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Zimmermann pitches Nats past Mets

Apr 9, 2015 - 3:49 AM Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - After a bumpy second inning, Jordan Zimmermann settled in and led the Washington Nationals to a 2-1 win over the New York Mets.

Zimmermann (1-0) worked efficiently, allowing just a run on five hits in six innings with four strikeouts and no walks.

Ryan Zimmerman provided the only swing of the bat the Nationals needed in the first inning when he swatted a two-run home run.

Reigning National League Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom (0-1) was effective in defeat, finishing with two runs allowed on six hits and two walks with six strikeouts over six innings.

After a 56 minute rain delay, Zimmermann pitched a quick 1-2-3 inning to open the game. In the bottom half of the first, a deGrom fastball caught too much of the plate, and Zimmerman turned on it and drove the pitch into the left-field seats.

"I got it in where I wanted it, and he just put a good swing on it," said deGrom.

Zimmermann, though, could not record the shutdown inning. After retiring Michael Cuddyer to start the frame, he allowed three straight singles, capped by Travis d'Arnaud's RBI hit to left field. Curtis Granderson had a chance to do more damage with the bases loaded and two outs, but he struck out looking on a full-count breaking ball to end the threat.

"I knew he was sitting fastball in a 3-2 count," said Zimmermann. "I figured if I got a slider anywhere close, he's going to probably punch out."

The Granderson strikeout started a stretch of 11 in a row retired by Zimmermann. Lucas Duda's single broke that streak, but Zimmermann got the next two outs and exited the game.

DeGrom also got in a rhythm after early trouble and only scattered a few baserunners over his final five innings.

In the eighth, David Wright picked up his first hit of the season with one out, but he would be doubled off first when Duda lined into an inning- ending double play to pitcher Blake Treinen.

Drew Storen, the undisputed Nationals closer after the trade of Tyler Clippard to Oakland and the departure of Rafael Soriano in free agency, recorded his first save, striking out Juan Lagares on a high fastball to end a 1-2-3 ninth.

Game Notes

Mets manager Terry Collins batted deGrom eighth in the lineup ... New York placed reliever Jenrry Mejia on the 15-day disabled list with elbow inflammation and recalled pitcher Erik Goeddel from Triple-A Las Vegas ... All six Mets hits were singles ... Thursday's rubber game will feature New York's Matt Harvey making his first start since Aug. 24, 2013 against Washington's Stephen Strasburg.