Return to story

luck turns for perez, offense

May 13, 2008 12:15 am

BY RICH CAMPBELL

NEW YORK

Perez wasn't in top pitching form, but he finally got the offensive support that had been missing in his previous eight starts. He survived a rocky first three innings, then reaped the benefits of an offensive breakout on a cold, windswept night at Shea Stadium.

"Baseball sometimes is crazy because sometimes you pitch and pitch and pitch and you get hit hard, they score six runs but your team scores 10," Perez said. "Sometimes you [give up] one or two runs and your team don't help you. I'm not worried about seeing these guys score 10 runs in a game. I know we are able to do it because the ability we have. We have great talent. I just need to do my job."

The Nationals snapped a three-game losing skid and won for the second time in seven games.

Perez's 0-3 record entering last night was more a reflection of his bad luck than the quality of his pitching. He had given up more than three runs in only one of his previous eight starts this season, but he simply hadn't gotten the necessary run support to build his win total on the stat sheet.

Over Perez's 44 innings entering yesterday, the Nationals scored a total--yes, total--of 13 runs while he was in the game. His run-support average of 2.62 per nine innings ranked 93rd in the National League.

Through it all, though, he maintained his cool and never publicized any frustration at the lack of run support.

His luck finally changed last night as the floodgates opened for Washington's offense. The Nationals' 10 runs were three more than they scored in the previous three games combined.

"We know he's going to come out and give us quality starts," center fielder Lastings Milledge said. "All we need is a couple runs, and he's going to go out and do the rest."

Ironically, Perez earned his first win since last Aug. 18 even though he was far from his best. He surrendered four runs on 11 hits and two walks while striking out five. The Mets had at least one hit in six of the seven innings Perez was in the game.

"It was finally nice to get him a win," manager Manny Acta said. "He has pitched real good for us."

You could take your pick of Washington's offensive heroes-a rarity, for sure.

Perez helped lead the 10-hit attack by going went 3-for-3 with three singles, a sacrifice bunt, a run and two RBIs.

"I was a lucky guy," he said. "I'm not saying I'm a good hitter, but if I see a cookie in the middle of the plate, I will swing as hard as I can."

Jesus Flores was 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Nick Johnson was on base four times and scored three runs. Felipe Lopez was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The game was tied 3-3 in the fifth when Washington (16-23) it broke open against Mets starter Nelson Figueroa.

Flores' two-out double into the left-field corner plated Johnson and Rob Mackowiak. Perez then brought Flores home with a single to right that gave the Nationals a 6-3 lead.

New York put runners on second and third with two outs in the fifth, but Perez escaped by getting Damion Easley to fly out to right.

That allowed the Nationals' offense to resume the barrage in the bottom of the inning, this time against reliever Jorge Sosa. Washington sent nine men to the plate in a four-run rally that was highlighted by Milledge's two-run double to left that missed clearing the fence by inches.

It ended Milledge's 2-for-16 slump and brought home just his second and third RBIs in the last 11 games.

"Early in the game, I left those runners on," said Milledge, who struck out with the bases loaded in the third. "So I kind of had to make up for it there."

Four batters later, Perez, for good measure, stroked another RBI single. After Lopez hit a pop fly that fell safely in shallow right, Flores scampered home to make the score 10-3 amidst a chorus of boos.

"It was a hard battle," Perez said, "but my boys came today with everything."

Washington

New York

Washington

011

134

000--

10

New York

111

000

100--

4

E--Delgado (5), Figueroa (1). LOB--Washington 11, New York 11. 2B--CGuzman (11), Zimmerman (8), Milledge (10), Flores (4), Alou (2). HR--DWright (7), off OdPerez; Easley (1), off OdPerez. RBIs--FLopez (13), NJohnson (20), Milledge 2 (13), Mackowiak (3), Flores 2 (5), OdPerez 2 (2), DWright (32), Beltran (22), Easley 2 (7). SB--DWright (5). CS--JReyes (4). S--OdPerez. SF--Mackowiak. Runners left in scoring position--Washington 7 (CGuzman 2, Zimmerman 2, Kearns 2, Flores); New York 7 (DWright 3, Delgado, Easley 2, Schneider). Runners moved up--CGuzman, Kearns 2, Delgado.

Washington

New York

Inherited runners-scored--SRivera 2-0, Schroder 1-0. IBB--off Sosa (Flores) 1. HBP--by Figueroa (Flores), by Figueroa (Zimmerman).

T--3:15. A--45,321 (57,365).

Rich Campbell: 540/735-1974
Email: rcampbell@freelancestar.com