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Maya solid on the mound as Nats blank Mets

Jul 31, 2011 - 2:39 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - The Nationals snapped their six-game losing streak with a replacement starter.

Now, they might lose him as well.

Yunesky Maya got the start after fellow right-hander Jason Marquis was traded to Arizona earlier Saturday and threw 5 1/3 shutout innings for his first MLB win as Washington blanked the New York Mets, 3-0.

Maya (1-1) allowed just five hits, without any strikeouts or walks, but he strained his back running the bases and was taken out with two runners on in the sixth.

"I imagine he'll have to go on the [disabled list]," said Nationals manager Davey Johnson.

Jayson Werth hit a three-run homer in the first inning off Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (5-9) and the Nationals pitching kept the New York bats silent the rest of the way.

Ross Detwiler, Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen finished the shutout for Maya. Storen, the subject of simmering trade rumors, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth for his 26th save.

David Wright, Jason Bay and Josh Thole had two hits apiece for the Mets, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Earlier, Marquis was scratched from his start after the Nationals traded him to the Diamondbacks for switch-hitting shortstop Zachary Walters, a 21-year- old minor leaguer.

Maya was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse, joining the Nationals for the second time this season. He entered the game 0-4 with a 6.31 earned run average in nine major league starts over two seasons with the Nationals.

Pitching to contact, Maya had little trouble with a streaking Mets offense, throwing 52 of his 78 pitches for strikes. He set New York down in order in the first two innings.

"He went right after them," Johnson said.

Werth belted his 12th homer of the season on Jayson Werth Bobblehead night at Nationals Park. Rick Ankiel and Michael Morse scored on the drive over the center-field wall.

The Nationals had eight more hits after Werth's blast, including three straight singles by Ian Desmond, Ryan Zimmerman and Morse in the eighth inning. They never scored again, but it didn't matter.

The Mets showed life in the ninth against Storen, who walked Wright and gave up singles to Bay and Thole to load the bases. He struck out pinch-hitter Willie Harris to end the game.

Game Notes

The Mets were 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base...Marquis was 8-5 with a 3.95 ERA in 20 starts for the Nationals this season.