You know that really impressive streak of starting pitching the Nats have been getting? The one that includes a 2.99 ERA since June 1? Well, it was nice while it lasted.
Shairon Martis is single-handedly blowing that stat up this afternoon with his ugliest performance of the season. The rookie right-hander allowed four runs in the first (even the outs he recorded were on hard-hit balls), another in the second and then just served up a towering homer to Lyle Overbay in the third.
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His line so far: three innings, six runs, seven hits, two walks, one strikeout and a hit batter. He needed 38 pitches to get through the first inning and is currently sitting on 64. Not the kind of pitching performance we’ve come to expect out of Washington’s young rotation.
It does, however, beg a question. We’ve been speculating for a while now who will be sent down to Syracuse when Scott Olsen comes off the DL. The common choices have been either Ross Detwiler or Craig Stammen. Well, perhaps the Nats need to consider Martis. Yes, he leads the staff with five wins. But his last victory came on May 14. Since then, his ERA is 6.57 (and that includes three pretty solid outings this month).
As for today’s game, the Nats are trying to claw back. Alberto Gonzalez singled, Willie Harris (who else?) doubled and Josh Bard drove both in with a second-inning single. So far, though, that’s it. The Blue Jays lead 6-2, on a windy but gorgeous Father’s Day.
