Who needs the Designated Hitter? The Washington Nationals certainly showed no wish to adopt the “offensive happy” feature unique to the American League against the Atlanta Braves Thursday night.
En route to a 13–4 victory for Washington, pitcher Stephen Strasburg turned on the craft he’s dedicated his entire career to, apparently switching his focus to hitting and abusing the opposing team’s pitching staff at the plate. Strasburg ignited his offensive explosion with a third-inning single before eventually batting around and proceeding to smash a three–run home run over the left-field wall. Not slowing down, Strasburg later ripped a single into left during the fifth inning, thus scoring teammates Brian Dozier and Victor Robles.
Once the dust settled, Strasburg finished wth a whopping 5 RBIs. Over the last 50 years, only 5 other pitchers recorded two hits, with one being a home run, during a single inning. His home run also stretched out to 420 feet, the longest off a pitcher’s bat during the Statcast era.
When focusing on some more familiar duties as the team’s pitcher, Strasburg gave up three runs on eight hits while also striking out seven batters. Strasburg only lasted 5.1 innings, however, and was likely running low on gas after utilizing it to fuel his offensive performance.
“That’s just how crazy this game is,” said Strasburg after the game. The righty certainly enjoyed himself alongside his teammates during the contest, rounding the bases while parading an unhidden smile and putting on a hilarious dancing performance once reaching the dugout. “Stras isn’t much of a dancer. His wedding might have been the last time he danced,” joked teammate Ryan Zimmerman after the game.
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Looking to keep their dugout celebrations a frequent occasion, the Nationals continue to surprise baseball fans this season. Though they were formerly written off as an expected mediocre ball club at best, the Nationals went 18–8 during the month of June and currently hold the National League’s first wild card spot.
Although duplicating his Thursday night performance stands as an incredibly tall task, fielders might just dismiss the “automatic out” stereotype that pitchers often carry during Starsbug’s next at-bat, as he tries to keep the team’s unexpected playoff surge alive with both his arm and bat.
