Under the moonlight, this serious moonlight, the Washington Nationals say, "Let's dance."
And so they did. And then did it again.
The red shoes were on, but the only ones playing the blues were the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates, who fell 13-0 at the start of
a big four-game set for the visitors.
The Nationals smacked two dingers in the first,
Adam Eaton had solo shot before
Matt Adams hit a two-run blast.
This move is called the "early lead." pic.twitter.com/ZuGLdATHOi
— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals)
August 19, 2019 S I X T Y - T W O runs in 5 games.FINAL // #Nats 13, Pirates 0 pic.twitter.com/2KOk6qBevG
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals)
August 20, 2019 Then another one homer in the second with a three-run Trea Turner moonshot. And any worry that the Nats wouldn't keep the pressure on the Atlanta Braves in the race for the NL East crown went away with Washington up 7-0 in the second inning. The Braves, who were off Monday, have just a five-game lead in the division.
With the win, the Nationals are now two games up for the top Wild Card spot over the Chicago Cubs and a four-game edge over the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, who are on the outside looking in as things stand now.
“It settles everybody down. (Like) here we go,” manager
Dave Martinez said about the celebration early in the game. “And you can tell: They start having fun and loosening up a little bit.”
------ pic.twitter.com/uJjFfSQzoS
— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals)
August 19, 2019 And, why not, Asdrubal Cabrera added a two-run home run in the 9th because he, too, heard the music and wanted to dance.
Welcome back, Cabrera! ---- pic.twitter.com/r0izPRC5z1
— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals)
August 20, 2019 The only down point in the game came in the fourth inning when Nationals starting pitcher Joe Ross (who has been having a great run of form in the last few outings) took a come backer off the leg and had to leave the game after just 3 1/3 innings pitched. X-rays were negative on Ross' shin.
“It looks pretty sore, but I’ll be all right,” Ross said after the game, via
The Washington Post. “I wish I could have stayed in the game, but it wasn’t looking very likely.”
