Game two of three in Shea Stadium, Flushing, NY features:
Jason Bergmann (5-5, 4.30) vs Tom Glavine (13-6, 3.97)
Tom Glavine is eleven games over .500 at (33-22) in his 66 career starts against the Washington Nationals franchise though a majority of those starts took place against Montreal. The New York Mets are counting on Glavine's twenty years of dominance continuing. The Mets desperately need to avert disaster, as last night's loss leaves them only 2.0 games ahead of the idle Phillies who start three in Atlanta with the Braves tonight.
With last night's 13-4 drubbing of the Mets, the Nationals have now taken three of the last four games against New York and assisted in Philadelphia's logic-defying streak which has seen the Phillies win eight of their last ten to draw within striking distance of both the NL and Wild Card leads (.5 behind stumbling San Diego in the WC).
Glavine is (1-0) in 2 starts against DC this season, with the one win coming in an RFK start during which Glavine pitched 7.0 innings, allowing 8 hits and 1 run, with 1 walk and 6 K's in a 6-2 NY victory on August 17th.
Washington starter Jason Bergmann hasn't face the NY Mets since April 29th, when the right-handed sinker-baller lasted 7.0 innings, giving up 2 hits and 1 run in a losing effort which the Mets took 1-0 at home in Shea Stadium.
Bergmann's (1-1) overall in 2 starts against NY, with 8 appearances opposite the Mets, throwing 19.1 innings and surrendering 14 hits, 8 runs, 3 HR's and 6 walks, with 20 K's and a 3.72 career ERA against the current NL East Division Leaders. Current...
The Nationals can really stick the proverbial wrench in the Mets Playoff plans with another win, after NY fell apart in the second half of last night's game, and totally lost control in the end, of a game that was within reach through the fifth (or 6th at 7-3 DC).
Bergmann's (3-0) in 5 starts since returning from a rehab assignment on August 28th. Tom Glavine hasn't lost a game in his last 14 starts, going (6-0) since July 7th, with the Mets (9-5) in Glavine's appearances. New York is (4-7) in their last 11. Washington's (5-6) over the same period...
Once again...I hate the Mets even more now that they are making me cheer for the Phillies...
Who wants to watch the Mets collapse? Will they? Can they make a good movie out of "Watchmen?"...