Bottom of the ninth, 4-3 Washington over New York, Nats' closer Matt Capps gives up a single to Jose Reyes, a sac bunt by Alex Cora and a one-out walk to David Wright, then strikes out Jason Bay on three pitches before walking the well-nigh unwalkable Jeff Francoeur, setting up a bases-loaded two-out showdown with Rod Barajas, who's coming off a two HR night last night in a win over the Nationals. Capps rears back. Fires a knee high fastball over the middle of the plate. Barajas rips into it for a line drive to left. Willie Harris charges. Dives. Gets it. Ballgame. Nats win. The Amazing Willie Harris does it again...Harris, who'd come into the game as a defensive replacement for the injured Ryan Zimmerman at third, ends up moving to left for the eighth, goes back out for the ninth and ends up making the game saving grab, which he talked about after the game with 660 WFAN NY announcer Mike Francesa:
Willie Harris: "Well, as soon as Barajas hit the ball, I made my mind up, I mean, I saw it was a low liner, my mind was made up, you know, 'Make this play. Go catch this ball,' now if I don't catch that ball it's a different story, because obviously they win the ballgame, definitely tie it, and maybe have a play at the plate but, I think they win that ballgame if I don't make that play, but my adrenaline was flowing, the fans were out there giving me a hard time, and you know it's just in my mind, I just say to myself, 'Do not hit the ball to me, if, you know, if you don't want to be out."
More from Willie Harris after the JUMP...
• Final Score: Nationals 4, Mets 3.
• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...
• SBN Mets: Nationals 4, Mets 3: @%!$# Willie Harris - Amazin' Avenue - James Kannengieser
Willie Harris preserved a 4-3 Nationals victory with an outstanding game-winning catch.
Nationals now 2-3.
More After The JUMP...
Game Notes: Nats' starter John Lannan struggled for the second time this season, following up his disastrous Opening Day start against the Phillies with a 5.0 inning outing in which he walked 3, K'd 2 and allowed 3 ER on 6 hits, throwing 99 pitches, 62 for strikes, and in spite of having runners on all day, and having the Nationals commit all sorts of errors and mistakes behind him, Lannan leaves up 4-3, and the bullpen preserves the lead. Right-handed former Yankee prospect Tyler Clippard throws 3.0 scoreless, striking out 7 and allowing just 1 hit as he plays the middle relief and set-up roles, striking out two in the sixth, the side in the seventh and two more in the eighth before handing the ball to closer Matt Capps, who gives up a single, sac bunt and one and two-out walks before Willie Harris does his amazing act to save Capps from a blown save and the Nats from their second straight loss.
While the Mets may be used to Willie Harris beating them, no one expected Willy Taveras to actually win the game. Harris just preserved the win with his catch, it was the Nats' starting right fielder who was responsibe for all four runs Washington scored, going 2 for 4 with a two-run triple in the first and a two-run single in the fourth to give the Nationals all they'd need for the win. Willie Harris, Willy Taveras and Tyler Clippard, who, in spite of having pitched in NY with the Yanks, may have surprised the Mets more than anyone else. How was Clippard able to do it, Willie Harris thinks he knows how...
Willie Harris on Tyler Clippard on 660 WFAN NY:
"I mean Clippard, he's one of the guys that we depend on a lot. He came in today and I guess he was throwing the invisi-ball, because I mean, he struck out some really, really good hitters in Bay and Wright, with that...I call it the invisi-ball, because, you know, obviously, no one can see it. And you know, he struck out some big time hitters right there and he came in and he pitched really well for us and we look for big things out of Clippard this year."
Nationals now 2-3.