Desmond, Uggla and Williams react to dropped pop-up in loss to Mets

A pair of miscues by Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond overshadowed an impressive debut for Max Scherzer in Monday's 3-1 opening day loss to the Mets.

The first fielding mistake cost Scherzer a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning.

With two outs and a runner on first, David Wright's pop-up behind second base was dropped by Desmond and the Mets were in business with runners on second and third.

Second baseman Dan Uggla appeared early on to have a good beat on the pop up, waving away the other fielders, but in the last few seconds Desmond came in and the ball glanced off his outstretched glove. Uggla and Desmond appeared to chat a bit after the play.

Lucas Duda followed with a two-run single for the Mets' first hit of the game and a 2-1 lead. The next inning, following a throwing error by Desmond that allowed Juan Lagares to reach, Travis d'Arnaud slammed a triple off the wall in left-center and the Mets led 3-1.

Desmond had a chance to watch the replay of his first error after the game and was shaking his head.

"Pretty embarrassing, felt like one of those Little Leaguers," Desmond said. "I just looked up and I didn't hear anything, so I just kept on going for it. I didn't want to hit the ground, two outs. I was just like I'm going to call it and try to get it. But looking back, Dan was camped underneath it, should've just let him have it."

Did Uggla call him off?

"He did," Desmond said. "I just didn't hear him."

Desmond said the play and miscommunication did not have anything to do with the pair not getting much time to play alongside one another during spring training.

"I don't think so," Desmond said. "It was just one of those things where the ball was up there and it was up there for a long time and I wasn't really confident that anybody else was going to get it, so I figured might as well call it and go after it."

Said Uggla: "It's one of those things me and him are going to get better at the more we play. He's going to know my range and I'm going to get to know his. It happened today and we're going to move forward."

Manager Matt Williams thought Uggla was going to make the play.

"I thought that Uggs was underneath it and Desi called him off," Williams said. "Little bit of wind out there pushing it toward right field. I think Desi misjudged it, where he was. Then the base hit and that led to the two runs."

"Danny was waving his hands, but it's wanting to be aggressive and wanting to catch the baseball. So today a couple of miscues were the difference for Max."

Does Uggla have a bad history with pop-ups?

"No, he's played a lot of years and had a lot of those pop ups," Williams said. "For me, it was Desi (being) a little bit overzealous. I think Danny can catch that ball, for sure."

Uggla said he knows he needs to be more forceful when he calls off a teammate.

"I wasn't loud enough," Uggla said. "I got to be louder in that situation. He's a shortstop, if he doesn't hear anything or see anybody underneath it, he's got to after it. That's him being aggressive and that's what makes him an awesome player. That's a situation where I got to be louder and let him know I'm camped underneath."

Desmond made a nice stab at a hot shot off the bat of Lagares in the seventh, but his throw to first base was dropped by Ryan Zimmerman. Desmond said he hurried the play and didn't realize he had more time than he thought he did.

"The throw? Yeah, I just rushed it," Desmond said. "I had so much more time than that. But these are all quotes that you could take from the last five years of April.

"Hopefully put it behind us quickly and ready to get this next game going."