Burnt

My buddy Kevin and I saw the Mets on Tuesday, the first trip to Citi Field this season for either of us.  Prior to the game, we had supper at Donovan's Pub, a Woodside, Queens landmark for 45 years that is on the real estate market.  (Photo by wallyg used through Creative Commons license.)

Donovan's is often touted—Time Out in 2004, nymag, chowhound—as serving the best burger in New York City.  Many a Mets fan has stopped by the pub on the way to or from a game but not Kevin or me.  We decided it might be now or never.

As we walked back to the 7 train, Kevin asked me how my burger was.  "Burnt on the outside and dry on the inside," I answered.  "Oh, good," he replied; "I was afraid it was just me."

With the Mets in fourth place and well below .500, Kevin was able to buy tickets in the front of the upper deck for $4.00.  Now, that's what I call dynamic pricing!

We were hoping to see R.A. Dickey become the first 19-game winner this season.  The contest was close for most of the night, even after rookie Tyler Moore hit a two-run homer (9) to put the Nationals ahead 3-2.

In the ninth however, reliever Frank Francisco got burnt as bad as my burger.  The right-hander's ERA has been north of 6.00 for most of the year and true to his record, he coughed up three hits and two runs without getting an out, making it 5-2.

Apparently I was the only person to realize it was Frank-Squared's birthday (33), or maybe I was the only person to be so mean, but I sang "Happy Birthday" as he walked to the dugout.  Pinch-hitting in the bottom of the frame, Scott Hairston drove the ball over the left field wall (17) but a solo shot does not a rally make.
Box Score

Click to enlarge.

The loss put the Metropolitans at 3-and-7 for the month of September. It was the fifth loss in what would become a six-game slide. But with StubHub's transaction fee, it cost us roughly the price of a beer at Citi Field and Kevin and I talked about going back before the season is over.