SB Nation New York - Mets 4, Nationals 1: Gee Is A Whiz Kid For Metshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48977/ny-fave.png2010-09-07T22:06:49-04:00http://newyork.sbnation.com/rss/stream/14385822010-09-07T22:06:49-04:002010-09-07T22:06:49-04:00Gee Pitches Seven Outstanding Innings
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<p>Washington, DC (Sports Network) – Dillon Gee was sensational in his major league debut, carrying a no-hitter through five innings, as the New York Mets topped the Washington Nationals, 4-1.</p>
<p>Gee (1-0) allowed just one run on two hits in seven spectacular innings, walking three and fanning four while adding an <span class="caps">RBI</span> single in his first at-bat for the Mets, who came into Tuesday with six losses in eight games.</p>
<p>The 24-year-old rookie did his best impression of the man he replaced, Johan Santana, who had his start skipped due to a pectoral strain. Ike Davis added a three-run homer in the win.</p>
<p>Willie Harris’ homer broke up the no-hit bid, as the Nats failed again in their attempt to win four straight games this season. Washington fell to 0-7 this season after winning three consecutive contests.</p>
<p>The Nationals’ starter also made his major league debut, albeit a less successful one. Cuban Yuneski Maya (0-1) gave up four runs on five hits and two walks in five innings.</p>
<p>The Mets used one swing of the bat to jump out into the lead early. Luis Hernandez singled with one out in the first inning, and Carlos Beltran followed with another base hit. Davis put New York ahead by three with his 18th home run of the year — a shot to right.</p>
<p>Gee helped his own cause in his first at-bat in the second. Ruben Tejada laced a one-out double, and Gee followed with an <span class="caps">RBI</span> base hit to right field for a 4-0 margin.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Gee was nearly flawless. He retired the first seven batters he faced until a walk to Wilson Ramos. Another seven consecutive outs followed for the rookie, before Danny Espinosa drew a two-out walk in the fifth.</p>
<p>Gee carried his no-hitter into the sixth, but it was quickly spoiled by Harris’ leadoff homer to left. The Nationals, though, couldn’t manage any more offense in the inning.</p>
<p>After Gee pitched a scoreless seventh, Pedro Feliciano and Bobby Parnell combined to get through the eighth without allowing a run.</p>
<p>Hisanori Takahashi came on for the save and allowed singles to both Ryan Zimmerman and pinch-hitter Alberto Gonzalez to put runners on the corners with one out. Pinch-hitter Ivan Rodriguez, though, grounded into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.</p>
<p>Takahashi earned his fourth save.</p>
<p>The last time two starting pitchers both made their major league debut in the same game was Detroit’s Rick Porcello and Toronto’s Ricky Romero on April 4, 2009…This is the first instance of two starting pitchers making their major league debut in Washington since September 17, 1909…The Nationals lead the season series, 8-6.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2010/9/7/1675610/gee-pitches-seven-outstanding-innings-for-metsEd Valentine2010-09-07T12:36:40-04:002010-09-07T12:36:40-04:00Mets @ Nationals: Who Are These Pitchers?
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<p>(Sports Network) - With the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/washington-nationals">Washington Nationals</a> already looking ahead to next year -- and maybe even 2012 given Stephen Strasburg's need for Tommy John surgery -- a couple of young players are looking to show the team they can contribute.</p>
<p>No one has been better at that than <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/70539/Danny_Espinosa">Danny Espinosa</a>.</p>
<p>The former 2008 third-round pick will aim to show his stuff again tonight, when the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a> shoot for a season-high fourth straight win in the middle contest of a three-game set with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/new-york-mets">New York Mets</a> at Nationals Park.</p>
<p>Expected to be Washington's everyday second baseman as early as next season, the 23-year-old made the start at shortstop in Monday's opener and went 4- for-5 with a pair of homers, including a sixth-inning grand slam, and six RBI in a 13-3 rout of New York.</p>
<p>Through five games since his September call-up, Espinosa is 9-for-16 with three homers and 10 RBI.</p>
<p>"These are big weeks for me," Espinosa said. "I just want to play well, play hard and I feel if I stay within myself and play my game, things will go my way."</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/277/Ivan_Rodriguez">Ivan Rodriguez</a> added three RBI and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31274/Roger_Bernadina">Roger Bernadina</a> scored three times for the Nationals, who have won a season high-tying three straight for the second time in less than two weeks.</p>
<p>The Nationals, though, did lose outfielder <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/955/Willie_Harris">Willie Harris</a> in the third inning after he crashed hard into the wall trying to make a catch. He came out of the game due to dizziness and is day-to-day.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/69238/Josh_Thole">Josh Thole</a> drove in two runs for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a>, who have lost six of eight on a 10- game road trip. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/912/Mike_Pelfrey">Mike Pelfrey</a> was tagged for six runs on five hits with three walks over 3 2/3 innings to take the loss.</p>
<p>"We had a 3-0 lead and he was kind of cruising and then kind of lost it," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said of his starter. "<span>Mike Pelfrey</span> is still a young pitcher. He's going to be a tremendous pitcher at some point in his career. I think he'll soon be a guy that will be counted on as someone that you know what you're going to get from him every time out."</p>
<p>Given that both teams are out of the playoff race, it isn't surprising that a pair of starters will be making their major league debuts in this game.</p>
<p>For the Mets, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/69235/Dillon_Gee">Dillon Gee</a> steps in for an injured <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/733/Johan_Santana">Johan Santana</a>, who left his last start on Thursday after five innings due to a pectoral muscle strain.</p>
<p>"It's recommended that he skip this start," Manuel said of Santana on New York's website. "He wants to pitch, he feels like he can pitch through it, but I don't feel it's worth it to push him at this particular time. It's not in the best interest of the organization to push him at this particular point."</p>
<p>Gee, a 24-year-old righty, was 13-8 with a 4.96 earned run average with Triple-A Buffalo and led the International League with 165 strikeouts.</p>
<p>His counterpart tonight is 29-year-old Cuban <span>Yuneski Maya</span>, who signed a four- year deal with the Nationals on July 31 and gave up two runs -- one earned -- over 10 1/3 innings and two starts with Triple-A Syracuse.</p>
<p>The right-hander pitched in the World Baseball Classic in both 2006 and '09 and won Cuba's version of the Cy Young Award during his final season with Pinar Del Rio Vegueros after going 13-4 with a 2.22 ERA and seven complete games.</p>
<p>"I felt good in the minors," Maya told Washington's website. "My arm is at 100 percent, and I feel really good. It's a hard league in Triple-A, with a lot of veteran hitters that are pretty selective. I faced pretty tough hitters, but I felt pretty good."</p>
<p>The Nationals have won eight of 13 versus the Mets this year, including four of seven in Washington.</p>
https://newyork.sbnation.com/2010/9/7/2320606/mets-nationals-who-are-these-pitchersEd Valentine