Game 119: Nationals 6, Mets 4
It doesn’t seem to matter whether they’re playing at home or on the road, the Nationals are playing as if they’re on another planet.
Michael Morse hit a grand slam and Bryce Harper had a two-run homer to back a quality start from Ross Detwiler (7-5), and the Nats returned home from an 8-2 road trip with a 6-3 win over the New York Mets on Friday night. Washington has gone 13-4 in August and is now a season-high 29 games over .500 at 74-45.
Johan Santana (6-9) held the Nats hitless through the first three innings after Daniel Murphy staked him to a 2-0 lead with a two-run single in the top of the first.
But it all changed in the fourth, when Jayson Werth, Harper and Ryan Zimmerman singled, and Morse took a 1-1 fastball from Santana over the right field fence for his 12th homer of the season. The the blast extended Morse’s hitting streak to 13 games.
The next inning, it was Harper’s turn, sending Santana’s 0-1 four-seamer over the out-of-town scoreboard for a two-run shot, his 11th of the season, and scoring Werth, who had singled with two outs.
That was plenty of offense for Detwiler, who settled down nicely after his shaky start, allowing three runs on six hits and a walk in six innings, striking out one. After the two-run first, he retired 12 of the next 15 batters before Scott Hairston doubled to lead off the sixth, took third on Murphy’s ground out to first and scored on Ronny Cedeneo’s ground out to short.
Craig Stammen relieved Detwiler in the seventh and gave up a solo homer to Kelly Shoppach, but Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard shut out the Mets for the final two innings, with Clippard allowing two walks between the final three outs for his 26th save in 29 chances.
Ian Desmond was 0-4 in his first action after missing the past 25 games with a torn oblique muscle.
Champ of the Game: Morse. The Beast is on a tear, with 10 1RBIs and 24 total bases in his past seven games. His hitting streak would be 24 games had the Phillies not appealed Morse’s hit on a tough chance by shortstop Jimmy Rollins in an Aug. 2 game, having it rules an error.
Chump of the Game: Adam LaRoche had a rare off night, going 0-for-4.
Unsung Hero: Werth plugged nicely into the leadoff spot, going 2-for-4 and setting the table fro both home runs.
Next Game: Aug. 17, vs. New York Mets at Nationals Park, 7:05 p.m. Jon Niese (9-6, 3.67) vs. Edwin Jackson (7-7, 3.74).