After 0-for-9 start, Adams looks to find his groove (Nats up 14-0)

PHILADELPHIA - Matt Adams knows the situation here. He's not going to be regular playing at first base as long as Ryan Zimmerman is healthy. So the big slugger knows he's going to have to get himself into a rhythm at the plate even when he's only getting one at-bat a night as a pinch-hitter.

"It's tough coming from spring training when you're playing every other day," he said. "You're getting pretty steady at-bats. And then you come in, and I knew I was going to be Zim's backup. He's healthy. He deserves to be out there."

Adams is in the Nationals lineup for tonight's series finale against the Phillies, with manager Davey Martinez wanting to take advantage of Thursday's day off to give Zimmerman a full 48 hours of rest.

When Adams steps up to bat, he'll see a .000 batting average next to his name. He's 0-for-9 with six strikeouts so far in 2019.

"I'm just really chasing a lot right now," he said. "I'm a little anxious. I think once I calm down with that and settle in and put together good ABs, I think I'm going to be right where I need to be."

Given the situation he's in, Adams understandably falls victim to the pressure of trying to do something big in the one and only at-bat he usually gets in a game. And that at-bat usually comes late against a hard-throwing reliever.

The fact he hasn't been able to deliver yet frustrates him.

"I'm the type of guy that I want to do my job. I want to help the team out," he said. "And not putting the ball in play is not helping the team out. I can do a way better job of having a more competitive at-bat, swinging at better pitches. That's what I've been focusing on the last couple days.

"I think once I can calm myself down, even if I know I'm only getting one at-bat, the calmer I am, the better decisions I'm going to make. Realize that I'm not trying to do too much with a single pitch. Just try to make the pitcher come to me."

Adams had started only one previous game this season: last week against the Phillies at home. The problem: He only got one at-bat because he had to depart early after falling into the lowered luxury suite down the first base line at Nationals Park, injuring his back.

Perhaps the opportunity for four at-bats tonight will allow him to settle in and find the rhythm he still seeks.

"You can see more pitches, make some better decisions," he said. "Just the comfort of getting more than one at-bat is a good feeling. Just try to put together four quality at-bats, that's my main focus. Try to do my job the best I can, not put too much pressure on myself."

Update: Adams came really close to getting off the scheid in a big way when he came up with the bases loaded in the top of the first and drove a ball to deep left-center. The wind, though, held it up, so it was caught at the warning track for a sac fly. No matter, because the Nats collectively put together a big rally in the first, scoring three runs off Nick Pivetta. Jeremy Hellickson, meanwhile, struck out Bryce Harper with an 89 mph fastball and is through three scoreless innings on 50 pitches. And then the Nats broke it open in the fourth when Anthony Rendon cleared the bases with a double to the gap in right-center. That's eight straight games with an extra-base hit for Rendon, who also has 14 RBIs in 11 games. And then Adams indeed got off the schneid, ripping an RBI double off reliever Juan Nicasio to make this a 7-0 game in the fourth. Go back to last night and the Nationals have outscored the Phillies 16-0 over the last nine innings.

Update II: Make it 9-0 after five innings. Hellickson scored from first base on a Victor Robles triple. Yes, you read that correctly. Robles then scored on Adam Eaton's RBI single. The crowd here is, um, not pleased.

Update III: Good lord, somebody stop the fight. It's 14-0 Nationals in the seventh. They've outscored the Phillies 23-0 over the last 12 innings. They've scored 48 runs during this still-not-completed six-game road trip.