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Mets-Nationals Preview

Sep 30, 2009 - 4:10 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

New York (67-90) at Washington (53-103), 4:35 p.m. EDT

Since moving to the nation's capital in 2005, the Washington Nationals have never swept a home series against the New York Mets. John Lannan gives them a great opportunity to do so.

He'll try to improve to 4-0 at Nationals Park in his career against the Mets as Washington looks to win its home finale Wednesday.

Washington (54-103) is concluding another disappointing season with the worst record in baseball, but has a chance to earn a three-game sweep of its high-profile NL East rival.

The Nationals have earned two one-run victories in this series, winning 2-1 on Monday and taking advantage of some sloppy defense in a 4-3 win Tuesday. Washington had lost four straight and seven of eight before this series.

"We've played hard all year - well, the last few months - and I think we haven't been rewarded too much," interim manager Jim Riggleman said. "We just couldn't find a way to win ballgames. The fact that they have grinded it out, I think you have to be proud of. In September, it's tough to do that."

Former Nationals infielder Anderson Hernandez and Luis Castillo had errors in the eighth inning, with Castillo's miscue allowing Justin Maxwell to score the go-ahead run.

"It was kind of embarrassing to watch that kind of play - especially at that time of the game," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "Poor, poor, poor defensive play."

Lannan (9-13, 3.93 ERA) has dominated New York (67-91) in three starts at Nationals Park, posting a 0.36 ERA in that span with the only two complete games of his career coming this year. He did not issue a walk and scattered seven hits July 21 in a 4-0 victory over the Mets.

The New York native will make his third bid for his career-high 10th victory after going 0-2 with a 1.93 ERA in his last two outings. He gave up two unearned runs Friday over seven sharp innings in a 4-1 loss to Atlanta.

Lannan will try to outpitch former teammate Tim Redding (3-6, 5.29), who was not offered a contract by Washington after going 13-17 with a 4.53 ERA over 48 starts from 2007-08. The Mets signed the right-hander on Jan. 9.

It hasn't been a good season for Redding, who spent the first month and a half on the disabled list due to right shoulder fatigue. He was demoted to the bullpen July 7 after going 1-3 with a 6.99 ERA in his first nine starts before returning to the rotation Aug. 22.

Redding, though, is 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts against Washington this year. He's limited the Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn to a combined two hits in 11 at-bats with one RBI.