Sunday’s series finale between the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies dragged on for 4 hours and 26 minutes. The game had the ultimate mixture of highs and lows.
An umpire took a foul ball off the head forcing him out of the game in the first inning. Nationals pitcher Austin Voth was hit in the face by a pitch. Both teams trotted out a total of 13 pitchers. Then in the eighth inning of a game that got away from the Nationals, the protive netting behind home plate collapsed at Citizens Bank Park over both teams dugouts in the eighth inning.
The Phillies led 12-6 by that point. And both teams were probably waiting to get the contest over. However, the netting had other ideas. Phillies grounds crew worked to get it back up, causing a 20-minute delay to an already prolonged game.
Nationals manager Dave Martinez said he grew upset with the game the moment Voth took a 90 miles per hour fastball to the face from Vince Velasquez. Voth suffered a broken nose. The totality of the events and circumstances made the day even more frustrating for Martinez.
“It was a crazy day,” Martinez said following the game, per Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports. “My mood really swung when I saw Voth get hit. From that moment on, I wasn’t happy. … But we had to keep playing the game. And then we start giving up all these runs. And then the net falls on our head. That was the topper of the day right there.”
Voth pitched a perfect two innings to start the game before leaving after the HBP. Wander Suero replaced him on the mound, throwing a unblemished third inning. However, the game got away from the Nationals from that point, starting with a 7-run fourth inning.
By the way the Phillies won the game by the score of 12-6 to win take two of three from the series. It’s a good thing the Nationals have an off day Monday. It may take time to get the long day at the office Sunday out of their minds.
