Nationals’ Phenoms Put Brakes On Skid
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By DERON SNYDER
Their early-season success was sputtering out as the Washington Nationals entered Sunday’s series finale against Baltimore. The Orioles were looking for a sweep in the Battle of the Beltways, which would continue Washington’s downward trajectory after racing to a 14-4 record April 25.
Losers of three in a row and five of their past seven, the Nats were running on fumes, a measly 9-13 since the high-water mark. They needed a win badly, not just for pride along the Washington-Baltimore corridor, but also to put a good taste in their mouths entering a brutal stretch of 18 division games and another 13 against the Red Sox, Yankees and Blue Jays.
But that’s the purpose of having phenoms on your side, guys who can make things happen when the team is dying for a pick-me-up.
Thankfully for Washington, it has two of the game’s best in Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, both of whom played huge roles in a soothing 9-3 victory at Nationals Park.
