Nats Rough Up Sosa In Opener, 6-2

By Joe Janish
Posted Saturday, July 28, 2007

Apparently, someone forgot to tell the Washington Nationals that they were supposed to roll over and lose to the Mets amicably.

The worst-hitting team in MLB — the one that’s averaging less than four runs per game — crossed the plate six times against the Mets in gaining their 44th win of the season. Crafty lefty Mike Bacsik threw pus-balls for seven innings, scattering eight hits and allowing only two runs. The only Met to accumulate more than one hit was Carlos Delgado, who blasted two singles.

Jorge Sosa pitched six non-solid innings, allowing nine hits, three walks, two homers, and five runs. With each start, he is looking more and more like the 2006 version that went 3-13.

Sosa got through the first inning OK, then was the victim of a Doublemint commercial in the second, as the punchless Nationals found the strength to hit four two-baggers in five minutes, scoring three runs. The Mets came roaring back with a run when Lastings Milledge bounced into a double play, but Ryan Church hit a solo homer in the third to make the score 4-1.

The Mets scored again, and for the last time, in the fifth when Shawn Green doubled and scored on a Damion Easley single. However, the Nats came back in the sixth with another homer — this of the leadoff variety — by Austin Kearns. They scored their sixth run in the eighth off the previously invincible Pedro Feliciano.

Notes

Hmmm … bright spot, bright spot … there had to be one somewhere … ah yes, just-promoted Jon Adkins pitched a perfect seventh inning, retiring three batters on nine pitches. Aaron Heilman also pitched a nearly perfect inning (scoreless), the ninth, but finally allowed a hit.

Next Game

Day / night doubleheader on Saturday, with game one starting at 12:10 PM and game two commencing at 7:10 PM. El Duque vs. Tim Redding in the first game, then Mike Pelfrey tries not to lose against Billy Traber in the nightcap.