Mets  1    Nationals  3

Recap: Washington vs. NY Mets

Sports Network | July 23, 2009

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Josh Willingham went 4-for-4 with the go- ahead two-run homer and Craig Stammen threw into the eighth inning, as Washington topped the New York Mets, 3-1, in the rubber match of a three-game series.

The Nationals were coming off Tuesday's 4-0 win and recorded their first series victory since taking two of three from Atlanta earlier this month. Washington's two-game win streak comes after a six-game slide, during which Manny Acta was fired as manager and replaced by Jim Riggleman.

Stammen (3-5) shut down the New York offense, limiting the Mets to one run on four hits and two walks. He also struck out five in 7 1/3 innings. Mike MacDougal pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save of the year.

"That's how you start winning streaks and you start playing winning baseball," Willingham said. "Cause it starts with pitching. If you're going to have to bang out 10 hits and six runs a night, you're not going to start many winning streaks. So you have to have good pitching. That's what's important the last couple nights, to get starts like that."

Mike Pelfrey (7-6) took the loss despite giving up only three runs on six hits and two walks in seven frames. The Mets had only four hits, including a triple by Angel Pagan that resulted in the team's only run.

"I got back to establishing fastball and pitching off that," Pelfrey said. "For me, it was a positive outing. But, like I said, it could have been a lot better if we'd have got a W. Which didn't happen, but I felt live, you know maybe the best I felt all year. But we didn't come away with the win."

New York has now lost both of its series since returning from the All-Star break, losing five of seven games in all. Prior to losing this series to the Nationals, who have the worst record in baseball, the Mets lost three of four against Atlanta.

The Mets did not get off to a fantastic start, going down in order in the first four innings and losing their starting second baseman in the bottom of the second. After Willingham had singled, Ronnie Belliard hit a ball to third and David Wright made a nice play to get the ball and make a throw to second.

But Luis Castillo bobbled the ball and Willingham was called safe. Shortly after the play, Castillo argued with umpire Hunter Wendelstedt and was thrown out. Fernando Tatis came in to take Castillo's spot.

The Nationals, meanwhile, cracked the scoreboard in the fourth inning. With one out, Nick Johnson walked and Willingham followed with a double to put runners in scoring position. Belliard then hit a sacrifice fly.

Wright singled to begin the fifth to get the Mets' first hit, but they didn't score a run until the sixth. With two away, Pagan smoked a line drive to center and raced around the bases for a triple. Nationals shortstop Cristian Guzman forced a relay throw to third base in an attempt to catch Pagan, but instead the ball sailed past the bag into foul territory, allowing the run to score.

However, the Nationals went ahead in the home half. Leadoff batter Adam Dunn hit the ball to right, but Jeff Francoeur lost the ball sometime during its flight and couldn't make the catch. Dunn ended up on second, and scored two batters later when Willingham crushed a homer to left.

Stammen set the Mets down in order in the seventh and got the first out of the eighth before giving up a double to Jeremy Reed and walking Pagan. He was removed for Jason Bergmann, who got Tatis to pop out. Bergmann was then taken out for left-hander Joe Beimel, who retired Daniel Murphy on a fly ball to end the threat.

MacDougal then worked a 1-2-3 ninth on a trio of grounders to seal the Washington win.

The Mets walked twice Wednesday, snapping a two-game streak without a base-on- balls...New York left fielder Cory Sullivan, who was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Monday, made his Mets debut and went 0-for-4...The Nationals left seven on base and were 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, while the Mets were 0-for-4 with RISP and stranded five.