Harper, Span homer as Nats beat Mets 10-3, reduce magic number to six

The Nationals were able to fight through the rain and get to Zack Wheeler in the second inning.

After a walk to Ian Desmond, Bryce Harper blasted a two-run homer to the second deck in right field at Citi Field for a 2-0 Nationals lead. It was Harper's 13th homer of the season.

Before the blast, Harper was 1-for-11 with six strikeouts against Wheeler, who came into tonight's game with a 7-1 record since July 1.

Doug Fister allowed just one hit in the first two frames. He is 3-0 in three starts against the Mets in his career.

The Nationals lead 2-0 heading to the top of the third.

Update: Ian Desmond singled and later scored a run in the fourth. Standing at second base, Desmond stole third base, and the throw from Travis d'Arnaud was high over the third baseman's head and down the left field line. The error by the catcher allowed Desmond to score and the Nationals lead 3-0.

It was Desmond's 20th stolen base on the season. Desmond has now hit 22 homers and stolen 20 bases, giving him 20/20 in those categories in three consecutive seasons. He joins Alex Rodriguez, Jimmy Rollins and Hanley Ramirez as the only shortstops in major league history with three straight 20/20 seasons.

Update II: Jayson Werth with a run-scoring single in the fifth and the Nationals lead 4-0. Span scored from second after earlier stealing his career-high 31st stolen base. Werth now has an 11 game hit streak against the Mets. Wheeler was pulled from the game after Werth's base hit.

Desmond added a two-run single against reliever Gonzalez Germen and the Nationals lead, 6-0.

Update III: Wilmer Flores hit a two-run shot in the fifth off Fister that ended the possiblity of a shutout, but the Nationals lead 6-2.

Update IV: The Nationals continue to take advantage of the Mets bullpen and shoddy defense in the sixth. Jayson Werth's fielder's choice scored Span to make it 7-2 Nationals. The Mets committed two errors in the inning.

Update V: The Mets Curtis Granderson with a RBI single in the bottom of the sixth and the Nationals lead 7-3.

Update VI: Fister goes six innings, allows five hits, three runs, two earned runs, one homer, one walk and struck out three. He tossed 75 piches, 50 for strikes.

Update VII: Desmond's RBI double in the eighth has pushed the lead to 8-3.

Update VIII: Span crushed a two-run homer in the ninth, and it's 10-3 Nats.

Update IX: The Nats win 10-3, reducing their magic number to clinch the National League East to six. They are 12-3 against the Mets, 8-1 at Citi Field.