September 5, 2021 – Mets 13, Nats 6

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mets-vs- nationals/2021/09/05/632598#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=wrap,game=632598

 

Weather: 79 degrees, cloudy

Wind: 9 mph, out to RF

Umpires: HP--Hoberg, 1B--Diaz, 2B--May, 3B--Welke.

Time: 3:35

Attendance - 22,162

 

Trois étoiles:

#3 – Jeuris Familia. After starter Marcus Stroman surrendered 3 runs in the top of the 5^th, allowing the Nats to tie the game at 6, Familia was summoned with runners on first and second to prevent further damage. He maintained the tie by fanning Carter Kieboom and Riley Adams, sandwiched around an errant slider that plunked Andrew Stevenson.

#2 – The rest of the Mets bullpen. Miguel Castro, Aaron Loup, Trevor May, and Yennsy Diaz held Washington hitless over the final four innings.

#1 – The New York offense. Each of the first 7 men in the batting order reached base at least twice, and managed to score and/or drive in at least two runs.

 

For the third time in this four-game series, the Nats fell behind early, rallied to tie the game, but never managed to take the lead. This afternoon the damage started early, as Josiah Gray gave up four runs in the first inning, the first three of which crossed the plate before he retired a single batter. The home team answered in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff homer by Lane Thomas and a two-run Josh Bell blast, but Gray allowed a solo dinger in each of the next two frames before his day was mercifully terminated after 82 pitches. Patrick Murphy and Mason Thompson worked two scoreless innings each before the visitors pushed across the go-ahead run in the top of the 8^th. The New Yorkers ended all realistic hopes for another Washington comeback an inning later, as all six batters to face Austin Voth scored, beginning with a leadoff homer by Francisco Lindor and concluding with a Kevin Pillar grand slam.

 

Traffic in both directions was light, and we took advantage of our even-earlier-than-usual arrival to dine at the nearby Buffalo Wild Wings. There was rain for much of the afternoon – not enough to affect the game, but enough so that I spent much of my time out on the concourse.