Nats 2, Phillies 1
Nothing makes a cross-country flight go smoother than a couple of wins against the four-time defending division champions. The Nats, now headed to Phoenix for the start of an 11-game West Coast road trip, were in some dire straits entering this series with 12 losses in 16 games – and eight of those by a single run. The frustration was mounting and that only continued after a 5-4 loss to the Phillies on Memorial Day.
But Laynce Nix made a sensational diving catch to save three runs in the sixth inning and build on his ninth homer of the season. That blast over the wall in right field came off Phillies starter Roy Oswalt in the third inning. Add in a Jayson Werth RBI single against his former team and some solid pitching from starter John Lannan and the bullpen and you have the ingredients for a 2-1 victory. Read the details in our game story here.
Nix has long been a part-time player. The 30-year-old Texan had a career-high 371 at-bats with the Texas Rangers in 2004. Otherwise, he’s been seen as a nice bench player and not much more. That’s really why the Nats signed him in the first place. But Nix has produced so far in 2011. Only Danny Espinosa has more homers (10) than Nix, who is now alone in second on the team. Even Werth has just eight. An injury in the outfield to Rick Ankiel (wrist) in early May moved Roger Bernadina to center and opened up some playing time in left field. Meanwhile, first baseman Adam LaRoche (shoulder) also went down and that forced slugger Michael Morse over to first base and out of the normal outfield rotation. In his last 10 games Nix is 10-for-34 (.294 batting average) with four homers and three walks.
Overall, Nix is batting .303 with a .331 on-base percentage, a .590 slugging percentage and a .921 OPS. Plate discipline has long been a wart in his game. He’s walked just five times this season with 36 strikeouts. That probably isn’t changing at this point. But he’s still made the most of his 122 at-bats with eight doubles and those nine homers. Nix also has 23 RBI. His career high – set twice – is 46.
“I didn’t really know much about Lance. He was a guy who signed late, played in a different division,” Nats manager Jim Riggleman said. “I really didn’t know much about him. I don’t know that I’m surprised, I’m just pleased that he’s playing so well and getting big hits and playing good defense, You know, he’s got a good arm. He’s a good all-around player and we’re lucky to have him.”
Nix has made his share of highlight-reel catches during his career. It’s part of what’s kept him in the big leagues. But his offense started to come around the previous two seasons – just in small sample sizes. Very small. Nix had a .767 OPS with the Cincinnati Reds in 2009. He played in a career-high 116 games that year. But as the Reds’ talent improved in the outfield Nix saw his role shift. He had a career-best .805 OPS last season, but spread out over 165 at-bats in 97 games.
Nix is a big, strong athlete at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds. He looks like a linebacker – or at least someone who has put some serious time in the weight room. He’s now just six homers shy of his personal record (15 in 2009). What’s he doing right? Well, smoking pretty much every pitch that’s down and on the inner half of the plate, for starters. But Nix has worked hard on his swing in the batting cage with Washington hitting coach Rick Eckstein.
“I feel good at the plate. Doing a couple of things different and happy to get some results so far early in the season,” Nix said, later adding that “I’m just staying loose with my swing and getting ready on time. And I feel like I have good bat speed. Then it’s just a matter of being in position at the right time.”
Nix took pride in his diving catch. It was a thing of beauty, robbing Domonic Brown, who had popped the ball off reliever Doug Slaten into the gap between left and center. Riggleman’s reaction? “I thought there’s no way that ball is being caught. Thought neither outfielder had a chance.”
Bernadina – as many fine catches as he’s made the last few years – certainly didn’t have a shot at it from center. But Nix was prepared. He knew that it was a left-handed pitcher vs. a left-handed batter. He knew that on any pitching change an outfielder has to be ready from the first pitch. It’s just too easy on a hot day to let your mind wander. So he was on the balls of his feet and leaning towards the gap before Brown even swung. Then he got a little lucky when the ball sliced back towards him. Once his teammates saw that play they had to find a way to hold on to that slim 2-1 lead whatever it took.
“Just a good string of events for Lance,” Nats closer Drew Storen said. “You know he’s been playing well all year and we’re really happy to have him on the team. You don’t want to waste that stuff. You don’t want to waste that play. You don’t want to waste that swing. So everything just kind of fell into place nicely.”
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