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Desmond's career day fuels Nats in blowout win over Mets

Sep 15, 2011 - 11:33 PM Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Ian Desmond registered the first five-hit game of his career and drove in three runs, as the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets, 10-1, to extend their winning streak to five games.

Washington's Tom Milone (1-0) earned his first career win, limiting New York to a run on three hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.

"He had everything working," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. "He jammed a lot of guys."

The Nationals swept a four-game series in Flushing, New York, for the first time since the Montreal Expos won all four meetings at Shea Stadium from September 18-21, 2003.

Chris Schwinden (0-2), making just his second career start, gave up two runs -- one earned -- and four hits in five frames for the Mets, who have lost six straight games and finished their homestand with a 1-8 mark.

The New York bullpen surrendered eight runs on 10 hits.

"You want to see me be intense, you guys are going to see it," an upset Mets manager Terry Collins said following the game. "I don't play that game. You come and play the game right. I don't care what the situation is, I don't care what the standings say, what the pitch counts are, I don't care about anything (but) playing the game correctly. That's what I care about."

The game remained scoreless until the fifth inning, when Washington capitalized on an error to take the lead. With men on the corners, Rick Ankiel hit a slow roller up the first-base line, but Mets first baseman Valentino Pascucci dropped the ball as he went to apply the tag. Wilson Ramos scored on the play and Desmond took third before scoring on Ryan Zimmerman's sacrifice fly.

Collin Balester relieved Milone after the latter allowed a two-out single to David Wright in the sixth. Jason Bay followed by crushing a pitch high off the left-field wall for an RBI double. Angel Pagan then drew a walk, but Balester struck out Nick Evans looking to end the inning.

The Nationals had men on the corners in the seventh after pinch-hitter Steve Lombardozzi and Desmond hit consecutive one-out singles. A balk by Daniel Herrera increased Washington's advantage to 3-1.

New York, though, threatened during its half of the seventh when Henry Rodriguez walked the bases loaded. Todd Coffey got Wright to fly out to defuse the rally.

Washington then put the game out of reach with seven runs over the last two frames. After loading the bases in the eighth, Desmond singled home a run, Jonny Gomes grounded into a run-scoring fielder's choice and Zimmerman recorded an RBI double.

An inning later, Chris Marrero lofted a sac fly, Ramos hit an RBI single and Desmond capped the scoring with a two-run double.

Game Notes

The Nationals notched just their second four-game series sweep since relocating from Montreal in 2005. They also swept a series on the road for the first time this season...Milone made his third career start and second against the Mets...New York finished 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position...The game was delayed 40 minutes in the bottom of the second because of rain...Washington posted a 10-8 record against the Mets in 2011.