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Bacsik strong vs. former team, Nationals cruise by Mets

Jul 28, 2007 - 2:44 AM FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The Washington Nationals were double the trouble for Jorge Sosa while Mike Bacsik had few problems with the New York Mets.

Ryan Church had one of four Washington doubles in a three-run second and Bacsik pitched seven strong innings as the Nationals defeated the Mets, 6-2, in the opener of a four-game series on Friday.

Church and Austin Kearns homered for the Nationals, who kept Sosa winless in three starts since coming off the disabled list.

The Mets welcomed back left fielder Moises Alou from the disabled list, but it did not prevent them from losing their second straight game to a last-place team. New York dropped the finale of a three-game set with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.

The four doubles in an inning tied the most for the Nationals since the franchise relocated to Washington in 2005. It also happened at Shea Stadium on August 21, 2005.

"I seemed like double, double, double and here we go," Church said.

Dmitri Young reached second on a bloop to left field to open the second and scored when Church doubled down the right field line. One out later, Brian Schneider lined a two-base hit to right field to bring home the second run and scored when Nook Logan bounced a ground rule double to left center.

That would be more than enough for Bacsik, whose seven-inning effort helped rest a bullpen that was overworked in a recent series against Philadelphia.

"It could have gotten ugly if Bacsik had gotten out of the game early," Nationals manager Manny Acta said. "He gave me more than I was hoping for."

Sosa (7-6), who was sidelined prior to the All-Star break with a hamstring injury, has lost five of his last six decisions and his last three starts. He lasted six innings and allowed five runs and nine hits.

"I had all the confidence I needed," said Sosa through an interpreter. "It was mechanical. I'm going to sit with (pitching coach) Rick Peterson and talk about my mechanics."

Bacsik (4-6) was with the Mets in 2002 and 2003 and made the most of his first appearance against his former team. The lefthander allowed two runs and eight hits with just one walk. He did not strike out a batter. In fact, on just one of his 83 pitches did a Mets batter swing and miss. That was Jose Reyes in the first.

"I didn't make them swing and miss a lot. The defense did a heck of job," Bacsik said. "I was just trying to be efficient. That made me fresh in later innings."

Bacsik has allowed just five runs in his last three starts, a span of 19 1/3 innings.

Church hit his eighth homer with one out in the third to increase the lead to 4-1.

A leadoff home run by Austin Kearns off the left field foul pole in the sixth made it 5-2.

Alou, who missed more than two months with a strained left quadriceps, doubled off the left wall in the second and scored the first Mets run when Lastings Milledge grounded into a double play.

"It felt good to be out there," said Alou, who was 1-for-4 and almost made a diving catch on Young's double in the second. "I was pleased with the way I swung the bat."

Shawn Green doubled in the fifth and scored on a single by Damion Easley that cut the lead to 4-2.

Schneider drove in his second run of the game with a single in the eighth.

Luis Ayala pitched the eighth and ninth innings for Washington.

New York played its third straight game without center fielder Carlos Beltran due to a strained abdominal muscle.