The Mets got beat up by the Nationals? No, seriously. They did. Again.
YOU know you're struggling when you lose back-to-back games against the Nationals.
Washington beat the Mets for the second straight night on Wednesday, handing them a 3-1 defeat behind a stiffling pitching performance.
The Mets could only manage four hits and one walk against starting hurler Craig Stammen, who did not allow a baserunner until the 5th inning.
Stammen allowed just one run in 7.1 innings of solid work and the bullpen trio of Bergmann, Beimel and MacDougal did the rest, combining for 2.3 innings of perfect relief.
The Nats took the lead on Ronnie Belliard's sac fly in the 4th inning but the Mets tied the game at 1-1 in the 6th on an Angel Pagan triple to centre field.
But the Nationals regained the lead - which they would hold for good - in the bottom of the inning on a two-run homer to Josh Willingham - one of his four hits on the night.
The Mets fell to six games below .500 for the first time this season and the loss also meant they remained double-digit games behind the first-place Phillies.
I don't want to harp on about the injuries the Mets are dealing with - injuries are part of the game - but consider these numbers:
The Mets' makeshift lineup was the 67th different 1-through-8 formation used by Manuel this year.
Angel Berroa was the 6th different starting shortstop used by the Mets in 2009.
Cory Sullivan was the 8th different guy to start in left field this season and the 5th to start the game there in the last 29 games.
Since Carlos Beltran went on the DL one month ago, the Mets have used 9 different starting outfielders.
Jeff Francoeur almost gave the Mets the lead in the top of the 2nd when he sent Adam Dunn back to the warning track in left field and next batter Cory Sullivan was then robbed of an extra-base hit by Nyjer Morgan when the centrefielder ranged back to the wall.
Things didn't get any easier for the Mets when Luis Castillo was tossed out of the game in the home half of the inning after arguing a call at second base.
With the anaemic Mets offense struggling at the plate, the Nats soon took the lead.
Nick Johnson drew a one-out walk in the 4th inning, advanced to third base on Josh Willingham's double down the left field line and came home on Ronnie Belliard's RBI single.
For a moment, one run almost seemed enough. The Mets have been shut out in five of their last 14 contests and they are last in the NL in home runs and extra base hits.
Tied game
The Mets did however find parity in the 6th inning against Stammen, who entered the game with a 2-5 record and 4.48ERA in 11 starts, when Angel Pagan lined a two-out triple past Morgan in centre field.
Morgan hit cutoff man Christian Guzman who inexplicably threw the ball away in to the away dugout as Pagan came in to third base standing up.
With the game tied at 1-1, Pelfrey handed the lead right back in the bottom of the frame.
Adam Dunn led off the inning with what should have been a routine fly ball to right field.
But as Francoeur came in to snag the ball, he lost it in the lights, bailed out of the way and let the ball roll all the way to the wall, allowing Dunn to go to second base without a throw.
Pelfrey got Johnson to ground out on a sinker down and away but he left a hanging slider in the middle of the plate on a 2-1 count to Willingham to give the Nats a 3-1 advantage they would not relinquish.
It was the first time the Mets have lost back to back games against the Nationals since that fateful September last year
In the four games the Mets have lost against the Nationals, they have only scored three runs, losing 8-1, 7-1, 4-0 and 3-1.
By contrast, the two teams ahead of the Mets in the standings, the Phillies and Marlins, have beat up on the Nats to the tune of 19-2.
In want to finish with a seemingly obvious insight which has apparently been overlooked by the Mets.
Until Daniel Murphy drew a walk in the 6th inning, the Mets had gone 107 plate appearances without a base-on-balls. That is hideous.
They also made 15 of their 27 outs on ground balls, increasing their already league-worst 46 per cent.
Here's an idea: take pitches, draw walks and hit the ball out of the infield.
I know it sounds simple, but with millions of dollars of talent sidelined for the foreseeable future, I guess that is easier said than done.
Sounds like keystone cops out there between the Nats and Mets. I know the Mets are beat up right now, but this defensive ineptitude has plagued them all year long. Hard to win when you commit error after error. They Rays gave the Sox two extra outs last night and it cost them the game. Defense is the name of the game.
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How is Francoeur doing up there? Is he fitting in with the fans?
Ginny
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RaysFan - I gotta agree with you. Bad D will kill you. People talk about being strong up the middle, but when you have your corner infielders and outfielders coughing up the ball too, it will snuff out all your chances.
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I like your summary of the game, really good. The offense may have not shown up that much, and I've heard the Mets had the "easy scheduled" second half. We'll have to see if they can turn it around against the Astros in their park.
Matthew T.
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Dude, that banner at the top is wicked cool. As for the Mets... *YAWN*. It's over. Throw it in. Enjoy the comedy that is Jeff Francoeur and root, root, root for the Marlins to catch the Phils. Just a suggestion....
--Jeff
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Ginny - Francoeur has been doing pretty well actually. They have widened his stance and tried to sort out his foot tap before the pitch. he's batting over .300 and he's driven runners in in 5 of his 9 games. Mets fans are pretty fickle though, so it won't take losing many fly balls in the lights before they start getting on him. That said, he's a good defensive outfielder with a cannon of an arm. It was his offensive problems that were his downfall in Atlanta this year.
Matthew - thanks for stopping by. I'm looking forward to seeing how the Mets react to dropping the series to the Nats. Unless they start getting bounced around Minute Maid like Little Leaguers in which case my next post might not be quite so friendly.
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I accept! GOod luck with the crapper!
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Also no Mets left fielder has had a hit all month. I liked the pictures in the last post, especially the CC one. I also just went to yankee stadium for the first time this week, on Wednesday.
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Aw I'm sorry to hear that. Dont worry though, you will get your turn to beat up the Nats soon, I'm sure! & Haha! Yeah, I thought that video was pretty funny. Carl Pavano actually has won us 8 games this year, so that isn't to bad.
He's alright, I guess. http://tribechick.mlblogs.com/ -TC
I cant wait to blog about our win tommorow. I wont have time to blog about it today though.
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Love the banner - thanks for the shout out in it! - and yeah, I feel slightly better knowing that you lost two to the Nats. Not a whole lot - just slightly! :-)
Julia
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Hey thanks for stopping by and thanks for the comment! I didn't know I was on the mlblog homepage until I read your comment :]
For what it's worth, I love the Mets! I think they really are a talented team (despite the losses against the Nats..ouch) and boy you guys are lucky to have David Wright! That's a girly comment. :] hehe.
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Angel Beroa did well on the Dodgers. Good luck to your Mets.
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