Sheffield hits three-run homer to lead New York
The road was not any kinder to the Nationals than their own home stadium had been.
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After a difficult 11-game homestand where Washington won just two games total, a seven-game trip began with yet another loss — this time to the New York Mets at Citi Field, 5-2.
Gary Sheffield hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning and the bullpen carried the Mets’ lead the rest of the way as they pulled to within a half-game of first place Philadelphia in the National League East at 24-20.
The Nats, meanwhile, dropped to 13-31 and again fell back to 18 games under .500. Starter John Lannan got through the first five innings before the Mets finally got to him in the four-run sixth. Sheffield hit a controversial three-run homer in that frame when a fan reached over the fence in left field and caught his fly ball by leaning over a railing. But umpires ruled the play a homer on the field and — after a 10-minute review using Major League Baseball’s new replay system – apparently determined the camera angle was inconclusive.
New York was in good shape either way. If umpires had reversed the call it still would have been an RBI ground-rule double for Sheffield, a 2-1 lead and runners at second and third with none out. As it turned out, New York led 4-1. Lannan walked the next batter, David Wright, who later scored on a sacrifice fly by Ramon Martinez.
Mets reliever Bobby Parnell tried to give it right back in the seventh. He gave up a single and walked three batters, including Ryan Zimmerman with the bases loaded. But two relievers followed and helped New York escape the jam. Washington also had runners at first and second with none out in the eighth, but Mets reliever J.J. Putz got out of that one as well. Closer Francisco Rodriguez finished the Nats in the ninth, allowing a base hit to Nick Johnson and walking Adam Dunn.
Report Card
Most Valuable Player
Long the bane of Mets fans everywhere, the bullpen came through on Memorial Day. After taking 5-1 lead in the sixth, J.J. Putz helped them escape a bases-loaded jam in seventh and pitched out of a first-and-second no-out problem in eighth.
All-Star Performance
Gary Sheffield — with a little help from a Mets fan in left field — belted a three-run HR during the four-run sixth inning to help New York take a 5-1 lead. Sheffield batted 2-for-3 and scored a run.
Overlooked
Fredericksburg native John Maine likes to torment his hometown team. Did it again Monday, allowing one run in six innings of work. Maine did walk three batters, but gave up just four hits and struck out four.
Oops!
John Lannan a hard-luck victim in sixth. With two on, a fan clearly reached over fence to grab Gary Sheffield fly ball. Play ruled HR by umpires — who somehow took another 10 minutes to confirm that wrong call via replay.
From the Dugout
Manny Acta used Daniel Cabrera for the first time in his new reliever role — a change made early last week. Cabrera walked three batters in seventh inning and had a wild pitch.
Jerry Manuel used relievers Pedro Feliciano and J.J. Putz to get out of bases-loaded, one-out jam in the seventh with Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns at bat.
