Fernando Rodney (Photo by Tom Cicotello @42skidoo for TalkNats)
It was déjà vu all over again with another bullpen blown save and loss. Tonight’s blown save came in the 8th inning as Fernando Rodney gave up a leadoff home run to the light hitting Luis Guillorme who had not hit a home run this year, and that tater blew the 3-2 Nats lead then the Mets scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly. Juan Soto had two home runs and all three of the Nats’ RBIs which were a consolation prize in another devastating loss.
The Nats were 1-6 in RISP spots in this game, but they also could not make contact for a productive out. The Nats had baserunners most of the night with eight hits and two walks, but if it was not for Soto the Nationals would have been shutout.
Nats starter Patrick Corbin had a good start and went toe-to-toe with Mets starter Noah Syndergaard as both starters gave up two runs in the game and neither figured into the decision.
“I don’t think it’s [CitiField],” manager Dave Martinez said. “You’re looking at a Mets team that’s surging right now. They’re hitting home runs. We just got to make our pitches and keep battling. Like I said, I believe in the guys, and we got to stay in the fight. That’s all it takes. We got a lot of baseball left. I’ll tell you that right now.”
The Nationals now hold a narrow ½ game lead in the Wild Card race with the Mets one game behind the Nationals. The surging Mets tonight leapfrogged the Phillies who lost earlier, and the NL East is getting tighter.
