Falling off the tightrope

Nationals 8, Giants 1

This was not how Blake Snell's debut was supposed to go. Yet Blake Snell looked exactly how Blake Snell was supposed to look.

Lots of pitches. Lots of baserunners. Lots of time spent on the tightrope.

In the second inning, he fell. And the game took on the feel of a little league contest.

Snell walked two batters, lost a race to first base, and initiated chaos on the base paths. The Nationals tried what every team of 12-year-olds does with runners on first and third: stealing. And it worked.

The inning finally ended with the Giants down for good, reminded that you can't buy wins in free agency. Only a better chance.

Up next: In a battle of former top prospects, Kyle Harrison (1-1, 4.91 ERA) takes on Josiah Gray (0-2, 14.04 ERA) tonight at 6:45 p.m.