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Nationals Navigate to Victory Lane, Astros in the Rearview at Nationals Park

As the Washington Nationals prepare to host the Houston Astros at Nationals Park on April 19th, fans are eager to see if their team can continue their recent trend of late-game rallies and clutch performances. The Nationals have shown a pattern of persistence in their past games, with notable improvements in both hitting and pitching.


Mar 18, 2024; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA;  Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) slides safely into third base as Washington Nationals third baseman Trey Lipscomb (38) waits on the ball to arrive during the third inning at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

In their most recent game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, despite a loss, the Nationals demonstrated resilience by scoring runs late in the game. Their hitting statistics reveal an average of .235 with a slugging percentage of .324. Although they left 19 runners on base (LOB), they managed two stolen bases without being caught—a sign of aggressive baserunning that could be crucial against Houston.


The bullpen's performance was less than ideal with an ERA of 12.273 over 3.2 innings pitched against Pittsburgh; however, this could be seen as an outlier given that it was just one game. The overall pitching staff held an ERA of 8.0 across nine innings—indicating room for improvement but also showing they can rack up strikeouts when needed.


Mar 18, 2024; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA;  Washington Nationals center fielder Victor Robles (16) runs to third base during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Against Cincinnati Reds in previous games, Washington's hitters improved significantly with batting averages climbing to .265 and slugging percentages reaching .500—showing increased power at the plate. However, leaving ten runners stranded indicates missed opportunities that need addressing.


Pitching against Cincinnati saw better results from relievers who posted a combined ERA of 3.857 over 4.2 innings pitched—a promising sign for late-game scenarios moving forward.


Mar 18, 2024; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA;  Houston Astros pitcher Christian Javier throws a pitch during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

The upcoming match-up presents an opportunity for Washington to capitalize on these positive trends while working on areas needing refinement such as reducing LOB during critical moments and maintaining consistent pitching performances throughout the game.


Fans can catch all the action live from Nationals Park or tune into SportsNet PT for coverage starting at 6:45 PM Eastern Time on April 19th.

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