Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Nats 6, Mets 2 - This Result Could Have Been Predicted the Minute the Lineup Card Was Written Out

"Guys, I'm dying."

Well, this was a bad night. About two hours before game time it flashed on the MLB Network crawl during the Dodgers-Pirates game that David Wright wouldn't be playing due to a jammed finger. Having already heard that Ike Davis would be sitting out to A) not currently being able to hit a baseball and B) facing a tough lefty I pretty much figured that offensive opportunities tonight would be limited at best. 

That was the case as Ross Detwiler looked absolutely baffling, throwing five scoreless innings. In fact, pretty much the only reason the Mets got any runs at all was that he was removed after five innings due to pitch count concerns.  

As it turns out, David Wright has a broken pinkie!  Yay!  You would think that it would be a huge step down from his .667 batting average to his replacement, Ronnie Cedeno, but Cedeno went 3-for-4.  It was the rest of the lineup that was out of whack, with Murphy going hitless in the three hole (and spoiling three potential double plays, giving the Nats at least four more outs), and Duda going hitless again.  Jason Bay actually DID something, driving a double off the wall to lead off the seventh, but by the time Justin Turner drove him in the game was pretty much out of reach.  

Dillon Gee looked all right before departing in the 6th, having given up four runs, three earned, and striking out six.  Before anyone really knew the game had started he had served up a leadoff homer to Ian Desmond, so that probably wasn't a good strategy.  

So, 4-1 with a huge game tomorrow as Santana will face Strasburg in the battle of the surgically repaired aces whose last name starts with "S".  I'm hoping and praying that the Mets can go to Philly with a 5-1 record, but this injury to Wright is frustrating, because everyone pretty much says that they've been feeding off his hot start.  If he's out any extended period of time, any kind of good will and momentum the team has built up is straight down the dumper.  

Also, poor Ike Davis looked so silly in the Mets last chance to fight back into the game in the seventh when, with the Mets down by four, he struck out on three straight curveballs with two men on to end the inning.  Start hitting the ball, Ike!  Nothing cures valley fever like a prescription of dingers.  

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