The Washington Nationals have laid to rest any concerns about the New York Mets using this week’s four-game clash to gain ground in the National League East race. Instead, the visiting Nationals have widened the gap with two comfortable wins over the Mets, and they’ll try to make it three straight Saturday.
Washington entered the series having lost five of six, while New York had won five of six and pulled within 8 1/2 games of the division-leading Nationals. The prospect of the Mets making a charge seemed plausible, but the Nationals have won the first two contests 8-3 and 7-2 as injuries continue to mount for the Mets. The Nationals belted three home runs in Friday’s victory and have 12 blasts in their last five games. Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg will be eager to take the mound at Citi Field, where he is 6-1 with a 1.97 ERA in eight starts and has not lost since 2013.
TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), WUSA 9 (Washington), WPIX (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (7-2, 3.27 ERA) vs. Mets RH Seth Lugo (1-0, 1.29)
Strasburg had a streak of five straight quality starts snapped when he was dinged for six runs and seven hits in five innings in a no-decision against Atlanta on Monday. The 28-year-old struck out 10 Braves, but he also surrendered three home runs. Strasburg is 7-4 with a 2.64 ERA in 13 starts against the Mets.
Lugo hit the disabled list in the opening week of the season with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, but he looked fully recovered in his season debut Sunday at Atlanta. The 27-year-old struck out six and limited the Braves to one run and six hits over seven innings in a 2-1 win. Lugo made one start and one relief appearance against the Nationals last season, allowing one run and six hits over nine innings and earning a win in the start.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals RF Bryce Harper was 3-for-5 with an RBI on Friday and is 13-for-38 during a nine-game hitting streak.
2. The Mets on Friday placed RH Matt Harvey and CF Juan Lagares on the 10-day disabled list and recalled INF Matt Reynolds and OF Brandon Nimmo.
3. Washington 2B Daniel Murphy is batting .393 with seven doubles, one triple, and eight home runs in 27 games against his former team since the start of last season.