Schwarber’s historic surge keeps Nats red hot

Most importantly, Schwarber is doing this for a Nats club that collectively is as red-hot as its new leadoff hitter.

Trust me, I wouldn’t care if I was doing this and we were going out there and losing baseball games.

Schwarber hasn’t done this alone, even though at times it feels like it.

“I think just the timing all coming together, and keeping the ball down in the zone,” Ross said in describing what worked well tonight.

“Not be afraid to attack the strike zone: He did that tonight,” Martinez said.

Ross pitched this entire game with a lead, and for that he could thank Schwarber, just as so many other members of the rotation have this month.

It happened again tonight when Schwarber crushed rookie Cody Poteet’s sixth pitch of the game down the right field line for his fifth leadoff homer in 13 games atop the batting order.

And he wasted no time producing his second, belting an 0-2 fastball from Poteet to dead center for a three-run homer, and that’s what sent everyone scurrying to check the record books.

Despite three opportunities to match Green and really leave everyone dumbfounded, Schwarber did not hit another home run tonight.

“It helps when it’s 1-0 after the first batter every time,” Ross said with a laugh.

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