Nationals 4, Mets 2
Adam LaRoche hit a three-run homer in support of Tanner Roark's third straight victory as Washington remained hot by defeating visiting New York.
Roark (15-10) allowed two runs and five hits without a walk over 6 1/3 innings before five relievers combined to record the final eight outs for Washington, which is 9-1 in its last 10 games. Tyler Clippard worked around a one-out triple in the eighth and Drew Storen retired Bobby Abreu - the potential tying run - to end the ninth as the Nationals moved 3 1/2 games ahead of the Dodgers in the race for home-field advantage throughout the National League playoffs.
New York starter Bartolo Colon (14-13) gave up four runs in six innings but once again was doomed by the home-run ball. The former Cy Young Award winner gave up six home runs in five starts against the Nationals this season, including LaRoche's go-ahead shot on Tuesday.
Washington trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the fifth when Kevin Frandsen reached on an infield single, advanced on Roark's sacrifice and came around on Michael Taylor's double to right. Colon recovered to strike out Asdrubal Cabrera before walking Jayson Werth in front of LaRoche, who destroyed a 1-0 pitch well over the right-field fence for his 26th homer.
Ruben Tejada's sacrifice fly in the seventh inning brought New York within 4-2 but was the lone damage in the frame as the Nationals' bullpen escaped a one-out, bases-loaded jam relatively unscathed. Kirk Nieuwenhuis had a fifth-inning RBI double to account for the other run for the Mets, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Nationals CF Denard Span made a diving catch near the warning track in the third inning and left the game shortly thereafter with an undisclosed injury. ... Washington 3B Ryan Zimmerman made his first appearance in front of the home fans since injuring his hamstring in July. He popped out to first base as a pinch hitter in the seventh. ... Roark has won all five of his career starts against the Mets, including four this season.