Powered by Michael Morse’s fourth-inning grand slam, the Washington Nationals toppled the New York Mets 6-4 Friday night at Nationals Park.
With the Nats trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, Jayson Werth, Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman all singled to load the bases. Morse followed with Washington’s first grand slam of the season to put the Nats in front 4-2.
“It’s huge any time we can score some runs, especially get the lead and that’s the biggest way possible right there”, Nationals starting pitcher Ross Detwiler said. “It was awesome. Everybody in the dugout was going crazy. Everybody in the stands was going crazy. It’s one of the best parts of the game right there.”
Manager Davey Johnson thought Detwiler was one of the best parts of the game, as the left-hander threw six strong innings and gave up three earned runs, while walking and striking out one en route to picking up his seventh win of the year.
“I thought he [Detwiler] threw the ball good,” Johnson said. “The first inning he got tuned for a couple runs, but I thought he threw the ball good.”
Rookie Bryce Harper tacked on two more runs in the fifth with a two-run home run that scored Werth. Harper’s blast turned out to be the difference, as the Mets ended up scoring one run in both the sixth and seventh.
New York’s late-inning push could not overcome a superb effort from the Nationals top of the order. Werth, Harper, Zimmerman and Morse combined to go 7-15 with six RBIs, six runs scored and two homers. Zimmerman also put on a fielding clinic at third.
"That's why they gave him the Gold Glove a couple of years ago," Detwiler said of Zimmerman’s performance in the field. "They need to give him another one right now."
The win also saw the return of All-Star shortstop Ian Desmond to Washington’s lineup. Desmond went 0-4 with a strikeout after missing the previous 25 games.
Scott Hairston was a bright spot for the Mets, going 3-4 and tying the team’s franchise record with three doubles in one game.
The Nats are 10-3 against the Mets this season and will look to pick up another victory Saturday. Washington will send Edwin Jackson to the mound, and the Mets will counter with Jonathon Niese in the middle game of the series.
sports@theeagleonline.com
