WASHINGTON — Davey Johnson's latest take on the Washington Nationals offense: "It's putting me in my loony bin."
At least it was a new answer from the manager. Most of the other ones of have been recycled beyond meaning.
The Nationals were nearly shut out for the second straight game by one of the worst teams in baseball, falling 4-1 Wednesday night to the Milwaukee Brewers. All the life gained from scoring 23 combined runs in games Sunday and Monday has been sapped away, and once again the preseason NL East favorites are back at .500.
"It looks like we're getting good at-bats," Johnson said. "We're just not getting it done. I don't have any answers."
Anthony Rendon, whose seventh-inning homer was the lone Nationals run, didn't have much of an answer, either. Asked to explain the team's hitting woes, he answered: "Baseball."
Bryce Harper said even less, leaving the clubhouse as reporters entered following the game. He went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and dropped a ball in left field for the second consecutive game. He is 1 for 12 since his return from a knee injury that put him on the disabled list, and the one hit was an electrifying first-inning homer in the first game that helped spur Monday's 10-5 win.
To be fair, Harper made solid contact twice on Wednesday, but center fielder Carlos Gomez chased the first one down on the warning track and had to sprint and stretch to snag the second one in left-center.
Nevertheless, the Nationals have reverted to their collective season-long slump at the plate. Washington's .237 batting average is fourth-worst in the majors.