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Mets, Nationals close out four-game series

Sep 25, 2006 - 2:11 PM Washington (68-87) at NY Mets (93-62) 7:10 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Mets try to capture a split of their four-game series with the Washington Nationals in the finale on Monday.

The Mets dropped their second game in three days following a 5-1 setback Sunday. Jose Valentin hit his 18th homer in the fifth inning to prevent New York from being shut out.

The National League East champions aim for a share of the series behind veteran Tom Glavine (14-6, 3.92 ERA). The lefthander has put together consecutive winning decisions following a two-game skid. He yielded two runs and four hits in eight innings of a 3-2 triumph over Florida on Tuesday.

Glavine is 31-21 lifetime with a 3.37 ERA in 62 starts against the Washington franchise, including 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts this year.

The Nationals send rookie Beltran Perez (1-0, 0.77) to the mound in search of their fourth straight series win. The 25-year-old righthander won his major league debut Tuesday, a 9-2 victory over Atlanta. He threw six scoreless frames, yielding just a hit and did not issue a walk.

Rookie Ryan Zimmerman and Felipe Lopez both registered two hits and an RBI in Sunday's win.