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The New York Mets can’t be pleased with a 5-5 road trip after winning their first three games, but they’ll hope for more consistency when they return to Citi Field.
Finding the Washington Nationals in the visitors’ dugout should be a good start.
The Mets return home from their 10-game trip Monday night for the first of three with the last-place Nationals, whose 10-game homestand couldn’t have gone much worse.
New York (23-20) won three games in San Francisco from May 14-16 to start the swing, and it had come out on top in 11 of 13 games heading into its series finale against the Giants. But the Mets were shut out on getaway day at AT&T Park and totaled just 19 runs in concluding their trip 2-5.
They stopped a four-game slide by taking the first two in Boston over the weekend, but a pitching staff that had allowed 17 runs in its previous six contests was lit up Sunday, surrendering eight extra-base hits in a 12-5 loss.
Still, manager Jerry Manuel remained optimistic.
“To win two out of three I think was huge for us here in this ballpark,†Manuel said. “That’s a big boost for us in the situation we’re in right now.â€
The Mets’ offense may get a boost Monday. Manuel expects shortstop Jose Reyes, sidelined since Wednesday with tendinitis behind his right calf, to play. Carlos Beltran(notes), who was New York’s designated hitter in Boston because of a bruised right knee, could play as well.
The Nationals (13-30) were 1-8 in the first nine games of their 10-game homestand, and had scored just nine runs in their past four contests heading into Sunday’s finale against Baltimore.
It looked like the Orioles were on their way to a sweep of their natural rivals, holding a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth. But Adam Dunn(notes) hit a two-run homer in the sixth and a grand slam in the seventh – giving him a career-high six RBIs – to help the Nationals rally for an 8-5 victory, salvaging at least something from an otherwise terrible homestand.
“(Dunn) showed today the difference that he makes in our lineup and how much we needed him over here,†manager Manny Acta said.
The Nationals are 9-10 when Dunn drives in a run and 4-20 if he doesn’t.
Dunn hasn’t taken too many swings against John Maine(notes) (3-3, 4.53 ERA), who will start for the Mets. Dunn has had nine plate appearances against the right-hander and walked six times.
Dunn is among the major league leaders with 37 walks while Maine has had a problem issuing free passes – his 27 rank among the top 10 in baseball.
Maine walked three Tuesday at Los Angeles, but it was a string of hits that knocked him out in the sixth inning. New York had a 3-2 lead, but after a pair of one-out singles Casey Blake(notes) homered and the Dodgers went on to win 5-3.
The Nationals might be the perfect opponent to help Maine bounce back. He went 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA in three starts versus Washington last season despite walking nine in 17 2-3 innings.
John Lannan(notes) (2-3, 3.63) will get the ball for the Nationals, and he’s 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA over his last four outings. He gave up one run and seven hits over seven innings Wednesday in a 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh.
The left-hander, who was born on Long Island, is 1-2 with a 5.20 ERA in five career starts against the Mets.
| Team | Record | Standings | Away/Home | Streak | L10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 13-30 | 5th East | Away 6-14 | Won 1 | 2-8 |
| New York | 23-20 | 2nd East | Home 12-8 | Lost 1 | 5-5 |
23 comments
qnsnative7181
5/25/2009-9:24am at 9:24 am (UTC -4)
A 3 game series with the gNats. Just what the doctor ordered.
qnsnative7181
5/25/2009-9:27am at 9:27 am (UTC -4)
Trs, my handle comes up as “Qnsnative7181″. It should be minus the “1″. Anyway to correct that? Also, there doesnt seem to be a reply option to a specific response. Thanks.
trs86
5/25/2009-9:35am at 9:35 am (UTC -4)
I am out right now. I will try and fix this mess latter.
mrose
5/25/2009-9:56am at 9:56 am (UTC -4)
username problem should be all set…
i’ll look into the reply thing
mrose
5/25/2009-10:02am at 10:02 am (UTC -4)
test again
dirtysanchez
5/25/2009-10:17am at 10:17 am (UTC -4)
real…we cant reply?
mrose
5/25/2009-10:19am at 10:19 am (UTC -4)
dirty, i’m lookin into it
gravediggerhebner1
5/25/2009-10:21am at 10:21 am (UTC -4)
I may be wrong, but possible the ability to reply has to do with the “theme” chosen? At first we couldn’t reply when the theme was “Andreas04″ then in later incarnation we could reply and the theme was “Andreas09.”
mrose
5/25/2009-10:22am at 10:22 am (UTC -4)
ah, i know what it is, give me a sec
gravediggerhebner1
5/25/2009-10:23am at 10:23 am (UTC -4)
Oh yeah and I appear to be “Gravediggerhebner1″ as well, not sure where the “1″ is coming from.
mrose
5/25/2009-10:23am at 10:23 am (UTC -4)
grave, you are on it, it is a theme thing…we are actually using andreas09, but the wordpress version is slightly diff than this..but i can alter that ogonna do that now
mrose
5/25/2009-10:23am at 10:23 am (UTC -4)
and i see grave you have the same username issue, i’ll fix that in a min too
gravediggerhebner1
5/25/2009-10:25am at 10:25 am (UTC -4)
Thank you, no rush. I know you’re working hard and I appreciate it.
gravediggerhebner1
5/25/2009-10:46am at 10:46 am (UTC -4)
mrose Actually do you have the power to delete my membership to this blog and NLEC? If possible, please do so as I registered with the “wrong” email address and I’d like if possible to re-register with the “right” one and keep my screen name. If I can’t, then I can’t, my mistake.
mrose
5/25/2009-10:50am at 10:50 am (UTC -4)
i can do that for you or I can change it for you… whats the email you want to use
gravediggerhebner1
5/25/2009-10:51am at 10:51 am (UTC -4)
ma2ny4good@yahoo.com
gravediggerhebner1
5/25/2009-10:52am at 10:52 am (UTC -4)
That’s the address that I used to be an author at the other address, and it’s also the one with a gravatar attached. The reason I care at all is that right now I don’t seem to have any author privileges (at least not that I can see).
mrose
5/25/2009-11:02am at 11:02 am (UTC -4)
grave – letme know now…
GravediggerHebner
5/25/2009-11:05am at 11:05 am (UTC -4)
test
GravediggerHebner
5/25/2009-11:06am at 11:06 am (UTC -4)
You have restored/activated my authorship and I appreciate it.
Thank you.
mrose
5/25/2009-11:37am at 11:37 am (UTC -4)
np, and reply is back too
GravediggerHebner
5/25/2009-11:42am at 11:42 am (UTC -4)
Who’s the man? Mrose is the man!
Many thanks for your holiday overtime work!
Now about that time stamp… 8)
metsfan4decades
5/25/2009-11:52am at 11:52 am (UTC -4)
Guys: just want to say again how much I, for one, appreciate all the hard work you’ve been putting into get this site up and running. I’m sure you all had better things to be doing on this gorgeous holiday weekend.