WASHINGTON – Saturday’s game was billed as a matchup of Yankees All-Star right-hander Cam Schlittler and his 2.01 ERA against the high-powered Nationals offense, which entered the day second in the Majors in homers to New York.
The Yankees' game plan this weekend has focused on a Nationals offense that loves hunting fastballs. Enter Schlittler, who has made a name for himself by employing a lethal combination of fastballs. And after the Nationals appeared to have the upper hand early, Schlittler settled down to pitch 6 2/3 innings before the Yankees rallied late to win for the second straight game, 4-2.
In the bottom of the first inning, James Wood jumped on a first-pitch 98.5 mph fastball high in the zone and deposited it over the right-center-field wall. Two batters later, Curtis Mead pulled a 96.2 mph cutter over the left-center-field wall.
Both homers traveled a Statcast-projected 388 feet. That marked only the second time this season Schlittler has allowed two or more homers in a start (four vs. Detroit on June 30). He has allowed seven of his 12 homers over his past four starts.
Following those home runs, Schlittler kept the Nationals off the board. He allowed just two more singles and pitched around a season-high-tying four walks – matched only by four free passes against the Blue Jays on June 13. Schlittler left after 6 2/3 innings with six strikeouts on 99 pitches, 62 for strikes.
A day after rallying to win in the ninth inning, New York began its comeback an inning earlier. Ryan McMahon put the Yankees on the board in the eighth with a one-out shot to right-center, then after Ben Rice walked (his fourth time on base in the game) and left for pinch-runner José Caballero, Trent Grisham blasted a go-ahead homer to the second deck in right. Paul Goldschmidt went back to back with his 15th home run and first since June 24.
All nine of the Yankees’ runs in this series have come on homers.
According to Brooks Baseball, Schlittler hurls his four-seam fastball, cutter and sinker 92% of the time. He peaked at 100.3 mph with his sinker Saturday.
Manager Aaron Boone said Schlittler made it here with his potent fastball, and he’s not going to change now.
"You got to lean on your strengths,” said Boone during pregame. “But that is the game, too, is your strengths, opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. Those things always factor in. To do it really well it comes down to a high level of execution and the ability within the contest to make adjustments, if needed.”