Mets at Nationals (Game 2)
The Washington Nationals are cruising to a National League East crown despite a long injury list by taking advantage of the rest of the teams in their division. The Nationals will try to continue their success against the rival New York Mets when they host a doubleheader on Sunday.
Washington lost first baseman Ryan Zimmerman to a shoulder injury before the series and dropped Friday's opener but bounced back by showing off the depth in their lineup on Saturday, including No. 8 hitter Adrian Sanchez taking a fastball off the chest on a bunt attempt and then getting back up and lacing an RBI single. "That picked our team up and it brought the house down too," Nationals manager Dusty Baker told reporters. "Because everybody here loves Sanchy and we're all pulling for him big time. That was a big hit he got." The Mets have dropped 10 of the 14 meetings with Washington this season and 10 of their last 13 overall. New York will try to turn the momentum with Tommy Milone going to the mound in the first game and Seth Lugo in the second while the Nationals counter with right-handers Erick Fedde and Tanner Roark.
TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Seth Lugo (5-3, 4.85 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Tanner Roark (10-8, 4.64)
Lugo is making his first appearance since Aug. 11 and is trying to end a string of three straight poor starts. The 27-year-old failed to complete six innings in any of those three starts and was ripped for a total of 13 runs in 16 innings. Lugo last saw Washington on July 4 and did not fare well, surrendering six runs on 10 hits over five innings in a loss.
Roark is enjoying a string of four straight strong outings and earned a win at Houston on Tuesday by allowing two earned runs while striking out seven in 5 2/3 innings. The Illinois native yielded more than three earned runs in just one of his last nine outings. Roark is making his second start of the season against the Mets and allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings against the division rivals without factoring in the decision on April 21.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Mets placed OF Yoenis Cespedes (hamstring) on the 10-day DL on Saturday and fear he could miss the rest of the season.
2. Washington 1B Adam Lind is 4-for-8 with a homer and three RBIs while starting in place of Zimmerman in the series.
3. New York RHP Matt Harvey (shoulder) allowed five runs - three earned - in 4 2/3 innings on Saturday in a rehab start for Double-A Binghamton.