Newcomers and old standbys deliver for Nats bullpen in win

BALTIMORE - As he watched his team squander opportunity after opportunity to tack on runs and give themselves something more than a 3-2 cushion this evening, Davey Martinez couldn't help but start worrying this was going to come back to haunt his Nationals before their game against the Orioles was complete.

"You always think that when you have so many chances to score runs and you can't," the first-year manager said. "But the bullpen held their own today."

Yes, they did. As they've been doing for a full month now, often below the radar.

It has required some piecemeal work by Martinez, but an ever-changing Nationals relief corps is finding a way to close out games, even when provided with minimal cushion.

Owners of a collective 5.03 ERA through their first 26 games, the Nats bullpen has a 3.06 mark over their last 26 games. They've allowed only 3-of-26 inherited runners to score. They've helped their team go 20-6 over that span and creep right up against the Braves for first place in the National League East division.

Yes, this group is still a long way from becoming elite. And it still needs Ryan Madson and Matt Grace to return from injuries, events that should happen this weekend. But the tide is turning in a positive direction, thanks to contributions not only from the regulars who were being counted on to do this all along but also some unexpected newcomers.

"We've asked some guys to do different things," Martinez said, "and they've stepped up."

On that list is Justin Miller, a 30-year-old right-hander who came to the organization boasting a 4.99 ERA in 82 previous big league appearances with the Tigers and Rockies. But after tossing 13 2/3 scoreless innings for Triple-A Syracuse to begin this season, the Nats gave him a chance and he has responded with three more scoreless appearances.

Miller's latest came in the sixth inning tonight, against the middle of the Orioles lineup. And with a funky, across-the-body delivery he promptly struck out Manny Machado with a 94-mph fastball, struck out Chris Davis with a 94-mph fastball and - after an infield single by Mark Trumbo - struck out Pedro Alvarez on a 94-mph fastball.

"He's good right now, he really is," Martinez said. "And he's got deception. He stands facing our dugout over there and comes across his body. He's doing well. I'm glad he's here and he's pitching well. He came up right at the right time. We needed him."

Miller's efforts helped bridge the gap between Jeremy Hellickson, who again was pulled after facing the opposing lineup twice, and the back end of the bullpen. Sammy Solís got the ball for the seventh inning and retired the side. Brandon Kintzler pitched around a one-out single and got both Machado and Davis to fly out to left.

And then Sean Doolittle finished it off. Though not without at least a momentary scare.

The usually lights-out closer got himself into a two-on, one-out jam ... not that he really did much of anything wrong. An inside fastball to Trey Mancini barely grazed his baggy jersey to allow the first runner to reach. A broken-bat, infield single by Joey Rickard advanced the trying runner into scoring position.

On the mound, Doolittle was fuming a bit inside after that bout of bad luck.

"Yeah, yeah. Because those are the ones that can snowball on you real quick," he said. "'I feel like I'm throwing the ball good. How is this happening?' That's when the game can speed up on you, because you want to get out of it really quick.

"That's your instinct, is to get out of this as quick as possible. You have to really slow down and almost start completely over. And it's really a test of managing that adrenaline."

Doolittle excels at that, and he showed it tonight. With those two runners on base and the Orioles threatening to tie the game or even win it in walk-off fashion, the lefty turned to his bread-and-butter pitch to end the game: the high fastball. He used it to strike out both Craig Gentry and Andrew Susac, and in the process allow the red-clad portion of the Camden Yards crowd of 13,935 to celebrate and offer up chants of "Dooooo!"

"I think about - as cliché as it sounds - taking one pitch at a time," Doolittle said of his approach to get out of the jam. "I really want to get ahead in the count, first and foremost. Because I feel like if I can get ahead in the count, I can dictate the rest of the at-bat. And if I can live in the top of the zone like I was able to tonight, I'm not necessarily thinking strikeouts. But I think that's my best chance to get weak contact, or good quality contact from my point of view."

Thus, Doolittle notched his 12th save in 13 attempts, recording his 37th and 38th strikeouts in only 24 1/3 innings for the season.

"That's who he is," Martinez said. "He gets a couple guys on, and really you just sit back and say hopefully he's going to work his way out of it. Like he does all the time. But he elevates his fastball very well. And for the most part, he throws strikes. He comes in and closes the game out. It's a joy watching him when we're ahead."