Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo is fond of saying that players will eventually perform to the back of their baseball card, meaning over the course of the season, teams and individuals will revert to their norm.
That has happened this week at Nationals Park, as Washington continues its rise while the Pittsburgh Pirates are falling back to their predicted place in the standings.
The latest example of “water seeks its own level” took place Thursday afternoon, as Nationals starter Jeremy Hellickson and four relievers combined to stymie the Pirates in a 3-1 victory before a sun-drenched crowd of 30,434.