Re: MLB The Show 23 Franchise Mode Discussion
Game One: Stephen Strasburg (12-8, 2.29) vs Cole Irvin (6-12, 4.02)
The Athletics were able to manufacture a run in the third when Seth Brown hit a ground ball that Gleyber Torres couldn’t make a play on, allowing Lawrence Butler to score from third. Washington would tie the game in the seventh after Gleyber Torres singled and Donovan Casey, 0 for his first 9 ABs since being called up, would double to right center to score Torres. Casey showed some pop in 2022, and was one of the September call-ups this year after losing his spot when Washington signed Brandon Nimmo and Enrique Hernandez in the offseason. Sean Murphy gave the A’s the lead with a double in the bottom of the eighth, and AJ Puk would secure the save. The Nationals wasted a gem from Stephen Strasburg, again. He went 7 innings, giving up a run on six hits, no walks and seven strikeouts.
Game Two: MacKenzie Gore (9-10, 3.79) vs James Kaprielian (9-11, 4.36)
Sean Murphy struck again, this time with a solo home run on an 0-2 count in the first. The Nationals were very aggressive early, maybe too much so, but it would pay off with two down in the second when Keibert Ruiz hit a two run home run to give the Nats the lead. Neither team would score until the eighth, when Jeremy Eierman would homer off of MacKenzie Gore to tie the game. Gore had been cruising up to this point but could not reestablish his command and the Nationals would go to their bullpen. The game would go to extras and that is when the real drama started. Keibert Ruiz would drive in Gleyber Torres in the tenth, but Oakland countered with a double from Sheldon Neuse, resulting in another blown save for Trevor Rosenthal. In the eleventh, Yadiel Hernandez would double and scored Luis Garcia, Gleyber Torres hit a two run home run and Andrew Vaughn would make it back to back jacks with a solo shot to make it 7-3. Washington would send out veteran and former A Sean Doolittle and he would give up three runs, but after intentionally walking Sean Murphy, would get Sheldon Neuse to ground out to center to give the Nationals a needed momentum booster.
Game Three: Josiah Gray (8-13, 3.22) vs Gunnar Hoglund (1-1,1.93)
Andrew Vaughn continued his hot hitting streak, launching a two run home run on just the fourth pitch from Hoglund, who is appearing in just his fourth game and first career start. The Nationals added a run in the second when Anderson Tejeda tripled to score Brandon Nimmo, who was hit by a pitch. They would get their fourth run in the third on a sac fly by Brandon Nimmo. Washington would not score again in this game, but Josiah Gray had one his best outings of the year, going seven innings and giving up two runs on five hits (both runs and three of the hits came in the seventh), walking one and striking out a season best of nine batters. Aaron Bummer and Trevor Rosenthal finished off the game and Washington will take this series 2-1.
The Nationals will now travel to San Diego for an extremely important three game series with the Padres. Both clubs will enter the series at 72-71, and along with the resurgent Phillies, are a half game behind Miami for the second Wild Card spot.
2023 Washington Nationals
Game One: Stephen Strasburg (12-8, 2.29) vs Cole Irvin (6-12, 4.02)
The Athletics were able to manufacture a run in the third when Seth Brown hit a ground ball that Gleyber Torres couldn’t make a play on, allowing Lawrence Butler to score from third. Washington would tie the game in the seventh after Gleyber Torres singled and Donovan Casey, 0 for his first 9 ABs since being called up, would double to right center to score Torres. Casey showed some pop in 2022, and was one of the September call-ups this year after losing his spot when Washington signed Brandon Nimmo and Enrique Hernandez in the offseason. Sean Murphy gave the A’s the lead with a double in the bottom of the eighth, and AJ Puk would secure the save. The Nationals wasted a gem from Stephen Strasburg, again. He went 7 innings, giving up a run on six hits, no walks and seven strikeouts.
Game Two: MacKenzie Gore (9-10, 3.79) vs James Kaprielian (9-11, 4.36)
Sean Murphy struck again, this time with a solo home run on an 0-2 count in the first. The Nationals were very aggressive early, maybe too much so, but it would pay off with two down in the second when Keibert Ruiz hit a two run home run to give the Nats the lead. Neither team would score until the eighth, when Jeremy Eierman would homer off of MacKenzie Gore to tie the game. Gore had been cruising up to this point but could not reestablish his command and the Nationals would go to their bullpen. The game would go to extras and that is when the real drama started. Keibert Ruiz would drive in Gleyber Torres in the tenth, but Oakland countered with a double from Sheldon Neuse, resulting in another blown save for Trevor Rosenthal. In the eleventh, Yadiel Hernandez would double and scored Luis Garcia, Gleyber Torres hit a two run home run and Andrew Vaughn would make it back to back jacks with a solo shot to make it 7-3. Washington would send out veteran and former A Sean Doolittle and he would give up three runs, but after intentionally walking Sean Murphy, would get Sheldon Neuse to ground out to center to give the Nationals a needed momentum booster.
Game Three: Josiah Gray (8-13, 3.22) vs Gunnar Hoglund (1-1,1.93)
Andrew Vaughn continued his hot hitting streak, launching a two run home run on just the fourth pitch from Hoglund, who is appearing in just his fourth game and first career start. The Nationals added a run in the second when Anderson Tejeda tripled to score Brandon Nimmo, who was hit by a pitch. They would get their fourth run in the third on a sac fly by Brandon Nimmo. Washington would not score again in this game, but Josiah Gray had one his best outings of the year, going seven innings and giving up two runs on five hits (both runs and three of the hits came in the seventh), walking one and striking out a season best of nine batters. Aaron Bummer and Trevor Rosenthal finished off the game and Washington will take this series 2-1.
The Nationals will now travel to San Diego for an extremely important three game series with the Padres. Both clubs will enter the series at 72-71, and along with the resurgent Phillies, are a half game behind Miami for the second Wild Card spot.
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