Mets at Nats, Independence Weekend

[Jollay]

Santana versus Livan tonight. At the start of the year, I predicted around 69 wins for the Nats, and was pleasently surprised when the mid to high 70's looked more realistic.

Well now at 34-45 the Nats are on pace for about 69. Ugh.

Listening to Rob Dibble against the Braves: "We'll get em back when we get a couple of pitchers off the DL...."

You tool. The Braves had Jason Heyward on the DL.

Nats have to win a good 70 percent of the games on this homestand, with the Pads and Giants to follow the Mets.

[Jollay]

Good win from the Nats, 2-1 in Game 1. The offense still wasn't there, but that can be excused somewhat by the presence of Santana. The Mets didn't have or start Reyes, Bay, or Beltran, though.

Still, this is the kind of victory this team needed very badly. Nyjer's RBI single off Santana was clutch, and the crowd was stoked to take it in the ninth.

Livan was good, and Storen was automatic. I like Riggleman showing now hesitation to use Capps in a tie game even after using him the night before and with Clippard rested.

K-Rod warmed up for the Mets but they didn't use him in the ninth like I thought they would. Jerry Manuel leaving Feliciano in to face Guzman with two men on, who blisters lefties, was mystifying.

Guzman singled but the runner didn't score from second on poor baserunning by Willie Harris and perhaps too conservative approach by the Nats. Zimmy's sac ended it a batter later against Ryota Igarashi, who should have come in a batter earlier to face Guzman.

Game 2 is Luis Atilano versus Jon Niese.

Now it's time to see if the Nats can hit the Mets' mediocre guys (Niese, Dickey) who have been admittedly very good of late.

[Jollay]

Series knotted up as the Mets win Game 2.

First and second, no outs for the Mets in the fourth. Does Atilano get through Bay, Barajas, and Francoeur? Of course he does.

Then light-hitting Alex Cora knocks one off the wall for a triple and Niese hits a double. At that point its 5-0 and the game is essentially over.

Nats make it interesting in the ninth, scoring two and making it 5-3. Runner on first and second, two outs, full count to Willie Harris...

Bernadina picked off by K-Rod at second. Game over.

Strasburg today versus R.A. Dickey, who has been lights out for some reason this year (6-1 2.98 ERA) with his silly knuckler. Dickey's first start this year was against the Nats, pitching six innings and giving up two runs.

Nats won that game 5-3 to go to 21-20 on the year. Ah, the days of .500 baseball in DC...

[Jollay]

Nats win 6-5 with a great comeback in the ninth, scoring three runs off K-Rod. Strasburg labored through the first and suffered a high pitch count, thus limiting him to five innings. Not a great game, but I don't think the ump did him any favors not giving him the corners early...

Nats are 7-4 against the Mets this year, and continue to have some success off the Mets' closer. This is at least the fourth blown save by K-Rod against the Nats the last two years.

I'd like to think its' partially in part to the nice send-off we give him as he runs in from the bullpen....

Chance to make it three out of four today, with Stammen going against Hisanori Takahashi, a left-hander. In case you're wondering, Takahashi is the one that can understand English, so haze away...

[Jollay]

Had a good time talking with Mets fans BTW at the Park the last three games. There have been a decent amount of them, but they've been pretty low-key and respectful.

Put it this way. Phillies' fans have long ago surpassed them in obnoxiousness...

[Jollay]

Nats down 3-0 in the second. Sixth straight game they've given up runs in the first inning.

Stammen fails once again to post back to back good outings...unless he is flawless the rest of the way.

[Jollay]

Nats now down 8-0 halfway through four.

The season is effectively over. Now its trade Dunn and perhaps Willingham. Maybe Rizzo will bring in six young starters for those guys, and next training camp it'll be Strasburg at #1 and 14 guys competing for #2-#5.

I'm sure Stammen will have a spot, though. Because his stuff is so much better than JD Martin's.

[Jollay]

Nats get it to 8-3 on a three-run shot by Zimmy. Hopefully that will pull him out of the slump he's been in and propel him to All-Star Game.

Then the bases are loaded with no outs in the sixth. Riggleman pinch-hits for Gonzalez with Kennedy, who strikes out, and Nieves hits into a double play. Inning over.

Kennedy will strike out later to Feliciano or another lefty later. Book it.

[Jollay]

Well Kennedy didn't strike out, and he didn't get to face Feliciano, as the Mets took him out before Kennedy came up again.

Kennedy got a triple, and Nieves singled. Those guys are money when it doesn't matter--just not so much with the bases loaded.

Mets up 9-5 in the ninth.

[craig01]

Well Kennedy didn't strike out, and he didn't get to face Feliciano, as the Mets took him out before Kennedy came up again.

Kennedy got a triple, and Nieves singled. Those guys are money when it doesn't matter--just not so much with the bases loaded.

Mets up 9-5 in the ninth.

Gotta stay positive, but holes are showing big time.

I hate the sell out stuff, but the Nats must make improvement defensively ...... with the middle of the infield the priority.

The season is not lost by any means though, and grinding out a 75 win season is attainable.

[Jollay]

Well Kennedy didn't strike out, and he didn't get to face Feliciano, as the Mets took him out before Kennedy came up again.

Kennedy got a triple, and Nieves singled. Those guys are money when it doesn't matter--just not so much with the bases loaded.

Mets up 9-5 in the ninth.

Gotta stay positive, but holes are showing big time.

I hate the sell out stuff, but the Nats must make improvement defensively ...... with the middle of the infield the priority.

The season is not lost by any means though, and grinding out a 75 win season is attainable.

I would love to see 75...keep things fairly interesting.

[Jollay]

Happy fourth! Fun series at least...