Nationals thump Blue Jays as George Springer goes hitless in season debut
Toronto's prized free agent acquisition goes 0 for 4 in 1st contest with new team
Erick Fedde went six strong innings, Josh Harrison hit a three-run homer and the Washington Nationals beat Toronto 8-2 in George Springer's Blue Jays debut Wednesday night.
Fedde (2-2) allowed one run and two hits, including a fifth-inning solo homer by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. The right-hander struck out seven and walked three.
"With cutter, sinker, the combination is really good because he works both sides of the plate," Washington manager Dave Martinez said. "Today he threw a lot of curveballs, and it was effective for him as well. When you get can all those pitches in the strike zone as you can see he's real tough to hit."
Springer, who signed a team-record $150 million US, six-year deal this off-season, went 0 for 4. The World Series MVP when Houston won its first title in 2017 missed time in spring training and the start of the season because of a strained oblique and later due to a right quadriceps strain.
"He ran fine, saw a lot of pitches, which is good," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said.
Trea Turner had four hits and Josh Bell also homered for the Nationals.
Toronto got an eighth-inning solo homer from Bo Bichette.
Tired: Light tower power<br><br>Wired: "Hitting yourself on the scoreboard" power 😳 <a href="https://t.co/L72EqS5Vfh">pic.twitter.com/L72EqS5Vfh</a>
—@BlueJaysMatz, acquired from the New York Mets in January after going 0-5 with a 9.68 ERA last season, had won his first four starts for Toronto. He gave up six runs and eight hits over 3 2/3 innings.
The lefty is 1-8 against Washington. Since the start of last season, Matz has allowed 22 earned runs and eight homers over 14 innings in four games against the Nationals.
"He just wasn't as sharp today," Montoyo said. "He still has the stuff but didn't locate as well."
Toronto loaded the bases with two outs in the third but failed to score when Turner, at short, fielded Randal Grichuk's slow grounder barehanded and threw him out at first.
"I remember that ball just trickled by me ... you've got to be kidding me," Fedde said. "I think my initial reaction was `Oh no, it's bare hand.' Then an unbelievable play."
Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen went 0 for 3 with a walk. He is hitless in a career-long 34 at-bats.
