In a 24 hour period, as the Washington Nationals were knocking around St. Louis — and perhaps ruining the Cards’ playoff chances — they also knocked the Cardinals around…literally.
Three times in fact.
Saturday night, Nyjer Morgan – who’s currently appealing a suspension for throwing a ball at a Philadelphia fan last weekend – scored the 13th run in Washington’s 14-5 rout. But instead of scoring casually, Morgan, who played amateur hockey, lowered his shoulder for a hockey-like check into Redbirds catcher Bryan Anderson.
Morgan was not in the starting lineup on Sunday afternoon. Why? Washington skipper Jim Riggleman feared his center fielder would get hit by Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright in retaliation. And why not? It’s baseball’s unwritten rule.
On Sunday, Riggleman and many Nationals players apologized to Anderson and Cardinals manager Tony La Russa for what even Riggleman called an “unprofessional” play, but Morgan did not.
The fireworks also did not stop Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park:
With St. Louis trailing 4-1 in the 9th, Washington rookie closer Drew Storen threw the first pitch of the inning behind Cardinal slugger Matt Holliday. Both benches were warned.
Earlier in the 4-2 Nationals win, Washington shortstop Ian Desmond slid into second after a routine double, then rose up and landed an elbow to the head of St. Louis shortstop Brendan Ryan.
The teams won’t play again this season and have no specific rivalry or bad-blood between them, which begs the question:
What in the name of Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin caused such mayhem in D.C. this weekend between two baseball teams?
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