Nationals vs Mets, Game 3

[Dave in Fairfax]

at

New York Metropolitans at Washington Nationals, Game 3 of a 4-Game Series, 2nd Game of a Double-Header
When: Saturday, September 26, 2020, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Nationals Park
Weather: at game time, 71°, cloudy, 5% chance of precipitation

New York Mets

Rick Porcello (RHP, 1-6, 5.46)

1. Brandon Nimmo (L) RF
2. Jeff McNeil (L) LF
3. Robinson Canó (L) DH
4. Pete Alonso (R) 1B
5. Todd Frazier (R) 3B
6. Luis Guillorme (L) 2B
7. Amed Rosario (R) SS
8. Guillermo Heredia (R) CF
9. Robinson Chirinos (R) C

Washington Nationals

Aníbal Sánchez (RHP, 3-5, 6.80)

1. Andrew Stevenson (L) LF
2. Trea Turner (R) SS
3. Juan Soto (L) RF
4. Yadiel Hernández (L) DH
5. Brock Holt (L) 1B
6. Kurt Suzuki (R) C
7. Luis García (L) 2B
8. Josh Harrison (R) 3B
9. Michael A. Taylor (R) CF

Happy National Good Neighbor Day!

Today in baseball history in 1981, Nolan Ryan threw his fifth no hitter. Baseball birthdays include Bobby Shantz (b. 1925), Steve Buechele (b. 1961), Chris Archer (b. 1988), and our own Dave Martinez (b. 1964) and Sean Doolittle (b. 1986).

Other birthdays include John Chapman (1774-1845), AKA Johnny Appleseed, physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), King Christian X of Denmark (1870-1947), who led his country through the German occupation from 1940 to 1945, poet and playwright T.S. Eliot (1888-1965), philosopher and boozy beggar Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), Pope Paul VI (1897-1978), composer George Gershwin (1898-1937), fitness guru Jack LaLanne (1914-2011), actress Donna Douglas (1932-2015), best known as Elly May Clampett, actor Kent McCord (b. 1942), best known as Jim Reed from Adam 12, singer and actress Olivia Newton-John (b. 1948), actress Linda Hamilton (b. 1956), actor Jim Caviezel (b. 1968), tennis player Serena Williams (b. 1981).

Today is also the 102nd anniversary of the start of the Meuse–Argonne Offensive, which ran from 26 September to 11 November 1918. It was the second deadliest campaign in U.S. military history, after the Battle of Normandy (6 June - 25 August 1944) and the largest offensive ever conducted by the U.S. Army up to that point.

Previous game's hero (image from the Nats' Twitter feed):

[imref]

Let’s win two

[aspenbubba]

The lineups are available on ESPN. Cabrerra is still not in the line up with Holt playing 1B. Anyone know why?

[Dave in Fairfax]

Lineups and game time updated. The only changes to the Nats lineup from game 1 are Suzuki behind the plate and MAT in center field.

[imref]

Bo making a strong case to keep Holt and Harrison

[Dave in Fairfax]

Bo making a strong case to keep Holt and Harrison

They are both versatile veterans, but Bo saying they both play 7 positions is kind of an exaggeration since that includes the DH and Holt's 1 1/3 innings pitched. So it's really 6 and 5 defensive positions, plus the DH, and if we never have to put a position player on the mound we are better off.

[Dave in Fairfax]

Play ball!

[Dave in Fairfax]

Good 1-2-3 start to the game for Anibal. And even Robby C. got a kick out of that one pitch.

[imref]

Pretty obvious we’d be in the playoffs if Stevenson was playing every day all season long 

[Natsinpwc]

Pretty obvious we’d be in the playoffs if Stevenson was playing every day all season long

Classic small sample size overreaction.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Pretty obvious we’d be in the playoffs if Stevenson was playing every day all season long 

he looked good last year in small time. Actually had more PHs than Adams and anyone not named Kendrick or Parra. If there wasn't a glow around MAT, I thought they'd dave $2.5MM and use Stevenson as 4th OF.

[aspenbubba]

I’ve seen enough of Taylor. He is just awful.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I’ve seen enough of Taylor. He is just awful.

don't expect more than he is and he will not disappoint. He's a good d, fast guy with occasional power and no ability to hit for average. If Ks really bother you, you'll hate him, but he seems to have some clutch skill.

[Dave in Fairfax]

That did not look like a HR when it left the bat.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

That did not look like a HR when it left the bat.

do tell: I am trying to follow the game from the thread.

[Dave in Fairfax]

do tell: I am trying to follow the game from the thread.

It was a liner that looked like it might make it to the wall and bounce, until it was over the wall.

[Dave in Fairfax]

And Yadiel with an RBI double!

[Dave in Fairfax]

And Suzuki with an RBI knock!

[Dave in Fairfax]

And Suzuki with a steal of second! 

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Big collision on first base line

[Dave in Fairfax]

Alonso boots the ball. Porcello and Garcia collide on the way to first, both banged up a bit. Runners on the corners. Harrison knocks in Suzuki. Still runners on the corners with 2 outs.

[Dave in Fairfax]

And Michael A. with a liner the shortstop can't handle. 5-0 with runners on 1st and 2nd.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

It's like these guys thought it was a 162 game season and not 60

[Dave in Fairfax]

Stevenson begins and ends the inning, with 5 runs in between.

[Dave in Fairfax]

do tell: I am trying to follow the game from the thread.

If you are not watching the game, then you also missed the mariposa, Anibal's 60 mph change-up that Cano could not catch up to. Cano doubles the second time up now in the fourth, and Alonso homers. 5-2 and it is raining.