Snake Bytes 10/2: Wild Night in the Wild Card Game

Milwaukee 3, Washington 4

Max Scherzer allowed two runs in the first and ta third run in the second inning, before settling in a bit. Milwaukee’s pitching looked like it was going to make that lead hold, allowing only one run through seven innings of play. That brought on the Brewers’ hard-throwing closer, Josh Hader. A controversial hit-by-pitch, a bloop, and a base-loading walk brought up the Nationals’ phenom outfielder, Juan Soto. Soto lined a single to right to begin the scoring. The scoring continued when the ball slipped under right fielder, Trent Grisham’s glove. By the time the ball reached the infield to trap Soto in a rundown between second and third, the go-ahead run had crossed the plate, giving the Nationals a lead that they would successfully defend by sending old-friend, Daniel Hudson out to close out the game in the ninth.

Nats Stun Crew

The Washington Nationals have become somewhat synonymous with losing big postseason games. For two hours and forty-five minutes on Tuesday, it looked like that trend was going to continue. After allowing three runs through five innings, Max Scherzer gave way to Stephen Strasburg who contributed three innings of shutout ball to give the Washington offense a chance to make some magic happen.

Hit-by-Pitch Changes Game

When Josh Hader was brought on to close out the Wild Card game with a three run lead, champagne corks began popping to celebrate the Brewers advancing to the NLDS to face the Dodgers. Then Hader threw inside and caught a piece of Michael A. Taylor and his bat. After review, it was determined the ball struck Taylor’s left hand before it made contact with the bat. That decision proved pivotal to the outcome of the game, one in which the bubbly was rightfully poured for the Nationals. an inning later.

Soto’s Hit Punches Washington’s Ticket to NLDS

Tuesday night’s game between the Brewers and the Nationals is a prime example of why Wild Card games can be so exciting and why MLB is never going to let them go away.

Could Maddon Lure Cole to Angels?

The very moment that Joe Maddon was officially done in Washington had to have been hard for Brad Ausmus, the manager of the Los Angeles Angels.From that moment, the writing was on the wall. The Angels had just endured another rough losing season, albeit an injury-plagued one with a poor crop of replacement players. The team, looking to spend big in 2020 to augment the healthy return of team superstars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, saw an opportunity to bring back an Angels icon, one who had already worked magic for a team mired in losing for decades. While Joe Maddon to the Angels is by no means assured, the Angels have taken the first step in making it happen by parting ways with Ausmus. Now, the real chase begins, first for landing Joe Maddon to manage the team. Then, using the combination of Maddon, Trout, Ohtani, and piles of cash that only a large market team can afford, snagging the best pitcher on the free agent market in Gerrit Cole.