2020 MLB Season: Simulating NL games, April 20-23

2020 MLB Season: Simulating NL Games (April 20-23)

National League East

Adam Haseley and Andrew McCutchen stepped up for Philadelphia against the Rangers this week. On Tuesday Haseley doubled, homered and drove in two runs as the Phils beat Texas 5-1 behind Zach Wheeler’s three-hitter.

Then on Wednesday, McCutchen’s two-RBI hit in the sixth spurred a four-run Phillies rally that opened the way to a 9-5 win. Shortstop Jean Segura added four hits and three RBIs, and second baseman Logan Forsythe’s three hits – two of them doubles – chased another run across.

The Nationals eliminated the Dodgers in last season’s NLCS, but things did not go as well this week. On Tuesday Justin Turner homered twice and A.J. Pollock’s double drove in two more runs in support of Alex Wood’s strong six innings. The visiting Dodgers built a 6-2 lead and held on to win 7-6.

On Wednesday the Nats broke a 3-3 tie with a four-run seventh and went on to beat Ross Stripling 10-3. Infielder Starlin Castro, who has provided several offensive highlights since coming over this winter from Miami, tripled and drove in four runs in support of reliever Daniel Hudson, who got the victory.

But the Dodgers took the series decider Thursday when Clayton Kershaw gave Stephen Strasburg a lesson in greatness. Kershaw held the Nats to a double and a single while Dodger hitters pounded Strasburg for seven runs and eight hits inside of five innings. The final was 9-0. Kershaw emerged with a 2.06 ERA; Strasburg is 1-2 and his ERA is pushing 6.00.

Needing a sweep to escape the division cellar, the Mets hosted Miami for three games at Citi Field and almost accomplished that goal. Following a 5-1 Monday makeup game loss to the Braves, New York rode Michael Wacha’s seven shutout innings to a 3-0 victory Wednesday. Robinson Cano homered in the fifth to produce all three runs.

New York led 4-3 entering the ninth on Tuesday only to have Matt Joyce’s double send Jonathan Villar across with the tying run. In the 10th inning, the Marlins broke the tie against Justin Wilson, then Jesus Aguilar took Jeurys Familia deep for a pair of insurance runs in a 7-4 Marlins victory.

Marcus Stroman shut out the Marlins 5-0 Thursday on just two hits, Cano’s fifth-inning double driving two more runs across.

                                 W-L         Pct         GB

Philadelphia        18-   7    .720        4.5

Atlanta                 15-13     .536        4.5

Washington        10-14     .417        7.5

Miami                   10-15     .400        8

New York            10-16      .385        8.5