Brian Schneider really took it to his former team throughout this series. From his insertion late in the game on Tuesday until the 7th inning last night, Schneider worked behind the plate to help prevent his former teammates from reaching base. Last night, he added some offensive pop with a two run homer. It was only his third on the year, but it scored the winning run, putting the Mets up by 4. Last night’s 9-3 loss allowed the Mets to sweep the Nats, as well as claim the top of the NL East, half a game up from Philadelphia. Washington dropped to 44-78. Click here to watch Schneider’s post game interview on SNY TV.
Balester gave the bullpen a bit of a break by pitching 6 innings. He did give up 5 earned runs, two as home runs, as well as 5 walks during his shaky outing. Mock and Rivera worked the 7th and 8th quickly with no problems, but Joel Hanrahan managed to turn a close 5-3 game into a 9-3 final score with a tough 4 run inning. Only two of those runs were earned.
Some of the only excitment came when Perez started wearing down in the 7th inning. Pete Orr came up with a pinch hit 2-run triple and Bonifacio bunted for a single to score Orr ending another long scoreless innings streak. The rally would stop there. Perez left the game and a bullpen of Smith, Sanchez and Heilman finished the game with scoreless frames.
As for the Mets fan that prevented Austin Kearns from catching David Wright’s foul ball in the 5th, he was escorted out by security a few innings later but eventually returned to his seat despite this warning in the A-Z Guide: “It is illegal to touch, attempt to touch or generally interfere with a ball in play or a player during a game. Any guest doing so will be ejected from Nationals Park.” We got the out anyway, but fans should really know better.
Rumors have been circulating that Ronnie Belliard was claimed on waivers by the Dodgers. Guess that gives Jim two tight deadline deals to work on this weekend. The Aaron Crow watch continues until midnight tonight.
Entries (RSS)
August 15th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Thanks for the background info on the fan interference. I was wondering whether they had ejected him (which they should have, IMO). On the broadcast last night, they showed him talking to some fans in the immediate area right after it happened but they did not say whether he was ejected (unless I missed it due to a click-over to the Olympics during a commercial break
).
August 15th, 2008 at 11:12 am
We were sitting nearby. I missed the incident itself (getting food I think), but when I came back, security guards were out in full force looking for the guy. Eventually, they took him away. But when I looked back an inning or two later, he had returned. When David Wright’s picture came up and it said 5th Inning - Interference, his family and people around started pointing at him as if it was something to be proud of. I was surprised he wasn’t ejected.
August 15th, 2008 at 11:52 am
“Fan Assistance”, indeed.
is it still raining?
August 15th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Not raining in alexandria - but the weather forecast doesn’t look good.
August 15th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Bowden really blew it tonight. Its really going to be hard to watch them now that the plan is in shreds. Bowden has got to go now.
August 16th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
More from us soon, I’m having internet problems at home and on my blackberry. Perfect timing. At least I can channel my anger at Comcast instead of the organization for a little bit.
No Crow. Disappointing for sure. I have even less faith now that we’ll be able to sign Strasburg even if we continue to play bad enough to get him (which is too likely).