April 9, 2015 – Mets 6, Nationals 3 – Nationals Park

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2015_04_09_nynmlb_wasmlb_1#gid=2015_04_09_nynmlb_wasmlb_1&mode=wrap

 

Umpires: HP: Tim Timmons. 1B: Todd Tichenor. 2B: Tim Welke. 3B: Mike Everitt.

Weather: 47 degrees, cloudy.

Wind: 8 mph, Out to RF.

T: 2:54.

Att: 25,327.

Section 416, Row C, Seat 1 (in our “regular” seats for the first time)

 

Highlights – “Uptown Funk” for the seventh-inning stretch … no rain, despite the gray skies

 

Other – Nats “offense” completely shut down by Matt Harvey (first regular-season start after Tommy John surgery) … another Desmond error, this one on a likely double-play grounder … Strasburg unable to limit the damage, leading to a 4-run third inning for the Mets (3 of which were unearned), and giving up two more runs before being lifted in the top of the sixth … cinnamon pretzel bites were definitely not at their best either

April 6, 2015 – Mets 3, Nationals 1 (Opening Day) – Nationals Park

http://m.nationals.mlb.com/news/article/116692890/max-scherzer-undeterred-by-hiccup-in-nationals-debut

 

Umpires: HP: Tim Welke. 1B: Tim Timmons. 2B: Chris Segal. 3B: Todd Tichenor.

Weather: 76 degrees, sunny.

Wind: 14 mph, Out to CF.

T: 2:35.

Att: 42,295.

Section 420, Row J, Seat 26 – upper level out beyond first base, but not bad overall

 

Highlights – great weather … got to the old lot HH before it filled up (after failing to find a parking place at the Shady Grove Metro) … got to the stadium just in time to get one of the last of the 25,000 10th Anniversary Commemorative Collectors Tins … the usual Opening Day ceremonies and announcements … the Nats’ three hits (leadoff single by Taylor in the 1^st, homer by Harper in the 4^th, single by Harper in the 6^th) … nice debut for Max Scherzer … brisk pace of play

 

Other – the Nationals offense (except as noted above) … two Desmond errors that led to the 3 Mets unearned runs … waiting over 20 minutes to get into the old lot HH to park

April 4, 2015 – Yankees 4, Nationals 3 (exhibition) – Nationals Park

http://m.nationals.mlb.com/news/article/116345110/chris-youngs-homer-for-yankees-negates-strong-start-by-nationals-doug-fister

 

Weather: 57 degrees, partly cloudy, 17 MPH wind left to right

Time: 2:46

Attendance: 36,998 (game was included in all season-ticket packages, not nearly that many bodies in the stands)

Section 416, Row N, Seat 20

 

Highlights – new Subway on M near Half Street finally open (and $6 footlongs all month!) … list of 10-year season ticket holders is posted on both lower level (beyond the Jammin Island stand in centerfield, just under the grandstand) and upper level (across from section 305) … A-Rod DHs and goes down swinging in all three plate appearances … Nats jump out to 3-0 lead in the first (singles by Taylor and Escobar, 4-pitch walk to Harper, Ryan Zimmerman sac fly, 2-run single by Ramos)

 

Other – seats in topmost row of the section (but with nice river of the river and beyond if you turn around) … windiest I’ve ever felt it at Nats Park … upper-level pretzel stand not open … Yanks come back with 2-run homers by Stephen Drew in the 5^th (off Fister) and by Chris Young (off Storen) in the 8^th for the victory … tree fell on the northbound GW Parkway just beyond route 123 after the game, so I went around the other way (and 295 was painfully slow)