I caught one video highlight, Danny Espinosa hitting a double to give the Nationals a brief 3-2 lead:

I was sitting in the grandstand behind and to the right of the catcher. From my vantage point I could not see the plate well, but it struck me that the home plate umpire gave the pitchers a wide strike zone. That’s a big reason Zimmermann and Lester combined for 16 strikeouts, and why Bobby Valentine erupted in the bottom of the ninth and was thrown out of the game. Both pitcher were able to work out of jams with the K.

While the legend of Bryce Harper grows, it was clear to me Alfredo Aceves did not want to pitch to him. It looked like he didn’t come near the strike zone. I was talking to my friend Jim Storer after the game, and we were both surprised that Harper didn’t run sooner. He took off on exactly the right pitch, and Beradina wound up with the big hit of the game. Roger isn’t playing much right now, but he does own a .340 OBP.

Espinosa had a great day, doubling twice, scoring once and driving in two. The middle of the order was a bit of a desert, however, as the 3-4-5 hitters managed one walk between them.

Outside of Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz, the Red Sox lineup looks like it can be handled fairly easily. I’m starting to think Ortiz should bat third behind Dustin, so David can drive Dustin in more. Gonzalez’s .314 OBP is a black hole in that order. With four strikeouts, Jarrod Saltalamacchia looked lost at the plate.

All in all, it was a beautiful day and a great, tight ball game. It looked to me like no one left early. The Nationals complete the sweep, and with everyone else in the NL East losing, they lead the division by two games.