Fist bump: Nationals top Mets 1-0 again
NEW York -- Doug Fister became the second Nationals starter to blank the Mets in two days, and Ryan Zimmerman's first-inning RBI single proved to be enough as Washington beat New York, 1-0, for the second consecutive game on Sunday at Citi Field.
It marked the first time in Nationals/Expos history that the team has won back-to-back games by a score of 1-0.
Fister followed Gio Gonzalez's seven shutout innings Saturday with 6 1/3 of his own, scattering five hits and striking out three to improve to 2-1 on the year. Relievers Tanner Roark, Matt Thornton, Aaron Barrett and Drew Storen preserved the shutout, with Storen earning his seventh save.
"Doug was really good," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "The balls started to come up as he got later and later. So we decided to get Tanner in there for a leverage spot. ... Doug wasn't real happy about it. ... When he gets in trouble, [the ball] starts to come up a little bit."
Video: WSH@NYM: Fister shuts out Mets over 6 1/3 innings
By leaving seven men on base, New York was unable to support Dillon Gee, who danced around six hits and five walks over five-plus innings. New York brought the tying and go-ahead runs into scoring position in the eighth, but Lucas Duda and Michael Cuddyer struck out to end the threat.
Fister completed a dominant turn through the rotation for Washington's five starters, which finished the week a combined 4-1 with a 1.65 ERA. The Nationals took three of four from the Mets and have now won five of six. New York has now lost seven of 10 after winning 11 straight.
"We just needed to start playing better. These last two series, we started to do things better," Zimmerman said. "We had a ton of chances to score runs. We couldn't get any big hits. But our pitchers picked us up. At least we got a big win to take three of four. They are a really good team."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Fister amazing: Fister didn't allow a run in 6 1/3 innings while throwing 89 pitches. The only time he was in trouble was in the first inning, when he allowed consecutive singles to Curtis Granderson and Juan Lagares to start the game, but the Mets couldn't push a run across. More >
Nats score first: Washington took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Jayson Werth scored on a broken-bat single to right field by Zimmerman. However, the team went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base. The Nationals' best chance to add on was in the sixth inning. They had the bases loaded with no outs, but reliever Alex Torres prevented them from scoring by striking out the side.
Video: WSH@NYM: Zimmerman flares an RBI single to right
The Nationals didn't seem concerned about the offense.
"We scored [30] runs in Atlanta. It's just one of those things," Zimmerman said. "I wish we could get a hit every time. But the pitcher gets paid to get us out as well. Sometimes they are good." More >
Cuddyer brings one back: The veteran's leaping play in left field took a solo home run away from fellow Virginia native Zimmerman in the fourth inning. Cuddyer reached just above the eight-foot wall to keep the Mets' deficit at 1-0.
Video: Must C Catch: Cuddyer leaps and takes back a home run
"[That's] probably the most unathletic home run rob you'll ever see," Cuddyer joked. More >
Torres takes over: That would be Alex, the left-handed arm of the Mets' two-part Torres tandem. Torres inherited a bases-loaded, no-out situation from Gee in the sixth, but struck out Fister, Denard Span and Yunel Escobar in order to keep New York close.
Video: WSH@NYM: Torres K's three in a row with bases loaded
"I owe him way more than a steak dinner for that," said Gee. More >
QUOTABLE
"The offense isn't going and they've got a pretty good pitching staff over there in Washington. I think it's a combination of both. We ran into two guys the last two days that pitched really really well. They kept the ball off the barrel and we didn't help ourselves."
-- Cuddyer, on the Mets' offensive struggles More >
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Gee set a franchise record by completing five or more innings in his 51st consecutive start. Dwight Gooden previously owned the all-time Mets mark.
Video: WSH@NYM: Gee whiffs Zimmerman to escape jam
"It would be better if it was like seven, eight innings," said Gee. "Hopefully, it shows I'm not getting knocked out in the third a lot."
Replay review
In one of the quickest replay reviews you'll see, the Mets turned a hit-by-pitch into a strikeout. With one out in the third, home-plate umpire Bruce Dreckman ruled Gee's fastball hit Escobar. A 47-second review showed the ball hit Escobar's bat and the call was overturned. Escobar eventually struck out swinging.
Video: WSH@NYM: Hit-by-pitch call overturned in 3rd inning
WHAT'S NEXT
Nationals: The Nationals return to Nationals Park to start a three-game series against the Marlins on Monday at 7:05 p.m. ET. Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann will get the start in the opener. The last time these two teams met was last month in Miami, with the Marlins sweeping the three-game series.
Mets: New York will regroup during Monday's off-day before welcoming the Orioles for a two-game Interleague series at Citi Field that begins Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Mets will send Bartolo Colon to the mound looking for his fifth win.
Watch every out-of-market regular season game live on MLB.TV.