The Mets continue their second half swoon in loss to Nationals

The New York Mets were defeated by the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night by the score of 5-2. The game took place at Citi Field in Flushing, New York. R.A. Dickey started and pitched ok but not great. The Mets offense only managed three hits. Gio Gonzalez started for the Nationals and pitched really well. Ryan Zimmerman led the Nationals offense. 
Dickey pitched six innings giving up eight hits and five runs with four of them being earned. He walked one and struck out seven and took his second loss of the season. Manny Acosta pitched an inning giving up a hit, Josh Edgin pitched an inning giving up two hits and striking out three and Ramon Ramirez pitched an inning walking one and striking out one. Gonzalez won his 13^th game of the season pitching seven innings and giving up two hits and a run which wasn’t earned. He walked two and struck out four. Mattheus gave up a hit and a run without recording an out, Sean Burnett pitched a perfect inning and Tyler Clippard pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts, he saved his 17^th game of the season.

Andres Torres drew a walk, Ike Davis had a hit and Jason Bay drew a walk. Ronny Cedeno had a hit and an RBI. Valdespin hit a homerun and the Mets were 1-2 with runners in scoring position and they left three men on base. Hairston had a stolen base and Bay committed an error.

Byrce Harper drew a walk, Zimmerman had three hits and Michael Morse had a hit. Adam LaRoche had two hits, two RBI and drew a walk, Danny Espinosa had two hits and an RBI and Roger Bernadina had two hits. Jesus Flores had a hit and an RBI, Zimmerman and Espinosa each hit a double. LaRoche hit a homerun. The Nationals were 2-8 with runners in scoring position and they left seven men on base. Harper was caught stealing and Espinosa committed an error. Harper had an outfield assist.

Cedeno had an RBI single in the second inning to make it 1-0 Mets. In the fourth Espinosa tied the game with an RBI single. LaRoche hit a two run homerun in the sixth to give the Nationals a 3-1 lead. Flores hit a two run single to make it a 5-1 game. The Mets scored the final run of the game in the eighth inning. Valdespin hit a solo homerun.

The Mets record dropped to 47-50 and the Nationals record improved to 57-39. The two teams will play the final game of the series on Wednesday afternoon. The Mets will try and avoid the sweep, they have one win since the All Star Break as they are falling completely out of contention.