Gray has 'good day' with season-high 10 K's despite loss

PITTSBURGH -- Josiah Gray wasn’t satisfied. He had totaled six innings and seven earned runs in his last two starts, while his eight walks allowed were double his four strikeouts.

Gray worked the 11 days between outings, honing in on throwing strikes and adjusting his delivery.

The results: a season-high 10 strikeouts with no walks in 6 1/3 innings in the Nationals’ 2-0 loss to the Pirates.

“He was good,” said manager Dave Martinez. “He attacked the strike zone, his direction was way better today. Overall, he threw the ball really well.”

Gray worked efficiently to locate 62 of his 88 pitches for strikes. He allowed five hits -- the only two runs through five innings were solo home runs to Jack Suwinski and Alfonso Rivas.

“Early strikes, first-pitch strikes, finishing off with my whole array of pitches,” Gray said. “But just getting ahead early worked a lot today. I just believed in my stuff using the whole part of the plate, so it was a good day.”

Gray delivered his sinker for 38 percent of his pitches. Catcher Keibert Ruiz noted improvements in his pitch mix from previous outings.

“More strikes, attacking the hitters and he got early outs, early contact,” Ruiz said. “All the pitches were working. Sinker, sweeper, changeup -- everything was good.”

Gray reached double digits in strikeouts for the fifth time in his career and first since Aug. 15, 2022, against the Cubs. He finished one strikeout shy of his career best (11 on July 6, 2022, at the Phillies).

Gray also became the first Nationals pitcher to record 10-plus strikeouts and zero walks since Joe Ross on July 4, 2021, against the Dodgers. The last time he issued zero walks in a game was June 14 at Houston.

“Strikeouts are sexy, that’s great,” said Martinez. “But to be able to do what he did, 10 strikeouts and no walks is beautiful.”

It is important for Gray to end his third season on a positive swing. Hisrecord stands at 7-12 with a 4.07 in 28 starts with just over two weeks left in the season. The Nationals will map out his pitching plans for the remainder of the year, as they balance his innings with the flexibility of a six-man rotation.

“It’s huge,” Gray said of a strong mid-September outing. “I think it gives you that sense of confidence going into the offseason. But just like anything, I’m a guy that’s going to go out there and give my all no matter what -- good outing, bad outing, indifferent. I just want to continue to go to work every day and then when it’s my turn to pitch, give the team a chance to win, have confidence in my stuff. Today was one of those outings, and I look forward to the next one.

“But I’m looking forward to tomorrow, getting back to work in Milwaukee and seeing what I can improve on.”