Second baseman Danny Espinosa lunged for a bouncing ball and fired it to first.
Runner Pedro Alvarez stretched for the base, foot on bag just barely after the throw.
Good thing;
Max Scherzer, former Mizzou Tiger, is now three outs from:
Well, I can’t say, exactly.
I might text my brother in Pittsburgh, since Scherzer’s Nationals are playing the Pirates tonight.
But I won’t be the one to change this outcome.
Not with a word, in voice or on a page.
Espinosa popped up to end the 8th for Washington.
They were up 6-0 at this point.
No one left seats to buy beer, at least not while Pittsburgh hitters strode to the plate.
The Pirates walked right on back to the dugout.
And Scherzer stood on a pile of dirt and fired warmup tosses.
He marched around the mound, then stood and stared at the catcher.
The first batter, Gregory Polanco, swung through strike one, and popped a ball toward the stands.
Third baseman Anthony Rendon slammed into the dugout railing, clutching the foul ball.
One out.
Jordy Mercer stepped up.
And he hit a fly ball to short center. Denard Span caught it easily.
No. No pressure at all.
Two out.
Jose Tabata stood at home.
Strike one. Strike two.
The ball shuffled in the dirt for ball one.
The next pitch sailed high.
2-2.
Scherzer threw –
And Tabata punched another ball foul.
Crack!
The next he popped foul again.
And again.
Smack!
Tabata stared at the umpire.
And he trudged to first base with a welt on his elbow.
Maybe a bruise where the pad pressed his skin.
The perfect game was done.
But the Nationals needed another out.
With Tabata on first, Josh Harrison knocked two balls foul for an 0-2 count.
And the next he launched to left field.
Michael Taylor held it.
Scherzer had his no-hitter.
by 