The one-run offensive output for the third straight game, the reliever blowing up in the end, the shoddy defensive play, this one had all the hallmarks of an '09 Nationals' loss. Washington dropped their third straight, and ninth of their last ten to New York tonight in DC's Nationals Park, where the Mets scored 3 runs on 8 hits, including two in the tenth off embattled DC closer Joel Hanrahan, who once again imploded, allowing two runs before recording an out in the top of the frame to give the Mets a 3-1 lead and three outs later, the win.
Missed Opportunity:
Nationals' 5th: Washington scored their only run of the night in the fifth inning when Josh Bard smacked a double and then scored on Alberto Gonzalez's one-out single to right off Mets' starter Tim Redding. Cristian Guzman doubled on a high cut fastball, and Nick Johnson got the intentionals to bring Ryan Zimmerman up with the bases loaded and one down, and Zimmerman, instead of taking offense, does what New York wanted him to, and grounds into an inning-ending DP.
Someone's Not Reading Their Federal Baseball.com:
Jason Bergmann took over for DC starter Shairon Martis in the sixth and gave up a one-out single to David Wright, but he got a gift when Wright tried to advance to third on a muffed pick attempt at first and was thrown out by the suddenly-defensively-solid Anderson Hernandez. A fly ball from Daniel Murphy and Rutgers' finest Jason Bergmann's through a scoreless frame, but then DC Manager Manny Acta brings Bergmann back out for the seventh and he hits the first batter he faces and has to be removed...
..."Wild" Joel Hanrahan retires the side in the ninth and then comes back out for the tenth, gets hits hard and takes his third loss of the year...One and done for these two from now on? Especially when you have Julian Tavarez and Jesus Colome avaiable/still in the pen. One and done for these two. That is, if you're going to keep on insisting on throwing Hanrahan out there...
E: 51 - Top of the sixth. David Wright singles to start the frame. DC righty Jason Bergmann throws to first, and right by Nick Johnson, Anderson Hernandez sprints, and I mean sprints into foul territory, picks it up and fires to third where Zimmerman applies the tag. Error no. 1 for Bergmann. (ed. note - Anderson Hernandez's other slick play came on a double that Carlos Beltran tried to turn in a triple in the first, Elijah Dukes played it off the out-of-town scoreboard and fired to Hernandez, who cut it and fired to third, a few steps in front of Beltran. (as seen in picture above)).
E: 52 - Cristian Guzman, who gave up on a pop fly to left in the top of the second forcing Adam Dunn to sprint in from left for a ball he couldn't reach, wasn't assessed an error on that play, but on a ground ball to short by Carlos Beltran in the eighth, which Guzman fumbled and failed to throw to first, he was given his 8th error of '09, and the team's 52nd E.
(ed. note - "The only reason it's still 52 errors is that Adam Dunn so cleanly missed a line drive to left in the fifth, that he wasn't given an error by the official scorer.")
Federal Baseball.com: Stressing The Positives Since Aug '07:
Positives? Positives? Mike MacDougal blew an injured Gary Sheffield away with three straight heaters at 96, 96, and 97. Shairon allowed just 1 run on 3 hits in 5.0 innings. The Nationals gave up just 1 run in 9 innings to the B-Mets, before Hanrahan came back for the 10th, that is...No one broke any records against DC tonight...Is that a positive? How about this, David Wright was thrown out by Elijah Dukes in the second and never should have scored that first run...
Mets win, 3-1 final.
Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...
For The Completists, Full Game Report After The Jump...
Nationals now 14-39.
New York Mets at Washington Nationals. Game 52 or 53 of 162.
Alex Cora works the count full against DC righty Shairon Martis and pops up a low fastball for the first out of the evening. Luis Castillo swings through a 2-1 fastball outside, takes a 2-2 heater low and inside then grounds out to second on the second full count offering from Martis. Carlos Beltran bounces a long fly off the out-of-town scoreboard and gets thrown out trying for third on the relay from Elijah Dukes to Anderson Hernandez to Ryan Zimmerman who makes the tag...Tim Redding is back on the mound in Nationals Park, but in the Mets’ road grays and black, blue-billed cap. Cristian Guzman pops out foul of third when David Wright makes the grab. NIck Johnson pops a 3-1 pitch to Beltran in center. Ryan Zimmerman goes the other way with a 2-1 pitch and Fernando Martinez charges in to catch it.
Cristian Guzman gives up on a pop fly from David Wright and a charging Adam Dunn can’t get there, so it drops in for a double. David Wright takes off for third on a fly ball out from Daniel Murphy to center, Elijah Dukes catches and fires back in, Zimmerman tags Wright, but the Ump says he’s safe when he’s not. Fernando Tatis grounds out to short to bring Wright in. 1-0 NY. Fernando Martinez walks in front of former DC backstop Brian Schneider. Schneider grounds out to center to end the NY second...Adam Dunn walks to start the second. Elijah Dukes’ grounder makes it easy for Alex Cora, Luis Castillo and Daniel Murphy, double play. Austin Kearns hits a two-out single up the middle, Josh Bard pops a 2-0 pitch out to third.
Tim Redding K’s looking to start the third. Alex Cora works the count full for the second time, fouls off a few and walks with one down. Luis Castillo grounds to second, Hernandez to Guzman to Johnson, double play...Anderson Hernandez is a step behind Tim Redding, who covers on the drag bunt attempt. Shairon Martis pops out to Beltran in center. Cristian Guzman takes a 1-1 pitch to center for a line drive singe with two down. Nick Johnson K’s swinging through a 1-2 fastball inside.
Carlos Beltran pops up over short. David Wright pops out to second. Daniel Murphy walks with two down. Martis vs Tatis. Ground ball to Guzman, who throws to first three steps ahead of the runner...Ryan Zimmerman takes a first pitch fastball back up the middle. Adam Dunn flies out to left on a 2-1 fastball from Redding. Elijah Dukes K’s swinging through a 2-2 pitch up high. Austin Kearns flies out to center to end the frame.
Fernando Martinez takes a leadoff walk to start the fifth. Brian Schneider lines to left and Adam Dunn just misses it, and the ball rolls to the wall allowing Martinez to take third. Tim Redding grounds out unproductively to short. Alex Cora grounds to first, and Nick Johnson snags it and tosses to Martis covering, runners stay on second and third. Adam Dunn catches a fly off Luis Castillo’s bat to end the Mets’ fifth...Josh Bard doubles just inside the white line in right and into the corner. Anderson Hernandez grounds out unproductively. Alberto Gonzalez reaches down for a slider and lines to right to score Bard, 1-1 ballgame. Guzman gets around on a high fastball and rips it to right for a double into the corner. Gonzalez to third. Redding walks Nick Johnson to bring up Zimmerman. 3-1 pitch, Zimmerman grounds to short, Cora to Castillo to Murphy, double play. REDDING!!!
Jason Bergmann starts the sixth on the mound for DC. Carlos Beltran grounds to first for the first out. David Wright flies to right, and Austin Kearns falls down in the wet grass, allowing it to drop into left center for a single. Wright’s picked off first, but the throw gets by Nick Johnson, Anderson Hernandez recovers and throws Wright out trying for third, three steps head of the runner. Elijah Dukes catches Daniel Murphy’s liner and Bergmann escapes without harm...Dunn leads off the sixth for DC. Adam Dunn almost beats the dramatic shift with a pop up that ends up in Wright’s glove foul of third. Elijah Dukes pops out. Austin Kearns grounds out to short, and Tim Redding holds it at 1-1 through six.
Jason Bergmann hits Fernando Tatis square in the back to start the seventh. Ron Villone replaces Bergmann. Fernando Martinez pops a full-count fastball up over second. Emil Brown hits in Schneider’s place. Ron VILL0.00NE walks Brown, and Gary Sheffield picks up a bat and hits for Redding. Mike MacDougal will face Sheff. And McDougal throws a sinking 97 mph heater through Sheffield’s bat for the second out. Alex Cora grounds out to second to keep it tied at 1-1 after six and a half...Mets’ righty Brian Stokes pops Josh Bard up to the infield. Anderson Hernandez flies out to Beltran. Ronnie Belliard K’s swinging, and it’s 1-1 after seven.
Luis Castillo sends a weak fly out to Kearns in right. Joe Beimel gets a grounder from Beltran to Guzman who drops it on the exchange, Beltran safe. David Wright drills a single to center to put two on for Daniel Murphy. Elijah Dukes slips on a fly ball from Danny Murphy and has to sprint in to make the catch as he slides over the wet grass. Fernando Tatis walks to load the bases for Fernando Martinez, Martinez K's swinging...Bobby Parnell vs the top of the Nationals’ order. Guzman singles through second to start the frame. Nick Johnson goes the other way with a 1-0 pitch and flies out to left. Guzman takes second on a pitch in the dirt from Parnell. Ryan ZImmerman flies out to Fernando Martinez, who twists in the wind and makes the grab. Adam Dunn gets the intentionals to bring Dukes up with two on and two outs. Dukes grounds back to the mound on the first pitch.
Omir Santos flies out to Dunn in left to start the ninth. Jeremy Reed grounds out to first. Alex Cora up with two down, Cora grounds out to first, and the Nationals get a chance to walk off...Sean Green on for NY against Austin Kearns. Josh Bard shatters a bat grounding out to first. Daniel Murphy backhands Anderson Hernandez’s grounder to end the ninth.
Luis Castillo singles through second off Hanrahan, who issues a walk to Carlos Beltran. David Wright goes to the opposite field with a gapper to right center that scores two, 3-1 New York. Wright gets nailed stealing third. Daniel Murphy K’s swinging. Fernando Tatis doubles over Dunn’s head in left. Tatis takes third on a wild pitch to Fernando Martinez. Martinez flies out to left...Willie Harris starts the tenth with a pinch hit appearance. Harris grounds out to Cora at short. Cristian Guzman grounds out to short. Nick Johnson takes a full-count change on the outside corner to end loss no. 39. Mets win, 3-1 final.
Nationals now 14-39.