Something special is brewing in Washington. The home side put together one of their most complete performances of the season on Monday night, controlling the game from the first inning to the last. The crowd went home happy and the visiting team had no real answers all evening.
The pitching was the story from the very first pitch. The starter took the mound and simply refused to let the opposition get comfortable. He worked deep into the game, kept the big hitters quiet and gave his team exactly what they needed. Nine strikeouts and just one run allowed tells you everything about how dominant he was.
The offense did their part too. The runs came in small bunches but they came at the right time. A big hit here, a well timed swing there and before long the home side had built a lead that always felt safe. The visiting bullpen had no answers and the damage was done early enough to take the tension out of the game completely.
Curtis Mead and Luis GarcÃa Jr. were the names on everyone’s lips after the final out. Both men went deep on the night with Mead driving in two runs and GarcÃa Jr. adding one more. Foster Griffin was the pitching hero going 7.1 innings, striking out nine and keeping one of the league’s most dangerous lineups to just five hits and a single run. Clayton Beater came in to close the door and did so without any fuss.
For the visitors it was a night to forget. Their big names were held in check all game and the scoreboard never gave them a reason to believe. Just one run and five hits against a pitcher who looked completely in control is not the kind of performance a contending team can be proud of.
Washington takes the win 4-1 and will look to carry this momentum forward when the two sides meet again today. For the Phillies the search for answers continues and time is not standing still.
