Sunday Top 5:
5. The GENERAL Wants To Play!!: "I think the one thing I would probably try to get back to is getting [Adam] Kennedy more involved, get [Alberto] Gonzalez a little more involved," Nats' Skipper Jim Riggleman said yesterday when asked about changes he could possibly make to the lineup:
"...earlier in the year, we were winning more games when that rotation there was more involved, and I kind of fell into the trap of, Cristian Guzman was just tearing the cover off the ball and it just became too hard to not put him in there, and when I did that a little rust got on Kennedy and Gonzalez."
Nats' right-hander Craig Stammen gives up a one-out single to Mets' second baseman Alex Cora and a two-out walk to NY first baseman Ike Davis to bring up Jason Bay with two on and two out, and Bay triples off the out-of-town scoreboard on a 1-2 fastball to score two runs and get the Mets on the board early. Jeff Francoeur rips a grounder to short that should scor--Alberto Gonzalez makes a diving play, lays out, and then jumps up, settles and throws the slow-footed Francoeur out at first. Brilliant, General. Brilliant. Alberto Gonzalez shakes the rust off his glove.
4. Walks = Runs: Nats' starter Craig Stammen walks Ike Davis with two down in the first and Davis scores along with Alex Cora, who'd singled with one out, when Jason Bay triples both runners in with a two-run, two-out hit off the out-of-town scoreboard. 2-0 Mets. A one-out walk to Ruben Tejada in the second results in the Mets' third run when Angel Pagan's single to center scores the Mets' third run, 3-0...
3. Stammen Hit Hard And Out Early: Stammen leaves a sinking fastball up and over the plate for Ike Davis in the third, and the Mets' first baseman lines to right and over the out-of-town scoreboard for a two-run blast after David Wright's leadoff single in the third. 5-0 Mets. The Nats want Stammen to eat some innings apparently, but he can't even do that this afternoon. In the fourth, Stammen gives up a leadoff double to Angel Pagan and a one-out single to David Wright before he's lifted in favor of Miguel Batista, who surrenders the final two runs Stammen allows, 7-0 Mets...
• Stammen's Line: 3.1 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 3 K's, 1 HR, 69 pitches, 38 strikes, 6 groundouts, 0 flyouts.
2. VOTE ZIM!!! The 34th Man!! The Final Vote WInner???: Nyjer Morgan walks to start the Nats' sixth and moves to second on a low liner to left by Cristian Guzman. Ryan Zimmerman takes an 0-2 fastball all the way the other way for a 3-run HR to right and over the out-of-town scoreboard. 3-run blast...uh, 8-3 Mets. The Nats' 25-year-old Face of the Franchise's 14th HR comes on the day he's been named as one of 5 players in the running for the FINAL VOTE to add the 34th player to the NL All-Star roster. VOTE ZIM HERE!!! Zimmerman comes up with two on in the seventh and drives in another run. Zim ends the day 3 for 5 with a HR and 4 RBI's. VOTE ZIM!! VOTE ZIM!!!
1. NUMBERZ: 26 combined K's, 14 for NY, 12 for DC. 26 combined hits, 14 for NY, 12 for DC. Adam Kennedy hits his first triple since July 29th 2009. 14 runs combined. Ryan Zimmerman hits his 14th HR, collects 4 RBI's for 44 on the year. Craig Stammen throws a pickoff toss by Adam Dunn at first in the second for the Nats' 73rd E of 2010. Stammen's 3rd error of the season. Attendance? A day after Strasburg draws 39,214 to Nationals Park, 29,234 turn up today, and a good number were cheering for NY. 3 hours and 49 minutes after the 1:35 pm EST start it mercifully ends...
Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...
| Num | Name - Comments |
|---|---|
| 1 | rachel216 - 75 |
| 2 | cat daddy3000 - 70 |
| 3 | Jorgath - 56 |
| 4 | MissB - 42 |
| 5 | RoscoeNats - 42 |
| 6 | grizzy - 28 |
| 7 | Dave at NNN - 27 |
| 8 | gannett123 - 26 |
| 9 | Potomac Fan - 24 |
| 10 | BloggerVance - 23 |
• Final Score: Mets 9, Nats 5.
Nationals now 36-47.
FULL GAME REPORT:
1 - Nats' right-hander Craig Stammen gets a grounder to second from Angel Pagan to start the Sunday matinee. Alex Cora lines to center for a one-out single. David Wright K's looking at an 0-2 slider. Two down. Ike Davis walks with two down. Jason Bay goes deep to right, and off the out-of-town scoreboard, two runs score, Bay safe at third. 2-0 Mets. Jeff Francoeur rips a grounder to short but Alberto "The General" Gonzalez flat-out robs him with a web gem-worthy dive and throw to first to get Frenchy. 2-0 Mets after a half...Nyjer Morgan starts the Nats' second with a groundout to first. Cristian Guzman flies out to Pagan in center. Two down. Ryan Zimmerman flies out to Bay in left. 2-0 NY after one.
2 - Stammen gets Rod Barajas to strike out swinging to start the second, but walks Ruben Tejada with one down and has him move to second on the bunt by the Mets' pitcher. Angel Pagan swings at a first-pitch fastball outside and lines to left center to score Tejada. 3-0 Mets. Stammen throws a pickoff throw by Adam Dunn at first. Pagan takes second, but he's stranded there when Alex Cora grounds out to first...Adam Dunn K's swinging to start the Nats' second. Josh Willingham rips a line drive double into the corner in front of Michael Morse. Morse lines to left to end the second.
3 - David Wright singles to center to start the third. Ike Davis gets hold of a meaty fastball and drives it into the stands above the out-of-town scoreboard, two-run blast, 5-0 Mets. Jason Bay K's swinging. Alberto Gonzalez throws Jeff Francoeur out on a weak grounder to short. Rod Barajas doubles off the left field wall for a two-out double. Ruben Tejada gets the intentionals. Takahashi grounds out to Stammen to end the NY third, 5-0 Mets...Wil Nieves flies out to Jason Bay in left. One down. Craig Stammen takes a one-out walk. Nyjer Morgan singles by Ike Davis at first, two on, 1 out. Guzman K's swinging through a 2-2 change outside. Ryan Zimmerman's talking to himself when he strikes out looking to strand two.
4 - Angel Pagan doubles off the Geico sign to start the fourth. Alex Cora lines out to Dunn at first. David Wright drops a bloop single into short center. Stammen's done. Miguel Batista takes over. Ike Davis goes down swinging at a 93 mph fastball outside. Jason Bay lines to left to score two runs, and he takes second on an ill-advised throw home by the Hammer. 7-0 NY. 8-0 when Francoeur doubles to right, just inside the line. Rod Barajas gets the intentionals to bring up Ruben Tejada. Tejada gets hit in the back again. Batista gets the opposing pitcher swinging...Adam Dunn K's swinging to start the Nats' half. Josh Willingham K's swinging. Michael Morse is the fifth-straight K.
5 - Angel Pagan K's swinging, Miguel Batista back on the mound. Alex Cora grounds out to Cristian Guzman at second. Batista gets Wright swinging, and it's a quick scoreless fifth for the veteran right-hander...Alberto Gonzalez grounds out to right-center, one down. Wil Nieves grounds out to short for the second out. Miguel Batista K's swinging to end the fifth.
6 - Ike Davis grounds to Guzman on the first pitch of the sixth. Miguel Batista get Jason Bay swinging for out no.2 of this snoozer. Jeff Francoeur K's swinging through a high heater for the third out of the inning...Nyjer Morgan vs Takahashi in the sixth. Leadoff walk to Morgan. Cristian Guzman lines a low single through second. Two on for Ryan Zimmerm--THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! 3-run blast over the out-of-town scoreboard, 8-3 NY. Adam Dunn lines through the dramatic shift for a single to right. Takahashi's done. Elmer Dessens vs Josh Willingham. Hammer beats the throw to first on a weak grounder that Ruben Tejada bobbles it, bases loaded. Adam Kennedy K's swinging through an 0-2 pitch inside. Wil Nieves grounds to Ruben Tejada, to Alex Cora, to Ike Davis, double play.
7 - Rod Barajas lines a leadoff single over short to start the seventh. Ruben Tejada K's swinging through a two-strike slider. Miguel Batista's done. Sean Burnett takes over and gives up a line drive double to right to Fernando Tatis. Angel Pagan doubles to left to score Barajas, 9-3 NY. Alex Cora K's swinging, and Riggleman's going to a right-hander. Tyler Clippard vs David Wright. Swinging K on a 94mph fastball upstairs...Willie Harris vs Pedro Feliciano in the Nats' seventh. Willie Harris takes strike three on a fastball outside. Nyjer Morgan walks with one down. Cristian Guzman lines a single to right. Two on for Zimmerman. RBI line drive to right, Morgan scores, 9-4. Adam Dunn takes strike three on a curve inside. Ryota Igarashi vs Josh Willingham. Zimmerman takes second on a wild pitch. Josh Willingham K's swinging through a fastball outside.
8 - Tyler Clippard's back. Ike Davis flies out to Tyler Clippard in right. Bay K's swinging on three-straight pitches. Jeff Francoeur's swinging K ends the Mets' eighth...Ian Desmond flies out to right to start the Nats' eighth. Adam Kennedy lines to right-center for a one-out triple that rolls to the wall. Wil Nieves goes back up the middle with a low liner for an RBI single. 9-5. Willie Harris flies out to Francoeur on the track in right. Nyjer Morgan lines out to second to end the eighth.
9 - Joel Peralta vs Rod Barajas. Barajas flies out to left. Ruben Tejada flies out to Morgan in center. Jesus Feliciano doubles to center and off the wall on a hop. Angel Pagan gets the intentionals to bring up. Alex Cora lines to Willie Harris in right for the Mets' final out...unless...The Guzzzz vs Bobby Parnell. Soft liner to left for a single. Ryan Zimmerman goes back up the middle for a single. K-Rod comes on in relief. Adam Dunn grounds into a force at second. One down. Josh Willingham K's looking. Roger Bernadina up with two down. Sharp grounder to first, Ike Davis with a diving play and toss to K-Rod covering. Ballgame.