Patrick Corbin launches the jewel against the pirates

PITTSBURGH – Many National fans have put the date in the red, while they are waiting for the return of Max Scherzer. But the rest of Washington's rotation has shown flexibility in the first three games of a four-game series against the Pirates.
This stretch of domination

PITTSBURGH – Thursday is the date circled in red for many fans of the National while they're waiting for the return of the ace Max Scherzer. But the rest of Washington's rotation has shown flexibility in the first three games of a four-game series against the Pirates.

This stretch of domination continued on Wednesday with the most closed beginning of all. Patrick Corbin scored eight innings without points at PNC Park, and a six-point tradeoff in the third inning was more than enough to allow the Nats to win 11-1.

• The score of the box

Corbin had convincing arguments to win the ninth game to try a full game – something he had stopped at the club-club before Wednesday's game to see Lucas Giolito accomplish in White's 4-0 win Sox on the Twins. Corbin was only 93 pitches after the eighth, but he quickly received a handshake and an appreciation as he trotted into the dugout at the end of the frame.

"If the match was tight, obviously he stays in the game," said manager Dave Martinez. "But it is the time of year, with us scoring all these races, to give him a little break, give him a little break. He did all he had to do for us. We scored a lot, and that's it.

"It's a long season," said Corbin. "Save me some sites and give some work to someone else. I do not blame him. "

When Corbin was at his best this year, his swing-and-miss business was generally the reason. But Corbin has eliminated only four Pirates hitters, although his devastating third-place finish against eighth-ranked Erik Gonzalez is another shine of the Majors' most swing-and-miss slider this season (261).

Instead, Corbin opted for a more intensive field selection. Although he pitched his cursor at a higher percentage than his two-sided fast ball or four seams the year, he threw 13 more knives at two (43) than the sliders (30) against Pittsburgh.

"I know of teams that are in front of me and who know that they are going to see a lot of sliders, some fired, some not," Corbin said. "All you have to do is run your ball fast, order it from both sides of the plate and mix it up. You can get faster outs, ground balls and more in-depth games. "

Corbin kept the ball low in the zone and exploited the fast beginnings of the Pirates. Receiver Yan Gomes said about the game plan: "If it does not break, do not fix it."

"You need to understand that as the season progresses, guys will start adjusting what works for him," Gomes said. "… if he gets a good shot, keeping the ball in the back might as well keep doing that."

"We could not have the ball in the air," said Clint Hurdle, the Pirates' coach. "We just strangled. On and off, forward and backward, fast enough. Just a really solid mix of terrains. We did not have an answer.

Everything works for the rotation of the Nationals in the short term. The Washington runners combined to give 18 1/3 scoreless goals against the Buc in this series, although Joe Ross's departure on Monday was cut short by injury after 3 1/3 of a run. The 15 rounds of Stephen Strasburg and Corbin will give Martinez a bonus Bullpen option on Thursday, while Scherzer should have a limit of 75 to 80 shots.

Corbin also took part in the offense. He scored after hitting a third-place field and then scored an RBI double to complete a three-point trade in the eighth.

"I was finally in on it, I finally got a shot," Corbin said. "I thought about it a lot."

The Nationals have scored double-digit goals in five of their last seven games. They continue to strike throughout the formation, and this ability was manifested Wednesday with Asdrubal Cabrera's three-point homerun among Gomes' five-hole and two-over-double and two-product points in the top eight.

But Washington's paradigm is based on its momentum. Even with Scherzer and Strasbourg, the Nationals went out and signed a six-year contract with Corbin, the most popular agent-agent launcher in the market this past season to reinforce this point. This is one of the key pieces that they believe can lead not only to the playoffs, but also to victory in the National League East.

Have they got everything Corbin has asked for so far?

"And more," says Martinez. "And more, yes, he was great."