With 95 mph slider, Glover seizing opportunity to close

Max Scherzer was the story of last night's 5-1 victory, but let's not overlook Koda Glover, who made quite an impression himself despite only throwing four pitches.

Summoned to relieve Scherzer with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, Glover was thrown into a major fire but immediately doused it by striking out Hunter Renfroe to earn his fourth save.

It was the kind of situation - one bad pitch could have tied the game and ruined everything Scherzer did for 8 2/3 innings - that eats some young relievers alive. But Glover responded to it the way many in the Nationals organization have always believed he could.

"He's got that 'it' factor," said bench coach Chris Speier, who is filling in as manager this weekend while Dusty Baker is at his son's graduation. "He doesn't back away from anything. He stays with his strengths, and he's not afraid to throw what his strength is. He's not trying to trick anybody. It's that 'it' factor you all look for from those guys who come in in the ninth."

The ninth inning is Glover's now, at least until he gives the Nationals reason not to let him pitch the final frame. He hasn't allowed a run in his last six appearances. He has converted his last three save opportunities. He hasn't put a man on base in his last two games.

That has to be a significant confidence boost for the 24-year-old rookie.

"I'm just here to do my job," he said. "I don't really look into if my confidence is building and stuff like that. I just try to do my job and win."

Glover is doing his job thanks in part to some extra oomph on his secondary pitches. In the last few days, he has thrown six sliders that registered at least 94 mph. His final pitch last night to Renfroe was a slider that officially clocked in at 95.6 mph, the hardest slider for a swinging strike in the majors this season, according to MLB.com's Statcast figures.

"I'm just trying to command it," Glover insisted. "I'm trying to hit my spot and trying to miss bats."

He's doing both right now, and the Nationals couldn't be happier that the kid has brought stability to what had been a most unstable situation.