnson had his options limited when it comes to the role of the bullpen in the game.
Despite a flurry of losses, the Nationals still lead the National League East Division. In any case, it will amount to sheer complacency if weaknesses in the offence are not realised.
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