Nats face early deficit in opener against the Mets (Nationals lose 11-0)

Welcome to Nationals Park on a partly sunny Friday afternoon. The first game of the day/night doubleheader features right-hander Jordan Zimmermann against the Mets right-hander Jenrry Mejia. The first game was rescheduled from the June 6 rainout here at Nationals Park. Mejia comes off the 60-day disabled list to make his first appearance of the season. He is the 26th man on the Mets roster today, and has battled elbow tendon inflammation since March 22. He was 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA in six minor league starts. The opener features a pair of hurlers who have recovered from Tommy John surgery. Mejia had his in May, 2011. Zimmermann had his in August, 2009. The Nationals need to get the opening game with the prospect of All-Star starter Matt Harvey waiting in the nightcap. The Mets scored first on a monster home run by Daniel Murphy that ricocheted off of the second-level advertising banner above section 142 in right-center field. Zimmermann struck out the side in the inning anyway, and the Mets led 1-0. Update: Apparently, Murphy sees Zimmermann's slider very well. In the third, Murphy crushed a two-run shot down the right field line for his second home run of the game and eighth of the season. The blast came on a 3-2 count after catcher Kurt Suzuki consulted with Zimmermann. The Mets lead 3-0. The Nationals had two hits off of Mejia with one out in the first, but were unable to score. Update II: Zimmermann allowed a run-scoring single to Juan Lagares in the seventh and the Mets extended their lead to 4-0. He was replaced by left-hander Fernando Abad. After a stolen base, Abad surrendered a RBI base knock to Murphy, who now has four RBIs on the day. The Mets lead 5-0. Zimmermann went 6 2/3 innings, allowing six hits, five runs, two homers, three walks and eight strikeouts. The two Murphy home runs stand out in what was an atypical Zimmermann performance, considering he threw 118 pitches with 74 strikes. Update III: The Nationals were shut out by Mejia and two relievers, falling to the Mets 11-0. Mejia went seven innings, scattering seven hits with no walks and struck out seven for the win in his season debut. Murphy finished with five RBIs. Drew Storen pitched in the ninth even though manager Davey Johnson said he would likely miss the two games today with flu-like symptoms. Storen allowed a single, a double and a home run. The Mets scored six runs in the ninth inning off of Ryan Mattheus and Storen. The Nationals have lost 12 of their last 15 games and are 1-7 on this 11-game homestand. Zimmermann has lost three straight decisions, and his record falls to 12-6. Take out Thursday's nine-run outburst, and the Nationals have managed only 13 runs in the other seven home games since the All-Star break.