Way to go, Girls!

May 15, 2008

Ah, that softball girls line is going to be the gift that keeps on giving! So our unprofessional bush-league team just took the series from the Mets 3-1. Sweet! Who’s embarrassed and ashamed now? Welcome back, Jason Bergmann! He allowed three hits over 7 innings, walking two and striking out 9. I can’t wait to read the pummeling the Mets are going to get for their baserunning issues in today’s game. They could have taken a one run lead early in the bottom of the third when Austin Kearns dropped a fly ball, but they lazily trotted when they assumed the third out would be made. Whoops!

Check out this play-by-play description for a sweet play by Aaron Boone:

Bottom 8th: NY Mets
- L. Castillo sacrificed into double play third to first to shortstop, J. Reyes out at third

A sac double play - that’s a new one! Castillo hit a sac bunt and was thrown out at first by Zimmerman, advancing Reyes to 2nd, but Reyes got greedy (aggressive?), feeling speedy enough to take third as well. Aaron Boone fired to Cristian Guzman, who reached behind him to nail Jose Reyes with the tag ahead of the base, for a double play.

How do you spell relief? R-A-U-C-H

The Nats headed into the bottom of the 9th with a one run lead - in fact, the only run in the 1-0 game. Situational enough to cause indigestion in anyone (particular someone who had her favorite cheese fries AND chili for lunch!) Despite some hairy moments, Rauch got the job done with some spectacular help from the defense behind him.

Carlos Beltran started off by hitting a single. Ryan Church stepped into the batter’s box after him and I began fearing the trade would really come back to haunt us. I began thinking, “ok, if we split the series, that’s still respectable.” Church hit a fly down the left field line. Willie Harris sprinted across what appeared to be a vast yawning never-ending outfield. Just before the baseline, in a dolphin-like move, he arched as he dove and somehow snared the ball in his glove inches from the dirt, then skidded across the foul line chalk and dirt track on his belly. Wow. That saved the game right there, because Beltran stole second and Flores’s throw sailed into centerfield, giving him third with one out.

The magnificent game-ending double play again involved first baseman, Aaron Boone, playing in Nick Johnson’s absence. Carlos Delgado lined out to Boone, who looked up and fired to third for the out on Beltran who was already halfway home. Zimmerman casually (yet with purpose) stepped on the bag. Game over!

Final: Nationals 1 Mets 0
Series: Nationals 3 Mets 1

Posted in Gameday, MLB, Washington Nationals