Mets feature power pitching in series with Nats

The Nationals offense comes out of the weekend smarting after back-to-back crippling performances from Dodgers aces Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. No time for sulking, though, as the Mets roll into town set to throw a trio of young, right-handed power arms in a crucial three-game series.

The Nats hold a slim two-game lead in the National League East over the Mets, who outlasted the Cardinals 3-1 in 18 innings yesterday. New York manager Terry Collins plans to send Matt Harvey (3.07 ERA) to the mound tonight, followed by All-Star Jacob deGrom (2.14 ERA) on Tuesday and Noah Syndergaard (3.05 ERA) in the finale on Wednesday.

Harvey hasn't allowed a run while striking out 12 over 13 innings in two wins against the Nationals this season. He is 3-1 lifetime against Washington with a 0.68 ERA.

"What do you want us to do? You want us to just ducktail and run? This is the big leagues, that's part of it," first baseman Clint Robinson said after yesterday's 5-0 shutout. "These guys are the best in the world for a reason. You just gotta go out there and rise up to the challenge. Either we're going to win or we're not going to win. We just gotta go out there and keep grinding at-bats, keep doing our job. We're not going to do anything different than we always do. We're just going to do the best we can."

After losing two of three in D.C. to the Mets to open the season, the Nationals took three of four from New York in early May. One of those wins in the Big Apple came from tonight's starter, Gio Gonzalez. In arguably his best outing of the season, the left-hander shut out the Mets over seven innings while striking out nine to claim a 1-0 win on May 2.

The Nationals bats are reeling right now but they are nowhere near as bad as the Mets. New York's .234 team batting average is worst in the majors and their 317 runs scored are fewest in the National League. In yesterday's 18-inning marathon win, the Mets went 1-for-26 with runners in scoring position and tied a franchise-record with 25 men left on base.

Shortstop Ian Desmond's nightmare of a season continues for the Nationals. The-free-agent-to-be is 3-for-40 (.075) with 14 strikeouts in 12 games in July. However, Desmond has experienced some success against the Mets this year with four doubles in 23 at-bats.

With infielder Anthony Rendon, left fielder Jayson Werth and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman out for extended time, catcher Wilson Ramos has been featured in the thick of the Nationals lineup, and lately he's not delivering. Ramos is just 2-for-26 (.077) with nine strikeouts over his last seven games. His batting average has dropped to .248, the lowest mark since April 17.

"I think for Willy anytime he's swinging well, he's waiting for the baseball, he's on top of the baseball and hitting strikes," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "He's been swinging at balls just off the zone. Sliders down and fastballs up. We want to get him to zero in a little bit more. If he's patient enough to get a good pitch to hit, he's pretty good. Recently, it hasn't been that way. Hopefully it starts tomorrow."