Offense scoring despite league-worst average
Entering Saturday, the Washington Nationals had the worst batting average (.209) in the major leagues and the second-worst slugging percentage (.306). So it’s a credit to their resourcefulness that they have scored as many or more runs (49) as 11 other teams and own a 6-7 record.
Friday night’s 4-3 victory over Milwaukee was an example of how Washington has made a lot out of little. The Nats mustered just five hits and got the winning run in the 10th inning without the benefit of a hit thanks to the base-running hustle of Jayson Werth.
After Saturday’s rainout, Washington will host Milwaukee in a rare double-header on Sunday, looking to break out against Brewers pitchers Yovani Gallardo (1-0) and Marco Estrada (1-0).
| UP NEXT |
| Doubleheader: Brewers at Nationals |
| Game 1 Yovani Gallardo (1-0) vs. Jason Marquis (0-0) |
| Game 2 Marco Estrada (1-0) vs. Livan Hernandez (1-1) |
| When » Sunday, 1:35 |
| Where » Nationals Park |
| TV » Ch. 50, MASN |
| Radio » 106.7 FM |
“We have to get something going offensively,” shortstop Ian Desmond said Thursday. “All offseason they were talking about pitching was the question. But the pitching staff is doing their job. We gotta go out and do the rest.”
Desmond (.173) is mired in an 0-for-14 slump with five strikeouts. Nats manager Jim Riggleman moved Desmond from the leadoff slot to No. 7 in the order Friday and replaced him with second baseman Danny Espinosa (.250). Neither player got a hit.
“I wish I knew. I’m up there trying to have the same at-bats I always do, and I’m just not putting the barrel on the ball right now,” Desmond said. “Earlier in the year I was trying to make a couple little adjustments. Now I’m kind of gravitating back to what I was doing at the end of last year.”
The Nats are getting little from starting outfielders Werth (.196), Rick Ankiel (.180) and Michael Morse (.182), who had two hits Friday night. Also struggling is cleanup hitter Adam LaRoche, who has just four RBI, hitting .167 with runners in scoring position.
Facing pitching in the National League East isn’t easy. Derek Lowe, Tim Hudson, Josh Johnson, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are among those the Nats have had to deal with.
“I like to show patience with the guys,” Riggleman said Thursday. “We’ll put pretty much the same lineup out there and believe in it. We just gotta know it’ll turn around.”
