Cubs top the Nationals in NLDS Game 1 pitchers duel

In NLDS Game 1, with the Cubs and Nationals sending out some of their best pitching talent to kick things off, both pitchers worked gems. That shouldn’t be as much of a surprise as it is, but with many other starting pitchers struggling to get through even a few innings in this postseason Stephen Strasberg and Kyle Hendricks threw perfect games by comparison.

Strasberg had a no-hitter through five innings, pitched seven innings total and gave up only three hits and one walk while striking out 10 batters. The Cubs put their first two runs on the board while he was in the game, but they weren’t earned so his line looks even better than the team’s performance.

With the Nationals loss, Strasburg is only the second pitcher (and the third instance) who struck out 10 batters, gave up no runs, and still lost the game. John Smoltz had the bad luck to “accomplish” that twice.

He set a franchise record for strikeouts in a single game in the postseason (the previous was eight), and they still lost. It was his first every double-digit strikeout game in the playoffs, and they still lost.

Rough times for Strasburg the Nationals, who are now two games away from still having never won a playoff series.

Chicago’s Hendricks had an outing about on par with Strasburg, give or take some strikeouts. He also went seven innings, giving up two hits and walking three, and striking out six. You’ve probably guessed because of the final score that Hendricks did not allow any runs, and you would be right.

Despite their best efforts, the Nationals just couldn’t get anything going at the plate or on the base paths. And it cost them in Game 1.

It might have been a scoreless game for much longer than it was if the Nationals didn’t have a few unlucky plays in the sixth inning. Going into the sixth, with the score 0-0 and Strasburg still looking good, Javy Baez reached first on an error by Nats’ third baseman Anthony Rendon.

Hendricks then got him to second with a sacrifice bunt, and another out later Kris Bryant singled and brought Javy home. Bryant himself advanced to second on the throw, and scored when Anthony Rizzo singled in the next at bat.

Rizzo would hit a double in the eighth inning to add another insurance run to the Cubs’ tally and make the final score 3-0.

The Nationals had some potential to get things going in the ninth when Ryan Zimmerman almost made it to first on a dropped third strike. Unfortunately for him and the Nationals, he was running outside the base path and got hit in the back with the throw to first. The umpiring crew rightly called him out and Washington never got another chance to get things going.

The Nationals didn’t have a hit past the second inning.

With Jon Lester facing off against Gio Gonzalez in Game 2 and Jose Quintana vs. Max Scherzer on tap for Game 3, there’s a decent chance this isn’t the last pitchers duel we see in this series.

Strap in, get ready for some more great pitching, and hope that whatever team you’re rooting for in this matchup can get their bats going over the next two games.