Attendance: 4,354
Game Time: 3:07
Weather: 76 degrees, partly cloudy
Wind: 17 mph
Umpires: Home Plate - John Libka, First Base - CB Bucknor, Second Base
- Greg Gibson, Third Base - Mike Estabrook
Seventh-inning stretch song – Deep in the Heart of Texas
Section 109, Row R, Seat 7 (same seat as Thursday)
Tanner Roark and Daniel Murphy made their first game appearances since
returning from the World Baseball Classic, so the Nats had what looked like a
regular season lineup on the field. (Although Houston used Carlos Beltran as
their DH, Washington elected to let Roark hit for himself.) Tanner was in fine
form, allowing only one run before exiting with one out in the sixth after 73
pitches to a standing ovation. Solis, Kelley, Romero, and Treinen blanked the
Astros the rest of the way.
The batter’s box wasn’t an especially safe place in the first few
innings. Roark plunked Bregman in the first and Gurriel in the second. In the
top of the third, after Murphy beat the shift with a one-out single to left, Houston
starter Lance McCullers got Harper and Rendon (although Bryce wanted to decline
the base and take his swings). Werth then put the Nats on the board with a long
sac fly.
Washington broke things open and chased McCullers the following inning.
With one out, following a Zimmerman double and a Wieters single (and a wild
pitch advancing Matt), Turner grounded to second – Zim looked like an easy out,
but somehow managed to avoid the tag at the plate. Murph then doubled into the
right-field corner to easily score Wieters and Trea.
This was a home game for Astros in their shared ballpark, which meant
Astros programs on sale and plenty of appearances by quirky-but-cute green
mascot Orbit. No Racing Presidents, and the Washington player photos didn’t
appear on the scoreboard when they batted, although there seemed to be more
Nats than Astros fans in the stands.
Splurged on a “Diablo Burger” (lettuce, tomato, pepper jack cheese and
jalapenos) – large and tasty, but definitely not a bargain at 12 bucks.
I arrived at the complex around 11:15 and got to see the last several
innings of a pitchers’ BP contest – starters (Max, Stras, Gio, Ross) vs.
relievers (Guthrie, Albers, Worley, Nathan). No infielders or baserunning
(except for ghost runners), with the two teams taking turns batting and playing
the outfield. Coach-pitch until the last two innings, when they used the
machine. Quite competitive, as the final score was 20-19, with Gio making a
game-saving catch in right to end it.
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