June 20, 2021 – Nats 5, Mets 2

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mets-vs- nationals/2021/06/20/633557#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=wrap,game=633557

 

Weather: 90 degrees, Partly Cloudy.

Wind: 3 mph, R To L.

Umpires: HP--Fairchild, 1B--Danley, 2B--Hamari, 3B--Bucknor.

Time: 2:49

Attendance - 30,371

Seats: Back in our usual seats for the second time – Section 313, Row E, Seats 18-19

 

Trois étoiles:

#3 – Kyle Finnegan. After Nats starter Patrick Corbin stumbled a bit to start the 7^th, giving up a Pete Alonso homer that cut the Nats lead to a single run and then walking Kevin Pillar, Finnegan entered the game and emphatically snuffed out the Mets’ momentum, needing only 5 pitches to retire left-handed pinch-hitters Dominic Smith (on a double-play grounder) and Billy McKinney (on 3 called strikes).

#2 – Patrick Corbin. On an extremely hot and humid afternoon, Corbin was nearly flawless for his first 6 innings of work, allowing a leadoff Pillar HR in the second but otherwise giving up only two harmless singles while fanning 7.

#1 – Kyle Schwarber. Continuing his ridiculously hot homestand by homering to lead off the 1^st and the 5^th, and adding some badly-needed insurance with a 2-run shot in the bottom of the 7^th.

 

Moment of the game – “Baby Shark” Gerardo Parra, in his first major league game since the 2019 World Series, received an extended, enthusiastic welcome-back from the largest Washington crowd when he pinch-hit in the bottom of the 7^th. Naturally, he doubled on the second pitch he saw, just ahead of Schwarber’s third blast of the day.

 

It’s hard to find much to complain about after a 3-1 series win over the first-place Mets and an 8-3 homestand overall. Even the heat wasn’t too bad (for us, anyway) once the shade reached our seats a couple of innings into the game. True, Nando’s online ordering system didn’t work for us at all, but our food was delivered quickly. And Google Maps again provided a different (and reportedly quicker) trip back, keeping us out of Virginia entirely (via Independence Ave., the Whitehurst Freeway, Canal Road, and the Clara Barton Parkway).