Perez, Hinckley, Hanrahan combine to blank Mets 1-0
For the second straight night, the Nationals got a great outing from their starter and they beat the Mets; tonight a 1-0 shutout.
Odalis Perez tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings and Michael Hinckley got out of an eighth inning jam, like he did on Monday night, to preserve the win. Joel Hanrahan retired the side in order, in the ninth, to earn his ninth save.
Perez allowed just four hits, all singles, before being replaced by rookie left-hander Hinckley with runners on first and second and the top of the Mets order coming to the plate.
Hinckley got lead-off hitter Jose Reyes to top one in front of the mound. He picked up the ball and threw flat-footed to second. Cristian Guzman had to jump to make the catch and land on second for the force out.
Former National Ryan Church came up, with runners on the corners, and Hinckley, who fell behind 1-0, struck out Church on a nasty breaking ball to end the threat.
Hanrahan, facing the meat of the New York order; David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado, got two strike outs sandwiched around a deep line out.
Perez matched a season-high with the 7 1/3 innings and was as dominate as he'd been all season long. He didn't walk a batter and struck out six. At one point, Perez retired 13 straight before Brian Schneider singled to lead-off the sixth.
The sixth was the first time Perez was in any trouble before the eighth. After Schneider was sacrificed to second, he hit Reyes to put two runners on. The veteran lefty settled down and got Church to fly out to right. Wright hit a hard liner to left that Willie Harris made another great catch on to keep it a one-run game.
The Nationals', who left eight men on base, finally got to Mets starter Mike Pelfrey in the fifth. Perez doubled with two outs when left-fielder Fernando Tatis tried to make a diving catch on the sinking liner. Tatis left the game with a separated right shoulder on the play. Harris walked setting the table for Guzman.
Guzman hit a ground-rule double to the gap in left-center, scoring Perez for the only run of the game. Washington got unlucky because if the ball stays in play, Harris scores easily.
Postgame Notes
The Nationals have won 10 of their last 11 at Nationals Park. Washington shutout an opponent for the 8th time this season, 5th time at Nationals Park, and first time since July 11th vs. Houston. With the win, the Nationals are 48-1 when leading after 8 innings.
Odalis Perez fired 7 1/3 scoreless innings, did not walk a batter, and struck out six to earn his seventh win of the season. He has allowed three earned runs or less in 21 of 28 starts this season. Perez recorded his sixth quality start in his last nine outings. In 13 quality starts this season, he is 5-3 with a 2.60 ERA (24 ER/83.0 IP).
With a 2-for-4 performance, Cristian Guzman recorded his 53rd multi-hit effort of the year (2nd in NL). He is batting .472 (34-for-76) with six doubles, two triples, four homers and 18 RBI in 17 games beginning August 26.
Lastings Milledge has hit safely in seven of his last eight games, batting .394 (13-33) with two doubles, a home run and four RBI. He has nine hits in his last 14 at bats.
Since joining the Nationals', Michael Hinckley has tossed nine scoreless innings. He's allowed four hits, walked one, struck out seven and has three holds. After the game, Hinckley talked about the breaking pitch that struck out Ryan Church.
Final Linescore
Mets 0-4-1
Nationals 1-7-0
WP-Perez (7-10)
LP-Pelfrey (13-10)
SV-Hanrahan (9)
Pete McElroy's Live Gameblog
Perez's outstanding night
Perez topped John Lannan's outing from last night by going a season-high 7 1/3 innings. Only five Mets reached base and none got past second base, while he was in the game. Perez retired 15 of the first 16 and retired the side in order five times.
7 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 6 K, HB. 106 pitches, 67 strikes
Perez thru 6 innings
Perez got out of a one-out a jam in the sixth with the meat of the Mets order up. Ryan Church flew out to right and David Wright hit a screaming liner to left that Willie Harris made a great catch on, saving at least one run, if not two. Odalis has only allowed two hits and at one point retired 13 straight batters.
6 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 5 K, HB. 85 pitches, 52 strikes.
Nationals scoring, 5th inning
Cristian Guzman came thru with an RBI double, in the fifth, to put the Nationals on top 1-0.
After Wil Nieves grounded into a double play, Odalis Perez doubled to left and Willie Harris walked. Guzman hit a 1-1 fastball to the gap in left-center, scoring Perez, but the ball bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double and Harris, who would've scored easily, had to stop at third. Ryan Zimmerman had a chance to add to the lead, but he flew out to right to end the inning.
Pelfrey thru 3 innings
Mike Pelfrey got out of a two-out, first and third jam, in the first, by striking out Elijah Dukes. He retired six in a row before Cristian Guzman hit a two-out single in the third, but Ryan Zimmerman grounded out to the end the inning.
Perez thru 3 innings
Odalis looks very sharp and his changeup, like John Lannan last night, is keeping the Mets off balance. He retired seven straight after giving up a one-out single to David Wright in the first. Perez is averaging less than 15 pitches per inning.
3 IP, H, 3 K. 43 pitches, 25 strikes
Starting Line-Ups
Mets
SS Jose Reyes
RF Ryan Church
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
1B Carlos Delgado
LF Fernando Tatis
2B Argenis Reyes
C Brian Schneider
P Mike Pelfrey
Nationals
LF Willie Harris
SS Cristian Guzman
3B Ryan Zimmerman
CF Lastings Milledge
RF Elijah Dukes
1B Aaron Boone
2B Anderson Hernandez
C Wil Nieves
P Odalis Perez
Game Preview
New York (83-66) at Nationals (57-93)
Last night, the Nationals snapped a five game losing streak with a 7-2 win over the Mets. It also ended their five game losing skid to New York.
John Lannan dominated the Mets batters, allowing one run on one hit in seven strong innings. One key was Lannan used his changeup to left-handed batters; something he learned from Odalis Perez.
Anderson Hernandez's two-run single in the sixth proved to be the game winner and Elijah Dukes crushed a three-run homer, his 12th of the year, in the seventh, to put the game away.
Left-handed reliever Michael Hinckley got David Wright to ground into an inning ending double play with the bases loaded in the eighth to basically end the Mets chances of a come-back.
Odalis Perez faces Mike Pelfrey for the second time in a week. Neither pitcher pitched particularly well in New York's 13-10 slugfest last Wednesday at Shea Stadium.
The Mets, losers of three of their last four, have a half-game lead over the Phillies in the NL East entering action tonight.
Pitching Match-Up
LHP Odalis Perez (6-10, 4.48) matched his shortest outing of the season last Wednesday in New York when he was knocked out after three innings of work. Perez allowed a season-high seven runs, six earned, on eight hits and three walks in the Mets 13-10 win.
The veteran lefty needed 25 pitches to get out of the first, where he allowed an RBI single to Carlos Beltran. In the third, New York sent 11 men to the plate, scored six runs, five earned, on five hits and two walks.
Perez, who got a no-decision at Shea, will face Mike Pelfrey for the second time in a week.
Odalis is making his fifth start against New York this season and second at Nationals Park. He's 1-1 with a 6.33 ERA and 0-0 with a 4.50 in DC.
In his career vs. New York, Perez is 5-6 with a 4.61 ERA in 20 games, 13 starts. He has given the Nationals a chance nearly every time out. Perez has allowed three earned runs or less in 20 of 27 starts this season.
RHP Mike Pelfrey (13-9, 3.77), who faced Odalis Perez a week ago, lasted five innings, giving up five runs on eight hits and two walks. He was given a 7-1 lead after three innings, but couldn't keep the Nationals in check.
Elijah Dukes hit a solo homer off him in the second and Wil Nieves hit an RBI single in the fourth. Ryan Zimmerman grounded out to third, scoring Emilio Bonifacio before Kory Casto drove in two with a single in the fifth.
Pelfrey left the game with a two-run lead, but reliever Rick Heilman allowed Washington to tie the game in the sixth and he got a no-decision. In Pelfrey's two previous starts against the Nationals' this season, he dominated both games, but has only one win.
This is Pelfrey's eighth career start vs. the Nationals'. He's 2-2 with a 4.29 ERA. The 24-year old right-hander is making his 13th road start of the season. Pelfrey is 5-3 with a 5.14 ERA and opponents are hitting .322 off him away from Shea Stadium.
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