Bullpen Can't Hold a 5-Run Lead

Nats Chat

Mark Zuckerman & Al Galdi

Sports, Baseball

4.9 • 573 Ratings

🗓️ 6 April 2026

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Nats were swept on Sunday afternoon as they could not protect their 6-1 lead in what ultimately ended being an 8-6 loss at the hands of the visiting Dodgers. Al & Mark look at the bullpen faltering over the course of the final four innings after taking over for Foster Griffin. Things went sideways in the top of the 8th as Cionel Perez allowed four runs that gave the Dodgers the lead for good. (07:00) Blake Butera mentioned that L.A. was all over Perez and that he they noticed that he was tipping his pitches. (13:10) Will there be personnel moves in the bullpen soon? (16:45) James Wood connected on a 3-run HR to put Washington up by five runs. Wood did strike out in the bottom of the 9th and he has at least one K in all nine games so far this season. (23:30) Luis Garcia Jr. hit a 2-run HR for the early edge and his OPS so far is .883. Garcia has not 2B at all so far and has exclusively been slotted at either 1B or DH. (28:10) Griffin pitched well and put the Nationals in a position to win before the bullpen blew it. The Florida native pitched the past three seasons in Japan and made his his MLB debut for the Royals in 2020.

Transcript

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0:00.0	For the sixth season in a row, Walters is the official bar of the Nats Chat podcast,
0:05.6	located across the street from the ballpark just off South Capitol Street.
0:13.3	The pitch. So we got a long drive, right center field for Garcia.
0:18.1	Way back, this one goes, looking up his call at the wall and it's gone
0:22.6	three rows in over the big row and right center field
0:26.6	Luis Garcia Jr. with his first of the season gives the nationals a 2-1 lead
0:31.6	and the pitch swung on line to left center field that's going to be in for a base hit weaver cuts it off one run has
0:38.9	scored second runner coming to the plate the throw home is not in time freeman scores pot has
0:44.4	scores call stopping at second espinal on at first with a single to left center and two runs
0:51.0	batting in this is now a one-run game, the National Six, and the Dodgers five.
0:58.9	Now, Shoy Otani, the batter.
1:00.8	Swung on, hit in the air to deep left-center field.
1:03.6	Back is the left-fielder to make the play.
1:06.3	That's Dale and Lyle.
1:07.4	He'll throw towards second, tagging from third, is Espinall who coming to score.
1:12.6	And Choi Otani, swinging in the first pitch, driving it to deep left center, has given the Dodgers the lead with a sacrifice fly.
1:20.1	It's now the Dodgers with four runs home here in the eighth Los Angeles leading for the first time seven to six since their one-nothing lead.
1:29.2	And welcome to Natch chat, along with Washington Nationals insider Mark Zuckerman of Natchjournal.com.
1:34.6	I'm Al-Galdi, host to the Al-Galdi podcast. Mark is at Nationals Park with the Nats have fallen to
1:39.5	three and six in M-Obee's 2006 regular season and 8-6 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at
1:46.5	National Park on Easter Sunday completing a three-game sweep.
1:50.3	This was a game for which the start was delayed for two hours and nine minutes due to rain.
	...

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