Steven Kwan Homers, Takes Over As Majors' Leading Hitter As Guardians Roll Over White Sox 8-4
WASHINGTON -- — Jake Irvin allowed just one hit and issued one walk in eight innings, Jesse Winker hit a pinch-hit home run and the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets 1-0 on Thursday in the traditional 11 a.m. Fourth of July game in the nation’s capital.
Irvin (7-6) pumped his chest and gestured to the crowd for applause after striking out Tyrone Taylor on his 99th pitch and walking off the mound following the longest outing of his major league career. That was Irvin's eighth strikeout, and he faced just one batter over the minimum, retiring the final 17 batters he faced.
“It was a fun day, and (catcher Riley Adams) and I were on the same page all day,” Irvin said. "Being able to pitch on this holiday, it’s something truly special to me, really near and dear to my heart and I loved it, had a lot of fun.”
The Mets were blanked for the seventh time this season and were held to only one hit in a game for the first time since a loss to Milwaukee on opening day, something manager Carlos Mendoza chalked up to Irvin's masterful performance.
"We had a hard time catching up to his fastball," Mendoza said. “I thought we were late at times for his fastball, and then the way he used the breaking ball kept us off balance, so we couldn’t get much going.”
Winker made sure Irvin left with the victory by hitting a curveball from Adrian Houser 407 feet to right-center field. It was his fifth career pinch-hit home run and his 10th of any kind this season.
“He was biting at the bit, I can tell you that," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "He said, ‘I’ll be ready.’ I said, ‘Oh, I know you’re going to be ready.’ But to come up here and do what he did, it’s awesome. Big win. Big win for us.”
Houser (1-5) became the latest Mets reliever to give up a big hit as the beleaguered bullpen slogs on without suspended closer Edwin Díaz.
Before Winker's home run, the game was a pitcher's duel — one New York wasted for left-handed starter Jose Quintana, who allowed four hits, walked three and struck out one over seven scoreless innings. He gave the Mets the kind of start they needed given the amount of work the relievers have had to put in with Díaz unavailable.
“It means a lot, especially the state of the bullpen," Quinta said. “If you can save one, two innings (for) the bullpen, that’s really good for us.”
Derek Law tossed a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season and the Nationals' second consecutive win, while the Mets fell back below .500 at 42-43.
“It happens," Mendoza said. "Just got to turn the page and be ready for another series.”
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: RHP Kodai Senga (shoulder/triceps) is scheduled to throw roughly 50 pitches in his next minor league rehab start next week, which Mendoza said will likely be Tuesday with Triple-A Syracuse.
UP NEXT
Mets: Unless rain derails it, the series opener Friday at Pittsburgh features RHP Luis Severino (5-2, 3.42 ERA) against Pirates rookie RHP Paul Skenes (4-0, 2.06).
Nationals: Continue their homestand Friday against St. Louis, with LHP Patrick Corbin (1-8, 5.49) starting against Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (9-5, 2.98).
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
02 Canyon 577691691be68fe61f0143f54f516da6 Metalink Modern Barn House 3 E1680165648779 F3d246d970081832bfbd58b8cb0af70d 1 Showcase Pole Barn E32e560854547dd29d9275920ddf44c2 Hbx120122partybarn 002 Preview Sm 1669671873 ?resize=1200 *7c6089c5ee78e1297652498f543d2ea9 PAYQkxTm7xZzoQGnpTQrHK 1200 80 Maxresdefault ?sqp= OaymwEmCIAKENAF8quKqQMa8AEB AHUBoAC4AOKAgwIABABGFUgWyhlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLC1uAqYFpoF6UFkMU7Z987TVwZYbgE081651f81483793a0361abe9b5e09c7 A97d7e219110e9958b6f6d396d2f47a2 A148852234f9c11314fe10303d395f63 24cf1da85950d74524a6f20351d3ec75 Weybridge 2017 024 Fc64f2 B721f5da82db45a7a57aa73137d7a2c6~mv2 D 1443 2042 S 2 5422dea2c6a97db4c13943a8909a4e91 D155551ddce20963de3524bbef3cf0b3 Barn House 678x381 Fd73e1817f51dee6a724a5c9c0031b1d 921b3c9b81608fba7ea6452c8fd83ce7 12 34d9b6e140a56de72cb735dd8a8d40d3 6aa26f5a40a6032140b508cb8d49f904 58d519e27814b7eefc79f3bdc5fe4e15 Bf95c4d971ff1f57f5b6fdeda07c639c 7c9033545c0a8234f77da3a527959674 Fc297f4d4ca48f715cd3c4521bc2cc52 Ef3d57f1b5419cd996229ff08a609c54 890ddf81695797cff00de53a07370db4 0ed639152121543.631863d1bf16b 2e2b48b71a5e2671b783c1c6109705c1 Eacea04101b39c6de0b1967b4eaf2d1f 4a1ef8a9fb180e67f9857260cbde5e8e C794597187e075facdc1173b1b6d0ac1
Steven Kwan Homers, Takes Over As Majors' Leading Hitter As Guardians Roll Over White Sox 8-4
WASHINGTON -- — Jake Irvin allowed just one hit and issued one walk in eight innings, Jesse Winker hit a pinch-hit home run and the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets 1-0 on Thursday in the traditional 11 a.m. Fourth of July game in the nation’s capital.
Irvin (7-6) pumped his chest and gestured to the crowd for applause after striking out Tyrone Taylor on his 99th pitch and walking off the mound following the longest outing of his major league career. That was Irvin's eighth strikeout, and he faced just one batter over the minimum, retiring the final 17 batters he faced.
“It was a fun day, and (catcher Riley Adams) and I were on the same page all day,” Irvin said. "Being able to pitch on this holiday, it’s something truly special to me, really near and dear to my heart and I loved it, had a lot of fun.”
The Mets were blanked for the seventh time this season and were held to only one hit in a game for the first time since a loss to Milwaukee on opening day, something manager Carlos Mendoza chalked up to Irvin's masterful performance.
"We had a hard time catching up to his fastball," Mendoza said. “I thought we were late at times for his fastball, and then the way he used the breaking ball kept us off balance, so we couldn’t get much going.”
Winker made sure Irvin left with the victory by hitting a curveball from Adrian Houser 407 feet to right-center field. It was his fifth career pinch-hit home run and his 10th of any kind this season.
“He was biting at the bit, I can tell you that," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "He said, ‘I’ll be ready.’ I said, ‘Oh, I know you’re going to be ready.’ But to come up here and do what he did, it’s awesome. Big win. Big win for us.”
Houser (1-5) became the latest Mets reliever to give up a big hit as the beleaguered bullpen slogs on without suspended closer Edwin Díaz.
Before Winker's home run, the game was a pitcher's duel — one New York wasted for left-handed starter Jose Quintana, who allowed four hits, walked three and struck out one over seven scoreless innings. He gave the Mets the kind of start they needed given the amount of work the relievers have had to put in with Díaz unavailable.
“It means a lot, especially the state of the bullpen," Quinta said. “If you can save one, two innings (for) the bullpen, that’s really good for us.”
Derek Law tossed a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season and the Nationals' second consecutive win, while the Mets fell back below .500 at 42-43.
“It happens," Mendoza said. "Just got to turn the page and be ready for another series.”
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: RHP Kodai Senga (shoulder/triceps) is scheduled to throw roughly 50 pitches in his next minor league rehab start next week, which Mendoza said will likely be Tuesday with Triple-A Syracuse.
UP NEXT
Mets: Unless rain derails it, the series opener Friday at Pittsburgh features RHP Luis Severino (5-2, 3.42 ERA) against Pirates rookie RHP Paul Skenes (4-0, 2.06).
Nationals: Continue their homestand Friday against St. Louis, with LHP Patrick Corbin (1-8, 5.49) starting against Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (9-5, 2.98).
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
