In better times I’m fond of noting the fickle nature of baseball, that a team who loses 10-0 one day can win 10-0 the next, that some games end 2-1 and others end 14-12, and that sometimes the worst team in the league can beat the tar out of the best.

Well, my hometown team–that would be the Washington Nationals–are not the worst team in baseball, but their starting pitcher Tuesday night does lead the National League in losses. Actually Patrick Corbin is tied for the league lead, and could have moved into sole possession of first with an L at the hands of the New York Yankees. The Yankees, by the way, have the best record in the American League, and have won an astonishing 42 games on the road this season.

Last night the Yanks had their best starting pitcher on the mound: Gerrit Cole. He’s the reigning Cy Young award winner and he makes a million dollars a start.

But Tuesday in Washington he was outdueled by Patrick Corbin, and the best hitters in the game made Corbin look like Sandy Koufax.

It’s a fickle game but it’s also a long season, and a new win streak is never more than a day away. With my hometown team relegated to the role of spoiler, I’ll take a few more wins for the team of my youth, thank you very much.