After a 8-2 home opening loss to the Mets, the Nationals looked to bounce back in game two of the series.
A few pregame developments:
- Enny Romero designated for assignment
- C Miguel Montero put on paternity leave/Jhonatan Solano called up as backup catcher
- Matt Reynolds called up
Washington – After a tough Thursday evening where the Mets hitters roughed up Stephen Strasburg and Brandon Kintzler to win big, the Nationals looked to take one with Gio Gonzalez on the hill. Here’s how they lined up for game two:
Trea Turner SS
Anthony Rendon 3B
Bryce Harper RF
Ryan Zimmerman 1B
Howie Kendrick 2B
Michael Taylor CF
Brian Goodwin LF
Pedro Severino C
Gio Gonzalez P
There’s a lot to unpack here as it was a rough day for batters and home plate umpire Marty Foster. From the first inning, it was a pitcher friendly strike zone, which was taken exception to. There was plenty of complaining, mostly from the Nationals side and in the third inning it boiled over.
Anthony Rendon, on his second at bat of the day – both of which he felt were called incorrectly – got ejected for simply saying nothing.
Anthony Rendon got ejected for this? pic.twitter.com/2moGgjPOWK
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) April 7, 2018
He tossed his bat, turned his head, and didn’t say a word. Foster ejected he and manager Dave Martinez shortly after. Martinez went out to argue on behalf of one of the team’s best hitters, threw his cap, scraped the white off the batters’ box, and retreated to the dugout. As many would say, “He got his money’s worth!”
Though controversial, Foster kept his inside zone and the players had no choice but to adjust. Gonzalez and Steven Matz (Mets starting pitcher) had a great day on the mound, but the Mets looked like the better team, once again. In the seventh inning, the Mets were able to tack on the game winning run off reliever Brandon Kintzler – who gave up the grand slam in the home opener – and the Nats were not able to battle back using the remaining innings.
The Nats have dropped four consecutive games and the Mets have won the series. They must find a way to get the bats going and drive in runs when there are runners in scoring position. It is early in the season and no reason to panic, but they must find a solution. Next game time is tomorrow April 8 at 8:00 pm vs the Mets. The Nats will have to salvage tomorrow’s game in order to avoid a sweep.
Post-game notes referencing to the ejections:
Anthony Rendon: “I don’t think I opened my mouth to chew gum.”
Quote from Crew Chief Joe West: “The pitch prior to the strikeout, he walked completely out of the hitter’s circle, which the hitters aren’t able to do. Marty said ‘we gotta play. You gotta get back in there.’ Then when he called strike three, he threw the bat. You have some options there and Marty felt what he did was showing him up worse than an equipment violation would have been, and that’s why he ejected him…”
