Nats ride home runs again for early lead (Nats win 7-4)

NEW YORK - The Nationals' big bats do it again with an early strike.

Trea Turner led off the game with a solo homer over the left field wall to stake the Nats to a 1-0 lead. It was his seventh longball and third leadoff homer of the season. The blast came on a 1-0 offering from Mets starter Seth Lugo, and was Turner's fifth leadoff homer of his career.

In the second, Lugo struck out Adam Lind and Michael A. Taylor. But Jose Lobaton slammed a solo homer in the second level in right field, extending the Nats' lead to 2-0. It was his second homer of the season.

Stephen Strasburg allowed two singles in the first, but then induced a 4-6-3 double play grounder from Wilmer Flores to end the threat. It was the fourth twin-killing by the Nats in last two games.

In the second, the Mets went 1-2-3. Strasburg struck out Lucas Duda.

After two innings at Citi Field, the Nationals lead the Mets 2-0.

Update: Anthony Rendon singled to lead off the third. With one out, Daniel Murphy doubled down the right field line. There was a play at the plate. Rendon slid under the tag by catcher René Rivera and the Nats lead 3-0. Murphy has reached base in 28 straight games against the Mets.

Strasburg struck out two batters in the third. He has three so far after three innings.

Update II: In the fourth, the Nats got an early walk for Lobaton. He later scored on a Turner grounder that turned into a throwing error by third baseman Flores. The Mets tallied their first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth. After singles by Yoenis Céspedes and Jay Bruce, Flores' 6-6-3 double play grounder scored Céspedes.

Update III: Strasburg was replaced during a taxing sixth. Céspedes and Bruce singled again, as they have three times today, and Flores' sacrifice fly made it 4-2. After a walk to Duda, Blake Treinen came on. Treinen induced a 5-3 double play to end the rally attempt.

Strasburg finished 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He threw 106 pitches, 68 for strikes. He has now not been able to get through six innings in two consecutive starts.

After six innings, the Nats led 4-2.

Update IV: Adam Lind crushed a two-run shot in the eighth, his sixth homer on the season. The Nats have hit 106 homers in 68 games, and now lead the Mets 6-2. Céspedes slammed a solo shot off Joe Blanton to make it 6-3. Blanton then allowed a single to Flores. Facing Enny Romero, T.J. Rivera and José Reyes singled. Flores scored on the Reyes single. But René Rivera struck out for the fourth time in the game to end the inning.

Update V: Turner singled with one out against Addison Reed. Rendon doubled deep to right-center field. Turner scored from first base and the Nats led 7-4.

Romero gets a 5-4-3 double play to end the game, the fourth double play of the game for the Nats.

Final score: Nats 7, Mets 4.