HEADLINE...
Bergmann Blows Up...(ed. note - "Not literally.")...(ed. note - "But Still, Not For Weak-Hearted DC Fans...")
Bergmann's line...3.0 IP, 8 H, 10 R, 6 ER, 6 BB, 1 HR, 1 K.
The New York Mets got to DC starter Jason Bergmann early, scoring one in the first on a sac fly from David Wright, which followed back to back singles from Jose and Argenis Reyes (no relation), for an early 1-0 NY lead. Then Bergmann gave up another run in the second, when Fernando Tatis took Bergmann deep on a line drive to left that caught a fan in the first row in the gut. 2-0 Mets. And then the third...
The Mets scored eight runs in the 3rd! to send Nationals' fans looking for alternative programming. It started with a single by Wright and a walk to Carlos Delgado. Carlos Beltran's groundout moved both runners up, and a Daniel Murphy's single scored Wright to make it 3-0 NY...Tatis singles. 4-0. Brian Schneider walks. Bases loaded. Mets' starter John Maine...walks. 5-0 NY. Jose Reyes hits a double-play-grounder to...no, through Guzman, two runs score on the error. 7-0 NY. Bergmann K's A. Reyes. Walks David Wright. Walks Delgado to force in another. 8-0. Beltran...No!!...Doubles. 10-0 Mets after three...Bergmann's hit for in the DC third, his night, mercifully over. Final score...12-0 Mets after Daniel Murphy reaches the visiting team's bullpen with a two-run blast off DC righty Jesus "Everyday" Colome...That's how it ends, nine looong innings, as the Nationals muster no offense, and put the weight of avoiding the sweep on the shoulders of the Nationals' rookie right-hander Collin Balester in the finale of the three game series tomorrow night in DC...
The Mets' returning right-hander John Maine, (who I foolishly belittled in the title of last night's Game Thread), had an easy night in his first start since a trip to the DL with rotator cuff issues, pitching five scoreless and allowing just 1 hit with 4 walks and 6 K's, while new New York righty Brian Stokes gave the bullpen a rest with the increasingly rare, but currently in vogue, three-inning save.
Yeah, But Did Lastings Milledge Continue His Hit Streak?
You'll be happy to know that Lastings Milledge did extend his hit streak to 14-straight with a single to center in the bottom of the second off John Maine. That was, unfortunately, Milledge's only hit of the night as he finished the game 1 for 3 with a walk and a .258 AVG.
Emilio Bonifacio, Ryan Zimmerman and Willie Harris had the other three of the Nationals' 4 hits off Maine and Stokes. Bonifacio walked twice, doubling his season total. Kearns and Zimmerman both grounded into DP's, Guzman stranded 4...John Maine ends the day (10-7) with a 3.97 ERA.
Can Milledge continue his hit streak? He's never faced tomorrow's Mets' starter, Oliver Perez...
The 12-0 loss is the biggest loss of the season, so far, for DC...
?'s Raised...
How did Bergmann throw 84 pitches in 3 innings? Just 51 for strikes.
Why leave Bergmann out there for the whole third and then pinch hit for him after he's surrendered 8 hits and 10 runs? Seemed like punishment?
Is Bergmann destined for the bullpen with all the young arms coming up in the Nationals' system?
Will Aaron Crow be one of the arms?
Langerhans exited early last night with lower back issues, and is currently listed as day to day...if Langerhans is DL'd is Bernadina coming back?
Seriously? Why did Acta leave Bergmann out there? That's Frank Robinson mean. (ed. note - "Just kidding, Mr. Robinson, Sir.")
Federalbaseball.com's Line Of The Day...
Runner-up...
(edited slightly for comedic purposes...)
"GUZ!!! Dammit. Schneider manages to screen the ball to Guz well enough that it goes into the outfield and scores two instead of being the inning-ending DP. I’m turning off the game now...See y’all tomorrow. Hoping this inning is over by then."
- "Fire Lenny! Fire Bowden! Fire SOMEONE!" - Doghouse
Line Of The Day...
Gut It Out...
—-Bergmann. Show ‘Em What Jersey’s All About -And by that I mean bean someone above the shoulders, maybe the neck. Then walk off the mound flipping the BIRD !!!!! - by Bravesbooster
For The Completists...Full Game Report after the jump...
New Nationals now 6-7.
Nationals now 44-77. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...23.)
Mets’ leadoff batter Jose Reyes looks determined as he steps to the plate to face Jason Bergmann. The DC right-hander gives up a leadoff single when he misses a grounder to the mound and shortstop Cristian Guzman’s throw to first is late. Argenis Reyes slices a single over third, and Jose Reyes is running, and safe at third. David Wright pops a 1-2 slider into left center, deep enough to score Reyes. 1-0 Mets. Bergmann walks Carlos Delgado in front of Carlos Beltran. Beltran brings Austin Kearns charging in to make a basket catch against his chest for the second out. NY LF Daniel Murphy grounds back to the mound to end the Mets’ first...Emilio Bonifacio gets ahead 3-1 but takes two fastballs from Mets' starter John Maine to K looking for the first out of the Nationals’ first. Cristian Guzman grounds to A.Reyes at second. Jose Reyes fields a high hop at his hip and throws out Ryan Zimmerman to end the first.
Fernando Tatis hits a fan in the front row in left in the stomach with a leadoff line drive home run off Bergmann for a 2-0 NY lead. Bonifacio throws out Brian Schneider. Pitcher John Maine pops out to first. Jose Reyes jumps all over an offspeed 1-0 pitch and doubles off the out of town scoreboard with two down. Argenis Reyes grounds to short and Cristian Guzman’s throw ends the Mets’ second... Fernando Tatis just catches up to Austin Kearns' hard hit fly ball to right. Lastings Milledge gets a 2-2 pitch in under his chin for a full count, and nutmegs Maine with a single up the middle to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. Jesus Flores’ swinging bunt moves Milledge into scoring position. Ronnie Belliard flies out to right. 2-0 NY after two.
Ryan Zimmerman can’t barehand a spinning ball off Wright’s bat, so Zim’s counterpart at third has a leadoff single. Wright takes second, but Bergmann’s 3-2 curve is a ball, so there’s no throw, Carlos Delgado walks for the second time. Beltran grounds out to Belliard, second and third for NY LF Daniel Murphy, who drops a single halfway down the left field line, Wright scores. 3-0 NY. Fernando Tatis lifts a curve to left for a line-drive RBI single. 4-0 NY. Bergmann walks Schneider to load the bases for the opposing pitcher, and BERGMANN WALKS the pitcher!!...5-0 Mets. Double- play grounder from Jose Reyes to Guz...no, through Guzman’s legs, two runs score, 7-0 NY. Argenis Reyes strikes out swinging. Bergmann walks Wright to reload the bases...Bergmann walks Delgado to force in the eighth run. 8-0 NY. Beltran doubles in two more. 10-0 Mets. Daniel Murphy knocks Willie Harris down with a line drive out right at him to end a long Mets’ third. Willie Harris grounds weakly to first. Kory Casto hits for Bergmann, who sits in the dugout staring straight ahead like Vincent D’Onofrio halfway through Full Metal Jacket...Casto stares at strike three on a 2-2 curve outside. Emilio Bonifacio works a two-out walk. Cristian Guzman goes down swinging through a fastball to end the third. 10-0 NY.
Jesus “Everyday” Colome takes over in the third. Tatis taps a grounder to first. Brian Schneider takes a one-out walk. Colome walks Maine, almost hitting the Mets’ pitcher. Jose Reyes flies out greedily to center. Argenis Reyes grounds out to third to end the NY fourth. Ryan Zimmerman strikes out swinging. Austin Kearns K’s swinging. Lastings Milledge takes a two-out walk. Flores grounds out to third...Jesus Colome gets David Wright and Carlos Delgado to fly out for the first two outs of the fifth, but Colome walks Carlos Beltran to avoid the quick inning. Daniel Murphy goes the other and into the visting team’s bullpen for another two runs, on the HR to left, 12-0 NY. Fernando Tatis flies out to center to end the Mets’ fifth...Belliard flies to center. Willie Harris walks on what should have been a strike. Ryan Langerhans hits for Colome, and strikes out swinging. Emilio Bonifacio takes a two-out walk. Guzman grounds to short, Reyes throws to second, three down, 12-0 NY after five.
Luis Ayala’s gonna get some junk time starting in the sixth. Brian Schneider rolls a grounder out to Bonifacio at second. Robinson Cansel grounds out to short in a pinch hit opportunity. Guzman throws out Jose Reyes for the 1-2-3 frame DC fans have been looking for...NY righty Brian Stokes will pitch the DC sixth. Ryan Zimmerman lines a 95 mph fastball back up the middle. Austin Kearns erases the runner with a DP grounder to third. Lastings Milledge flies out to left to end the sixth...Argenis Reyes starts the Mets’ seventh against Ayala. Zimmerman lifts his glove from the ground to snag a bad hop on a grounder from A.Reyes. David Wright takes a 3-2 pitch on the outside corner, that’s called ball four. Delgado grounds into the dramatic shift, so Zimmerman gets to catch and throw to turn the DP. Stand up and stretch...Brian Stokes gets the first two outs of the seventh on swinging K’s from Flores and Belliard before Willie Harris lines a single over second. Pinch Hittin’ Pete Orr flies out to end the seventh.
Charlie Manning takes the mound in the eighth. Carlos Beltran, from the right side, grounds out to short. Daniel Murphy singles through the left side of the infield. Fernando Tatis pops out to left. Brian Schneider takes a two-out walk from Manning. Brian Stokes hits a single up the middle to load the bases for Jose Reyes. Reyes lines out to short...Emilio Bonifacio slaps a single up the middle and into center. Cristian Guzman flies out to Daniel Murphy in left. Ryan Zimmerman grounds to Wright at third, and around the horn for an inning-ending DP...12-0 Mets.
Argenis Reyes beats out a throw from Bonifacio for a leadoff single in the ninth. Steven Shell is on for DC...and Shell slips a slider in on Wright, who fouls into Flores’ glove. Nick Evans flies out to center. Endy “Cover Your Heart” Chavez slaps a two-out double to right to move A.Reyes to third. Daniel Murphy flies out to short center...3 outs to get 12 runs...Austin Kearns swings through a two-strike fastball. Lastings Milledge pops out to Wright at third. Jesus Flores grounds out to second. Mets win. 12-0 Final. Nationals drop 6th straight.
Stokes works three and gets a save in a 12-0 win.
New Nationals now 6-7.
Nationals now 44-77. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...23.)