Davey Johnson likes to just drop nuggets in his post-game press conferences that send reporters scurrying. His latest? That starter Ross Detwiler, after his final pitch to end the fifth inning, ran down the dugout steps towards the clubhouse with the trainers giving chase.
But Detwiler said afterwards it’s just some back spasms that he’s had before. Nothing serious apparently. It was the end of an odd night. You can’t exactly say that San Francisco hit Detwiler hard in a game it led 5-1, but lost 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth. The Giants managed 11 hits and drew two walks against Detwiler. But only two of them were for extra bases – both doubles. In the end, they stranded nine runners against him and 11 total.
“You just have to say it’s one of those games you just battle. I don’t think I was ever on top,” Detwiler said. “The bases were loaded it seems like every pitch I threw. But it’s just get through it, limiting the damage as much as you can because you know our team’s going to make a push towards the end of the game.”
Detwiler insisted he was fine afterwards – much to Johnson’s relief. It wasn’t dehydration in the hot weather. Washington’s fifth starter would have liked to have been more efficient. Two infield singles with one out in the fourth by Justin Christian and Ryan Theriot – both nubbers to Ryan Zimmerman at third base – set the stage for a Melky Cabrera RBI double and San Francisco’s third run. A Buster Posey walk left the bases loaded again, but Detwiler got Pablo Sandoval to ground into a force out at third base to end the threat.
“Overall it wasn’t that great. But you look at it – I got beat in the six-hole every time again and the two swinging bunts,” Detwiler said. “That started the rally there. Was that the fourth inning? You just kind of have to go in there and shut the door after something like that happens.”
In the end he threw 90 pitches, 58 for strikes, and gave up just the three earned runs. He struck out five and walked two with those 11 hits standing out. Detwiler’s ERA is 3.43 and he left with a no-decision.
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