Game Thread: Mets (43-48) vs Nationals (26-65

Game Thread: Mets (43-48) vs Nationals (26-65<-omg!)

Game Time: 7:05pm

Record: 5-5 Era: 5.10 K: 53 BB: 38 WHIP: 1.58

Mets Notes:

Hernandez has lost his last four starts, and the Mets have lost his last six. But before he allowed seven and eight runs in his two most recent games, he produced a 3.00 ERA in three successive starts. He pitched merely seven innings total in his July losses to the Phillies and Dodgers, allowing 21 hits and eight walks. But his next opponent is the team he has beaten twice in two starts this season. Hernandez pitched the Mets’ only complete game against the Nationals at Citi Field on May 26, allowing one run. Twelve days later, he pitched seven scoreless innings against them. Ronnie Belliard, Corey Patterson, Austin Kearns, Josh Willingham and Cristian Guzman have a composite .442 average in 95 at-bats against Hernandez. Hernandez, though, is 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA against the Nationals this year, and heâ€™s won each of his last seven starts against them for four different teams dating back to Sept. 13, 2006.

LINEUP

Pagan, cf
Castillo, 2b
Murphy, 1b
Wright, 3b
Francoeur, rf
Reed, lf
Cora, ss
Schneider, c
Hernandez, rhp

Nationals Notes:

With Scott Olsen back on the disabled list, Washingtonâ€™s beleaguered staff will turn to another rookie as 26-year-old J.D. Martin makes his major league debut. The right-hander was a first-round pick of Cleveland in 2001, but his career has been derailed by injuries. The Nationals signed him to a minor-league contract in the offseason, and he has gone 8-3 with a 2.66 ERA at Triple-A Syracuse. â€œHeâ€™s not an overpowering guy, but heâ€™s a professional pitcher and heâ€™s earned the right to get up here and see if he can do it against major league hitters,â€ Riggleman told the Nationalsâ€™ official Web site.

LINEUP

Morgan, CF

Belliard, 2B

Johnson, 1B

Dunn, LF

Guzman, SS

Kearns, RF

Harris, 3B

Bard, C

Martin, P

First one is always the hardest

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