Gonzalez, Nationals shut down Mets
NEW YORK -- Anthony Rendon laced a tie-breaking two-out single in the fifth inning and left-hander Gio Gonzalez continued his mastery at Citi Field by throwing 6 1/3 solid innings Wednesday night as the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets, 7-1.
The Nationals (24-16) won the middle game of a three-game series to retain sole possession of first place in the National League East. Washington is a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies and 1 1/2 games up on the third-place Mets (22-17).
Ex-Met Daniel Murphy had two RBIs -- via a third-inning single and a seventh-inning sacrifice fly — for the Nationals. Danny Espinosa drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh while Wilson Ramos added a two-run single in the ninth. Jayson Werth scored three runs and reached base in all five plate appearances (2-for-2 with three walks).
Gonzalez (3-1) allowed one run on five hits and one walk while striking out five over 6 1/3 innings as he lowered his ERA from 1.93 to 1.86. In 13 career starts at Citi Field, Gonzalez is 7-1 with a 1.53 ERA.
The Mets loaded the bases against Gonzalez with one out in the seventh, but Felipe Rivero forced Kevin Plawecki to hit into a fielder's choice and retired Michael Conforto on a grounder to first.
Yoenis Cespedes homered in the fourth for the Mets, who have lost five of six.
Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon took the loss after enduring one of the most bizarre starts of his 18-year career. Colon allowed three runs on five hits and five walks while striking out four over a season-low 4 2/3 innings, during which he threw a season-high 107 pitches. The five walks were the most by Colon since Apr. 26, 2005 and one more than he had issued in his first 43 1/3 innings this season.
The Nationals took advantage of Colon's unusual wildness to produce their three runs.
In the third, Colon issued two-out walks to Werth and Harper, each of whom he walked consecutively in the first inning. Murphy then fouled off four straight two-strike pitches before singling off the glove of third baseman David Wright. Werth raced home as the ball skittered into foul territory.
The Mets tied the game in the fourth, when Cespedes blasted a two-out homer to left for New York's first hit off Gonzalez.
Werth led off the fifth with a single, went to second on Harper's third walk of the game and moved to third on a groundout by Murphy. Colon struck out Ryan Zimmerman and was one strike away from retiring Rendon before the Nationals' third baseman singled past a diving Asdrubal Cabrera to score Werth and Harper.
NOTES: Mets 3B David Wright (back) returned to the lineup after sitting out Tuesday night's series opener. 1B Lucas Duda (back) was out of the lineup for a second straight game but was available to pinch-hit. ... Mets LHP Steven Matz threw a bullpen session with no issue and will start Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers. Matz missed his last start with a sore forearm. ... The Nationals have won the last 12 starts by RHP Stephen Strasburg, who is scheduled to start Thursday's series finale.