Wrestling fan Koehler loses a lopsided bout with Nats
WASHINGTON — In his first start since making his ring debut on Legends of Wrestling Night last weekend in Miami, Tom Koehler attempted to do something more unusual than aMarlins pitcher walloping an opponent with a Pepsi sign.
The Marlins came into Thursday’s series finale with the Nationals still seeking their firstwinof theseasonat Nationals Park. It had also been 10 games since they won with anyone not named Jose Fernandez starting on the mound.
Koehler did clobber TNA wrestler Mr. Anderson with the metal sign in that postgame bout outside Marlins Park. All part of the script, of course.
Manipulating events in their favor on the field has been much more difficult for theMarlins this season. The trend continued Thursday as the Nationals’ 9- 0 victory completed a three- game sweep that left the Marlins 0- 6 in the nation’s capital this season with another fourgame visit remaining next month.
“We didn’t pitch well tonight. We didn’t hit. We got beat,” MarlinsmanagerMike Redmond said. “The saving grace is we haven’t played a lot of these games this year. Tonight was one of those nights.”
Koehler breezed through three scoreless innings on 24 pitches, 19 for strikes. But a leadoff walk on five pitches to Ryan Zimmerman in the fourth signaled trouble, which came on the next pitch. Bryce Harper sent the changeup the opposite way just over the wall in left for his 19th homer and a 2- 0Nationals lead.
Koehler says his favorite wrestling move is the Stone Cold Stunner. That is a good way to describe what Jason Werth did to the sliderKoehler hung over the plate with two on in the sixth. Werth smashed it deep into the leftfield bleachers for his second homer in two nights.
Koehler ( 3- 9) departed without retiring a batter in the sixth, leaving two more on. He was charged with six runs; he’s only givenupmore once in19 career starts.
“Things kind of unraveled there in the sixth,” Koehler said. “It’s really unfortunate that I couldn’t go out there and keep the team in the game for a lot longer, especially with the pitch count being pretty low.”
Sam Dyson, who joined theMarlins earlier in the day, came on and served another three- run homer to Ian Desmondthe following inning.
Meanwhile, Hialeah native Gio Gonzalez was making short work of the Marlins, seemingly with a sleeper hold, shutting them out for seven innings on three scattered singles. He struck out eight and retired16 of the last 17 batters he faced.
The Marlins threatened with the bases loaded in the second, but EdLucas stranded them with a flyout.
“We’re waiting on a twoout knock that never comes,” an exasperated Redmond said. “The bottom line is we’re just not getting the job done.”