New dad Desmond delivers game-winner against Mets

Just two days after his wife gave birth to their new baby boy, Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond returned to the lineup and ignited the offense in the Nationals' 4-3 win over the New York Mets on Thursday night. Desmond slammed a triple in the fourth and later scored. In the fifth, Desmond blasted a solo home run over the fence in left-center for his third homer of the season. "It was nice to be back," Desmond said. "(I was) watching the games the last two days and it seemed like the team needed a little spark. I came in here today hoping I could do that. I did. It felt really good." Livan Hernandez kept the Mets at arm's length with his longest outing of the season. Hernandez went eight innings, scattering seven hits, allowing just two earned runs with one walk and five strikeouts. "It does feel good to help Livo out," Desmond said. "But it feels good to help the team out. They have been struggling. They needed some offense. I was able to bring it. Hopefully, someone else can bring it (Friday) night." Jayson Werth added a run-scoring ground rule double. and Jerry Hairston Jr. and Hernandez contributed RBIs in a two-run fourth inning off of Chris Capuano. Danny Espinosa also had a pair of hits. The Nationals ended a three-game skid with their second win in their last eight games. "We got to start doing it," Desmond said. "We are starting to lose ground. We are better than what we have been playing. We don't want to lose that ground. We got to start playing better. Offense has got to start going. I think with the warm weather coming, I think everything will be fine."