If you love offense, I would recommend you go ahead and click out of this because the Nationals won a 1-0 game over the Cardinals this afternoon, and personally, I’m all for it. The Nats got it done today, behind a five scoreless innings performance from Jake Irvin, who’s been one of the most pleasant surprises from the big league camp this spring. Irvin, a guy thought by many to be on the verge of a breakout season last year, turned in his worst as a professional, and the question heading into this season was, can he return to form? So far, that answer is a resounding yes.

The Good

Outside of just getting through five without a run, Irvin’s efficiency and effectiveness really caught my eye this afternoon. Even in his best outings last year, it felt like he was constantly having to pitch out of jams, which elevated his pitch count and kept him from going very deep into games. This was not the case today, as the right-hander allowed just three hits and only walked one, getting him through five on just 64 pitches. Had this been a regular-season game, I’m sure we could have seen seven innings out of him, and that just wasn’t happening last year. This outing runs his ERA for the spring down to 1.35, and while I’m not one to freak out over spring results, it’s certainly a positive sign going into the year, especially given the state of this Nationals’ rotation.

The guys out of the bullpen this afternoon were just as good. PJ Poulin came in and retired the side in order with a strikeout in the sixth, and newcomer Andre Granillo tossed a 1-2-3 seventh inning on just nine pitches to preserve the Nats’ slim lead. Gus Varland, another newcomer to the Nationals, got the ball in the eighth inning, and he took Washington the rest of the way home. Varland allowed just a single in his two innings of relief, picking up three strikeouts along the way while flashing a very lively fastball/slider combination.

Offensively, it was a struggle day for the Nationals, who tallied just one run on four hits across the afternoon. Arguably, the most encouraging sign for the Nationals offensively this spring has been the play of Brady House. It seems like every game, the young third baseman is changing the game with a swing of the bat, and in the first inning this afternoon, his RBI double drove in the only run of this game. House turned around a fastball from Dustin May on a 2-2 count and lined it the other way for an RBI double. At the conclusion of play today, his batting average for the spring sits at .438. A great sign for the Nationals, who need House to take a step forward at the plate this season if he wants to prove that he’s the long-term answer for Paul Toboni and Blake Butera at third base. Elsewhere in the lineup, Jose Tena earned a shoutout today, as he accounted for half the Nats’ total hits with his two singles.

What’s Next?

As opening day approaches hastily, the Nats’ time in West Palm Beach is rapidly coming to an end. They’ll be back in action there tomorrow night against the Marlins; that game gets underway at 6:05 tomorrow evening. Zack Littell will get the ball for the Nats in his second start in a Washington uniform, looking to build on his solid first start last week!