June 28, 2021 – Nats 8, Mets 4

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mets-vs- nationals/2021/06/28/634620#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=wrap,game=634620

 

Weather: 90 degrees, partly cloudy.

Wind: 9 mph, out to CF.

Umpires: HP--Ceja, 1B--Holbrook, 2B--Segal, 3B--Wolf.

Time: 3:03

Attendance - 19,150

Seats: Section 314, Row J, Seats 19-20. On the aisle, last row back (actually on the concourse), directly behind home plate. (Of course, by force of habit, we initially went to our usual seats, only to be politely displaced in the top of the first inning.)

 

Trois étoiles:

#3 – Ryan Zimmerman. Zim’s appearance was short but significant, as he was double-switched into the game in the top of the 8^th, just as the Washington bullpen had let a once-comfortable 5-0 lead dwindle to 5-4. He made his one plate appearance count shortly thereafter, crushing the team’s fifth homer of the game with two men on to generate some sighs of relief in the stands (and presumably in the Nats’ dugout as well).

#2 – Paolo Espino. Making his second emergency start in two weeks – this time Erick Fedde was injured – Espino once again did his thing, soft-tossing five scoreless innings, allowing just five hits (all singles) and issuing no walks. Did I mention that he’s walked only four batters in his 35.2 innings this year? And did I mention that in-between those two starts, he also picked up his first major league save?

#1 – Kyle Schwarber. What’s left to say here? Once again he led off Washington’s portion of the proceedings with a massive home run, inspiring Trea Turner to send the very next pitch out of the park as well. He led off the 5^th with another solo shot, before singling for good measure in the 8^th. He now has a total of 15 home runs in his last 17 games, the only player in MLB history to legitimately do so. (Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, mumble mumble.)

 

It’s also worth noting that Baby Shark started in CF and contributed a homer and a double, in front of what seemed to be a crowd more populated with kids than for our other games this year.

 

Three of us had an uneventful ride down on Metro, arriving a bit later than planned but with plenty of Davey Martinez bobbleheads still to be had. (I’m sure it was more accident than planning that the paid attendance was just over 19,000, with 20,000 bobbleheads to be given out.) I had the chicken tenders with fries (meh). My seatmate got an offer he couldn’t refuse: buy one slice of pizza now, and get a second slice at no extra charge once they were baked. It turned out to be a good evening to run into folks we hadn’t seen for a while, and our seats were in the shade and surprisingly comfortable given the heat. To make the day complete, a friend gave us a ride back to Shady Grove, so I got home well before midnight.