Bats remain silent as Nats are swept by Mariners (updated)

Even in what everyone acknowledged from the beginning was a rebuilding year, the Nationals were supposed to have a competent lineup. Any group that featured the trio of Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Nelson Cruz, plus a couple experienced bats and a couple intriguing young guys, figured to score a decent number of runs.

Here, though, as the season’s first half winds down, is the harsh truth: This lineup has become one of the weakest in the majors. Soto may be starting to look like the best version of himself, and Bell may have produced at a level worthy of an All-Star selection, but the overall story is one of meek power, squandered opportunities and a whole lot of ground balls.

It was all on display tonight during a 2-1 loss that capped a dismal doubleheader sweep to an upstart Mariners club that has now won 10 in a row to thrust itself into the thick of the American League wild card race.

The Nationals? They’ve now lost 12 of their last 13, scoring an average of 2.75 runs per game along the way. They’ve now lost twice as many games (60) as they’ve won (30) for the season, limping into the All-Star break in meager fashion.

"We're not scoring runs," manager Davey Martinez said. "We've got to try to create something. We've got to mix things up."

The shame of it all is that the Nats have wasted some quality pitching performances in recent weeks, both from their starters and their bullpen. Add tonight’s game to the list, with Erick Fedde left to suffer a hard-luck loss despite allowing only two runs.

Fedde took the mound tonight on the heels of a ragged start in Atlanta in which he was tagged for eight runs in three-plus innings and had all kinds of trouble putting away hitters when ahead in the count. He immediately went about trying to flip the script tonight, cruising through the top of the first on a scant eight pitches.

That’s how things would go for Fedde through most of his start. He completed four of his first five innings on 15 pitches or fewer, and the only reason he needed 24 to get through the second was an egregious call by plate umpire John Bacon on what by all accounts should’ve been strike three to Justin Upton to end the inning but instead was deemed a ball that extended the frame despite Fedde’s clear disgust.

"It's part of the game," the right-hander said. "There's plenty of times where I'll throw a ball and get a call. It's just one of those ones where I thought it was so down the middle, I just in the moment said something. But on my way out (to the mound) in the third, I said: 'Hey, I'm sorry I said something and blew up. I know it's tough back there.' And he said: 'No worries.' We were both professionals and went about our business."

Things were going swimmingly for Fedde until the top of the sixth arrived, at which point everything crumbled. He allowed a solo homer to Jesse Winker to break the scoreless deadlock, then proceeded to allow Seattle’s next three batters to reach via a single and two walks (plus a wild pitch thrown in there for good measure).

And just like that, Martinez was making his way to the mound, signaling for Steve Cishek to enter from the bullpen. Fedde would depart with the bases loaded, one out and a sour taste in his mouth at the end of what should’ve been a brilliant start.

"Just gave up a couple hits, and was in the tough part of the lineup," Fedde said. "Just really didn't want to give up the big hit to break the tie game. And I ended up picking a little too much and leaving guys on base. I know Winker's a low-ball hitter, and I made that pitch to him twice. I only got away with it once. Just a mistake on my part there."

Cishek did allow one inherited runner to score on a long sacrifice fly to center, but the veteran reliever did a nice job to limit the damage to that and give his teammates a chance to come back from a 2-0 deficit.

These days, of course, even a 2-0 deficit looks daunting to this lineup.

Continuing a trend that has persisted throughout this month – arguably, throughout this season – the Nationals didn’t give themselves many chances to score runs tonight. And when they did give themselves a chance, they squandered it.

Held scoreless through four innings by the relief tandem of Erik Swanson and old friend Tommy Milone (still going strong 11 years after he debuted for the Nats by hitting a home run), the Nats started putting some pressure on the Mariners in the fifth, only to aid in the process of removing that pressure. Luis García was thrown out trying to steal second for the second out of the inning, then watched as Lane Thomas drove the next pitch down the left field line for what should’ve been an RBI double.

The Nationals had two on with one out in the sixth and Josh Bell at the plate. Seattle manager Scott Servais summoned Matt Brash from his bullpen and watched as the right-hander induced a 4-6-3 double play out of Bell, his league-leading 18th of the season, the team’s league-leading 91st of the season.

(Bell would hit into yet another double play two innings later, giving him 19 and the team 92 for the year.)

And then with the bases loaded and two out in the seventh, Martinez opted to pull Tres Barrera from the on-deck circle and send Keibert Ruiz up to pinch-hit in his stead. Servais, though, countered with reliever Diego Castillo, and the right-hander promptly struck out Ruiz on four consecutive sliders to end that inning and keep the Nats scoreless heading into the late innings.

"He's pinch-hit before; he's done well," Martinez said. "Maybe he could put us on the board right there."

Soto would continue his recent surge with a towering homer to right-center to lead off the bottom of the ninth, his second of the day and fourth in his last five games. But as was the case six hours earlier in the opener, that alone wasn't going to be enough to cure this woeful lineup of what ails it.

"Stay positive, keep working hard," García said, via interpreter Octavio Martinez. "Remain as a unit, as a team, and hopefully positive things will come our way."