WASHINGTON -- The Nationals have been playing their best baseball in years, momentum they would have liked to take into a stretch of seven consecutive games against playoff contenders.
But before they play three games in Tampa and host the Phillies for four, the Nats were stifled by the Royals, 6-2, on Wednesday at Nationals Park. The Nationals' record stands at 39-36.
“Every game matters,” said manager Blake Butera. “[It’s] great to win a series, but at the end of the day, we want to win every game we possibly can. So leaving here without finishing the series, we feel like we didn't finish our business.”
The Nationals entered the series finale on a four-game winning streak, including victories in eight of their last 11. During that stretch, they scored an average of 6.7 runs per game.
On Wednesday, the Nats offense did not score until the sixth inning, while starting pitcher Zack Littell gave up four home runs in the first three innings.
“They were four not-great pitches,” said Littell. “Didn’t feel great today, just in general all-around. … You have days like this, you kind of have to either buckle down and say we’re just going to compete with what we have, or continue to search. I chose to just try to compete. Happy to get through five [innings], but definitely don’t feel good about it.”
Littell’s results have hit a snag in his last two outings. After going 6-0 in seven starts from May 3 through June 6, he has allowed nine runs and 11 hits in his last two starts (6 2/3 innings).
“When he’s ahead in the count, just not being able to execute pitches to put guys away,” Butera said. “He’s been leaving some pitches over the middle of the plate, and he’s been getting punished for it.”
At the top of the Nationals order, James Wood, Luis García Jr. and Curtis Mead were a combined 0-for-10. The Nats did not draw a walk against Royals starter Luinder Avila, who reached 98.7 mph, until Mead in the final at-bat of Avila’s afternoon. Avila entered the game averaging 6.2 walks per nine innings.
"It just felt like when he needed a strike, he was able to make a good pitch and land one and get himself back in the count,” said Wood. “I feel like he made pitches when he needed to."
The Nationals have an off-day before starting the series at Tampa Bay on Friday, which they will enter 23-14 on the road. The Rays are 24-9 at home and entered Wednesday holding the second-best record in the American League (41-29).
The Nationals are slated to send right-handers Cade Cavalli (4-4, 3.98 ERA), Miles Mikolas (2-5, 5.29) and lefty Andrew Alvarez (1-0, 3.49) to the mound in St. Petersburg. The Rays' probable starters are righties Griffin Jax (1-5, 3.68) on Friday and Nick Martinez (6-2, 6.20) on Sunday, with Saturday’s starter to be announced.
“Obviously, you want to finish out and close out the series on a win,” said Wood. “But I feel like we played two really good games, and I feel like we’ll carry that into Tampa.”