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Mets RHP Hernandez ejected after being pounded

Apr 14, 2007 - 9:21 PM FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The Washington Nationals pounded Orlando Hernandez before umpire Mike Winters delivered the surprising knockout blow.

Dmitri Young, Ryan Church and Chris Snelling all homered off Hernandez and Shawn Hill pitched seven strong innings to lead the Washington Nationals to a 6-2 victory over the New York Mets.

Hernandez (1-1) was tagged for six runs and eight hits in five-plus innings, including sixth-inning home runs to Church and Snelling. The righthander then promptly hit Hill with a pitch that was clocked at just 86 miles per hour and was ejected by Winters.

"The first pitch after the home run was right at the hitter," said Winters, who first considered giving Hernandez only a warning. "That went through my mind, but given the situation I thought the ejection was appropriate."

Hernandez seemed baffled by the ejection, continuing what was a frustrating afternoon for the Mets that included a runner being thrown out at home and several missed scoring chances.

One bright spot for New York was David Wright, who singled in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to 23 games, one short of the Mets record set by Hubie Brooks in 1984 and matched by Mike Piazza in 1999.

Wright nearly hit a three-run homer in the eighth that was caught near the top of the wall by center fielder Church.

"It's not horseshoes," Wright said. "I hit it a little too high."

Hill (1-2) worked in and out of trouble, allowing two runs and eight hits with five strikeouts.

"He was terrific all spring and, knock on wood, I hope he stays healthy," Nationals manager Manny Acta said. "I have a lot of confidence in the kid."

Nationals right fielder Austin Kearns threw Carlos Beltran out at the plate trying to score on a first-inning single by Carlos Delgado. The Mets also wasted a leadoff triple by Endy Chavez in the third when Hill retired the next three batters - Beltran on a strikeout and Delgado and Wright on comebackers.

"Honestly, I was going into that thinking I would concede the run," Hill said. "If you get out of that, you're thrilled."

Chavez doubled in the fifth and was left stranded when Beltran struck out. Beltran voiced his displeasure with the called third strike by Winters, slamming his bat to the ground.

Brian Schneider had three hits for the Nationals, who won for just the third time in 12 games.

Washington had hit just four homers all season before collecting three on Saturday.

Young homered to center field to lead off the second. Church doubled to extend his hitting streak to 11 games and later scored on a groundout by Snelling.

Jose Valentin cut the lead to 2-1 in New York's half of the second with an RBI single.

Felipe Lopez drove in a run in the fourth when he grounded into a fielder's choice.

With runners on second and third, Lopez hit a slow roller to third base. Wright elected to tag out Snelling, but not until after Schneider had crossed home plate.

The Nationals increased their lead to 6-1 with three runs in the sixth. Church homered to right-center and Schneider singled before Snelling homered to right field.

Hernandez insisted that the pitch that followed was not intentional.

"I called out to (Hill) and said it was not intentional," Hernandez said. "I don't know what happened."

Acta, the Mets' third base coach the previous two seasons, also had no problem with Hernandez.

"I'm not an umpire, but knowing Orlando, I don't think he would try to hit someone," Acta said.

Shawn Green had an RBI double in the sixth to account for the Mets' second run.