Through 7 innings the Nationals were ahead 1-0 and the game was barely two hours young. I had said to my mom in passing that a game like this usually sees the game get tied up in the 9th and ends up going 15 innings. We had hopes of getting home by 10pm as Met after Met were being set down by Nationals starter Ross Detwiler. When the Nationals tacked on an insurance run in the 8th inning and Tyler Clippard warming up, the game felt all but over. It hadn't been an exciting game by any stretch of the imagination, the temperature was hovering in the low 90's, but a night at the ballpark is still better than a normal night.
Then along game the 9th inning. Everything was about to change and I got this close to crossing off a bucket list item. Let me set the stage. Two on, one out and Jordany Valdespin stepping to the plate as a pinch hitter. He hit one far, he hit one deep...he hit one...RIGHT AT ME!!
*Inner monologue time* Okay Jason, don't screw this us...dammit I should have brought my glove. Don't drop it, you're on television.
This was the scene:
But, alas, the ball drifted just to the right of me and bounced off the finger of some dude who was asking when did the Mets sign Miguel Tejada earlier in the game after seeing Ruben Tejada at the plate. He was having fun. I must say that my beard comes though well on television though.
The Mets now led 3-2 and it was up to the scrappy Nationals to even it up in the 9th. With two outs in the ninth, Danny Espinosa laced a base hit to bring home Ian Desmond and to extra innings we went. I had a shot at that 15 inning game!
The score did not remain deadlocked very long as Josh 'T-HOLE' (as Mets fans were chanting) split the outfield with a go ahead double. Nats fans were bummed, Mets fans were...well you know. In the bottom of the frame, Nationals backup catcher Jhonatan Solano started it off with a hit. Steve Lombardozzi bunted him to second and that brought up Bryce Harper.
My mom had said that Harper hadn't done much tonight, but not after his next swing. He absolutely blistered a ball over the right fielders' head and off the wall for a triple and the game was once again knotted up...this time at 4! THE HARPER!!!!
After two intentional walks and a force out at the plate, the Nationals had the bases loaded and two out when Mets reliever Pedro Beato uncorked a wild pitch allowing Ryan Zimmerman to scamper home with the winning run. It was rather exciting for a July game, but its games like this that will make the games in September and potentially October enthralling.
It was very refreshing to see the team pick up Tyler Clippard who blew only his second save of the season and had been pretty much lights out for them all year.
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Tonight I have a baseball game. 30,000 fans will not be showing up. We should have about 8 fans. I play with the Falls Church News Hounds in the DC Wood 18+ Wooden Bat League. We are the two time defending champs and tonight is our first playoff game in the best of three first round series. We'll be playing the team that we beat in the Finals last year.
That series was close and very intense. This year neither team was nearly as good as both teams lost some key players, but I am expecting some quality baseball this week. Our starting pitcher, Dave Acosta, is a hard throwing (low to mid 80's with ease) lefty. He should be playing in a better league, but I won't complain.
Hopefully this season ends with another one of these:
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