The fastball proved to be a central theme of the Washington Nationals’ 5-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday at Nationals Park. Jake Irvin was able to dominate with his, helping the Nationals bounce back from an ugly loss the night before. And Dylan Crews and CJ Abrams didn’t miss the best ones they saw.
Irvin entered Wednesday having already made three starts against Atlanta this year — he pitched to a 1.04 ERA in those games. In his previous outing against the Braves a few weeks ago on the road, he implemented a successful game plan that he carried into Wednesday.
In the Nationals’ 4-2 loss Aug. 24, Irvin threw just 12 curveballs — his fewest of the season to that point — and fared well, allowing two runs in 5⅓ innings. His effectiveness this season has been predicated on his ability to effectively mix his four-seam and two-seam fastballs with his breaking ball. But in his previous outing Sept. 5, the Pittsburgh Pirates had ample success against the curve.
“The cardinal rule today was to avoid getting beat with the breaking ball and establish the heater,” Irvin said. “And I think we did a good job of both.”
On Wednesday, Irvin threw 48 four-seam fastballs, 25 two-seam fastballs and just 10 curveballs (plus one cutter). The Braves (79-67) seemed to be waiting for Irvin’s breaking ball early on, making them late on his fastballs. He didn’t allow a hit in his first time through the Atlanta order and struck out four — all on the four-seamer. By the end of his second spin through the lineup, Irvin had allowed just two base runners — on a walk and an Abrams error.
“The most important thing is to recognize what’s working that day and keep going,” catcher Keibert Ruiz said. “If they’re not hitting the pitch, the fastball, just keep going. We don’t have to change the plan.”
“Today was all about his fastball,” Manager Dave Martinez said.
It wasn’t until Irvin faced Atlanta leadoff hitter Michael Harris II for a third time that he finally allowed a hit — a double to the right-center gap with two outs in the sixth inning. One batter later, he gave up an RBI double to Jorge Soler. But to end the inning, he struck out Marcell Ozuna — with a fastball, of course. He yelled toward the ground as he headed to the dugout, his night and his ERA down to 4.19. Thanks to his teammates’ efforts at the plate, he left with a 4-1 lead and would get his 10th win.
Back in spring training, Martinez preached the importance of Crews being ready to hit the fastball; he often was late on four-seamers during games in Florida. So when Crews was promoted last month, Martinez reiterated that message — and Crews has done just that. Entering Wednesday, he was 10 for 30 (.333) against fastballs with a .733 slugging percentage. Against breaking balls and off-speed pitches, he was 0 for 20.
In Crews’s first at-bat Wednesday, he faced an immediate test. The Braves’ Max Fried jumped ahead 0-2, but Crews was able to lay off a curveball, a fastball and a change-up to work the count full. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Crews laced a change-up to left for a single. The Nationals (65-80) ultimately stacked up four hits in the first two innings — more than the three they had in Tuesday’s 12-0 loss — but they had no runs to show for it.
In the third, Crews came up with two runners on and nobody out. Fried started him with a pair of sweepers, but Crews was ready for a third-pitch fastball and drove it into right for a single that scored Jacob Young. James Wood added an RBI single later in the inning to put Washington ahead 2-0.
“You know what I loved about his second at-bat with guys on base?” Martinez said. “He didn’t try to do too much. He stayed on the ball, hit it to right field. … The biggest thing right now, just like every young kid, is when he gets the ball in the strike zone, he puts a good swing on it. He’s just got to learn how to not chase.”
Crews finished 2 for 4. In his last two at-bats, he saw just one more fastball.
In the fourth inning, Abrams had his moment. The book on the young shortstop is that he’s good against fastballs but has a tendency to chase breaking balls. That weakness is part of the reason he has struggled lately. He entered Wednesday hitting .309 against fastballs this season — but just .171 on breaking balls and .167 against off-speed pitches.
In this at-bat, Abrams got a high fastball from Fried and launched it over the center field fence for his 20th home run. The Nationals added a run in the fifth and another in the eighth. After Irvin exited, Derek Law, Jose A. Ferrer and Kyle Finnegan combined to secure a split of the two-game series.
For Abrams, the night brought a milestone moment during an underwhelming second half for the first-time all-star: He became the fifth Nationals player with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season, joining Lane Thomas (2023), Bryce Harper (2016), Ian Desmond (2012, 2013 and 2014) and Alfonso Soriano (who went 40-40 in 2006).
“I was just staying on the fastball and adjusting to the off-speed,” Abrams said. “Got a fastball over the middle and put a good swing on it.”
