Down 3-2 entering the top of the 8th inning the Nationals were looking for a little magic.
Anthony Rendon stepped up and delivered the game-tying home run. Three batters later, with Juan Soto on second base following a single, Wilmer Difo came through: Launching a two-strike, two-out, two-run home run into the second deck of the right-field stands to give the Nationals their first lead of the game at 5-3.
The bullpen had already given the Nats three outs:
Kyle Barraclough pitched a scoreless 7th inning in relief of Patrick Corbin, who managed 6 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs, 3 HRs, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts, and a no-decision.
Facing the heart of the Mets lineup, manager
Dave Martinez went to Justin Miller. It did not go well.
Within ten pitches the game was tied: Pete Alonso launched a home run to center and Robinson Cano went deep to right. Lead gone.
Davey Martinez, with #Nats struggling bullpen, fell into conventional wisdom trap of "Closer pitches the 9th."Up 5-3, used Justin Miller not Sean Doolittle in 8th vs. #Mets' 2-3-4 hitters of Pete Alonso, Robinson Cano, J.D Davis. Result: HR, HR, single.
— Ben Krimmel (@BenKrimmel)
April 6, 2019 The guys that are reliable become unreliable because of overuse due to unreliable guys being, you know, unreliable. pic.twitter.com/EI1so3HRiy
— danny rouhier (@funnydanny)
April 6, 2019 The Nationals entered the day with an MLB-worst 9.64 bullpen ERA -- and that ERA has actually gone UP today.Not easy to do.
— Paul Casella (@paul_casella)
April 6, 2019 Miller did induce a double-play ball from Wilson Ramos after allowing a single, but was then lifted for left hander Tony Sipp.
Sipp would face three batters. Michael Conforto doubled, pinch-hitter Jeff McNeil was plunked on a 1-2 pitch, and Keon Broxton singled to give the Mets a 6-5 lead.
"Got close, but didn't have a put-away pitch," Sipp said after the game.
Wander Suero entered to get the final out when McNeil got caught off third base, but it was too late. The 8th inning implosion was complete.
"We gotta figure that 8th inning," Martinez said.
"Guys have got to come in and throw strikes and get hitters out. That's the bottom line," Martinez told reporters after the game. "You put them in positions where you think they're going to succeed and they've got to come in and do the job."
Again, there were calls for the Nationals to bring in reinforcements. The name on every Nats fans' lips:
Craig Kimbrel.
For immediate bullpen assistance, please dial: 1-800- KIM-BREL. Please. Reach out. Help a bullpen. Save a season today.
— danny rouhier (@funnydanny)
April 6, 2019 Live look inside Kimbrel’s brain: pic.twitter.com/2JKLNTKAFX
— Todd Dybas (@Todd_Dybas)
April 6, 2019 Wow. This bullpen tho....
— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli)
April 6, 2019 However, the Nationals may not be willing to shell out the requisite cash for the top free agent left unemployed.
“It’s a pretty severe penalty if you go over and it’s been our goal all year to stay under that,” Lerner told NBC Sports Washington.
Nationals GM
Mike Rizzo echoed that sentiment when the team signed Sipp to a modest contract. “We think he’s a really good value for us. It was time for him to sign, and we have opportunities for him,” he said.
And Rizzo in March: “I think we’ve got a really talented team that we’ve put together within the parameters of what we wanted to do,” Rizzo said. “We’re under the (luxury tax) and that’s where we want to stay.”
So, what will it be?
Facing mounting pressure, the Nationals fanbase may be on the brink of a meltdown. (And that's without mentioning
Trevor Rosenthal.)
The Nationals bullpen squandered a two-run lead in yet another catastrophic inning. A feel-good win has likely been rendered a painful loss. This time Justin Miller and Tony Sipp collapsed.
— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen)
April 6, 2019 The #poopypen strikes again.
— The Junkies (@JunksRadio)
April 6, 2019 The Nationals have allowed 40 runs this season.The Nationals have allowed 17 runs in the eighth inning this season.That’s 42.5 percent in one inning.
— Todd Dybas (@Todd_Dybas)
April 6, 2019 me when the bullpen enters the game pic.twitter.com/rQFkC7b8cl
— Danny (@recordsANDradio)
April 6, 2019 #PoopyPen #OnePursuit
— Josh Luckenbaugh (@JLuck42)
April 6, 2019 Ooof.
