Adam Eaton is ready! Photo by Jim Osborn for TalkNats
The Nationals got blown-out in the final score of the home Opening Day 8-to-2 but it stayed close most of the day, and the Nationals were in a spot to pounce with bases loaded and no outs with their clean-up man, Ryan Zimmerman, stepping into the batter’s box. For Zim, like the Nats, it wasn’t meant to be. Zim popped up and the Nats unraveled after that without scoring and in fact Trea Turner was ejected from the game.
While Stephen Strasburg was not his sharpest, he exited in a 4-to-2 deficit. The real story could be Adam Eaton sprinting around the bases 270 feet from first base to home on an Anthony Rendon double where Eaton should have been out by 10 feet. It was a “bad” send, but Eaton scored on a poor relay throw by the Mets shortstop Jose Reyes. Shortly afterwards we were told Adam Eaton’s leg and ankle tightened up on him as he made the slide home.
The fans were treated to a game that was close for a while and it was another Opening Day sellout of over 42,000 fans. The day started with some great news about Mike Rizzo’s contract extended through the 2020 season, and the day ends with a game lost to the Nats division rivals and the “wait and see” on Adam Eaton’s leg.
Whether the big blow of the game was Conforto’s home run or Jay Bruce‘s grand slam, the Nats didn’t score a run from the point the game was tied 2-to-2. By the way, both Nationals runs were scored by Adam Eaton.
Trea Turner has been victimized by some poor umpiring. The charts back it up. This was the strikeout with bases loaded in the 6th inning.
This was the strikeout of Trea Turner in the 2nd inning which was under his knees.
UPDATE: The Nationals for precautionary reasons did an x-ray on Adam Eaton’s left ankle and it showed no damage. The key going forward is how he feels.
