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Mets hit three HRs, beat Nats

Sep 3, 2011 - 6:51 AM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - For a team that doesn't usually have a lot of offensive firepower, the New York Mets showed some pop on Friday night, using three home runs to top the Washington Nationals 7-3 in the opener of a three-game series.

David Wright, Nick Evans and Lucas Duda all clubbed homers and Angel Pagan added a two-run single for the Mets, who have won three consecutive games.

R.A. Dickey (7-11) worked six-plus solid innings, giving up three runs on nine hits while fanning one without issuing a walk. Josh Stinson and Daniel Ray Herrera combined to finish off the Nats in the ninth.

Rick Ankiel ripped a two-run homer and Michael Morse chipped in with an RBI single for the Nationals, losers of three straight and nine of their last 10 contests.

Ross Detwiler (2-5) was hammered in defeat, giving up six runs on seven hits in just three innings of work. He struck out two and walked none.

"It was definitely my worst outing," Detwiler said. "Nothing worked. Bad location, bad pitches, everything."

The Mets wasted no time jumping out in front in their first at-bat. Jose Reyes beat out an infield single to begin the game and Justin Turner slapped a single over the head of Ian Desmond at shortstop and into left field to put runners on first and second with no outs. Following a Duda strikeout, Wright blasted a 1-1 sinker from Detwiler into the seats in left field for a 3-0 lead.

"When you get on a little hot streak you have to try to ride it out as long as you can," Wright said. "Right around the corner there is an 0-for-10 or 0- for-15 waiting for you so you have to take advantage of it while you can."

Washington picked up a two-out RBI single from Morse in the home half of the inning to make it 3-1, but the Mets got the run right back the next inning courtesy of a solo-shot to left from Evans.

The Nats had an opportunity to score in the second inning when Chris Marrero and Wilson Ramos slapped back-to-back singles to start the frame and moved up to second and third on a sacrifice bunt by Detwiler. Washington was unable to cash in however, as Desmond flied out to deep center to end the inning.

The Mets added two more runs in the third to make it 6-1. Duda ripped a one- out single and Wright followed with a double to left to put men on second and third. Pagan then blooped a two-run single into right-center.

"This hasn't happened very often, we were down after two or three innings pretty badly," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. "The bullpen has been pretty consistent."

Desmond smoked a one-out triple into the right field corner in the fifth and Ankiel muscled a 3-1 pitch from Dickey over the wall in left to bring Washington within three.

The Mets added a run for good measure in the seventh on a moon-shot to right by Duda that hugged the foul pole and landed in the upper deck to make it a 7-3 Mets advantage.

Washington threatened in the seventh when pinch-hitter Brian Bixler and Ryan Zimmerman singled to put two runners on base with two down, but Morse struck out to end the threat.

Game Notes

Dickey now has a streak of eight straight quality starts, it is the longest such streak by a Mets starter since Johan Santana ended the 2008 season with 14 straight quality starts...The Nationals are 14-8 this season in the opening games of home series...New York leads the season series 7-5...The Nats are 37-29 at home this year...Nationals right fielder Jayson Werth recorded his 10th outfield assist of the year when he doubled Wright off of first base in the fifth inning.