With win, best start in 80 years for a Washington major league team
Their hitting stars were OF Heinie Manush (.342, 116 RBI) and SS Joe Cronin (.318, 116 RBI). Their pitching workhorses were General Crowder (26-13) and Monte Weaver (22-10). They were the 1932 Washington Senators – the only big league team in D.C. history to start 14-4.
With a win tonight at San Diego, the Nationals (13-4) can match the feat of that team, 80 years later. Wins tonight and Thursday would make the Nats the first major league team in D.C. history to start 15-4.
With last night’s 3-1 win at San Diego, the Nats kept pace with the 1981 Expos for the best start in Nats/Expos franchise history. After reaching 13-4, he ’81 Expos lost their next two games
So what became of the 1932 Senators? They finished 93-61, good for third place in the top-heavy American League, dominated that year by the powerhouse Yankees (107-47), led by 37-year-old Babe Ruth (41 HR, 137 RBI) and 29-year-old Lou Gehrig (34 HR, 151 RBI).
- The best 20-game start in Nats/Expos franchise history is 15-5 by the 1979 Expos who finished with a franchise-high 95 wins.
- At +9 this is the most games over .500 for the Nats since their first season in Washington. With a 50-31 mark on July 3, 2005, they reached +19.
- With last night’s loss by the Dodgers (13-5), the Nats now have the best record in the National League. They would have the best record in baseball with a win tonight and a loss by the Texas Rangers (14-4) to the Yankees.
- The Nats pitch Jordan Zimmermann (0-1, 1.29 ERA) tonight, facing right-hander Joe Wieland (0-2, 5.73 ERA), not to be confused with Houston right-hander Kyle Weiland, who the Nats beat nine days ago.
