October 11, 2012

Playoff Prospectus

NLDS Game Four Recap: Nationals 2, Cardinals 1

by R.J. Anderson

Game Four between the Cardinals and Nationals gave the people what they wanted: a lengthy, dramatic, Hollywood-inspired at-bat that ended a postseason game with an exclamation point. Earlier in the day, Jay Bruce delivered the first half late in the Giants-Reds series, but failed to punctuate. Walk-off home runs are exciting regardless of the at-bat length; however, there’s just something magical about seeing a pitcher and hitter going at it for 10, 11, 12 pitches before reaching a conclusion. Jayson Werth and Lance Lynn did one better: they dueled for 13 pitches.

It’s important to note Mike Matheny’s involvement in the standoff. Going into the ninth tied, Matheny could have sent in his closer, Jason Motte. He chose instead to call upon Lynn, his go-to guy this postseason. Lynn came in pumping gas. He hit 95 to start the at-bat and followed it up with 94—both for strikes; you could excuse Bryce Harper, the on-deck hitter, for removing the donut from his bat at this point.

But Werth fought back. He took the next two pitches for balls and then entered into what amounts to the baseball version of penalty kicks. Lynn would throw a pitch, Werth would make enough contact to stay alive. Werth spoiled six consecutive pitches before taking a curveball down and in, ruled a ball by Jim Joyce. Lynn threw a 97 mph fastball, again for naught, before overthrowing a 96 mph heater that wound up in Werth’s wheelhouse. Werth clobbered the ball into the left field stands and gave the Nationals new life in this series.

The swing enlivened what had been a fairly dull series. Game One had dramatics borne from sloppy pitching. Games Two and Th

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