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Slumping Langerhans delivers Nats past Mets

Jul 29, 2007 - 3:29 AM FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Ryan Langerhans had waited a while a hit. Joel Hanrahan waited far longer for a chance to play in the major leagues.

Langerhans snapped an 0-for-16 slump with a run-scoring single in the eighth inning and Hanrahan pitched six effective innings in his major league debut as the Nationals defeated the New York Mets, 6-5, and earned a split in their day-night doubleheader.

The Mets suffered their third loss in four games to last place teams and saw catcher Paul Lo Duca leave with a right-hamstring injury while running the bases in the seventh inning.

Carlos Delgado hit a two-run homer for the Mets, who received a rare sub-par performance from Pedro Feliciano, one of their most effective relievers.

Austin Kearns singled off Feliciano (2-2) to lead off the second and went to second on a wild pitch and to third on a groundout by Brian Schneider. After an intentional walk to pinch hitter Tony Batista, Langerhans grounded a single between third base and shortstop.

"It's just one hit, but it gives me confidence," Langerhans said. "It's been a long while since I've had a hit to the opposite field. I'll take it and run with it."

It was just the fourth hit for Langerhans in 40 at-bats.

"That hit was huge, for him and for us," Nationals manager Manny Acta said.

Ronnie Belliard lined a two-run double off Aaron Heilman to give the Nationals a three-run cushion.

Jon Rauch (7-2) earned his team-leading seventh win, retiring Jose Reyes with two runners on to end the seventh. He allowed a run on three straight singles to open the eighth and a second run scored when Moises Alou grounded into a double play.

Rauch got Ramon Castro to ground out with Shawn Green on third to end the eighth.

Chad Cordero pitched the ninth for his 21st save.

The Nationals used their major league-high 13th different starting pitcher this season when they called up Hanrahan from Class AAA Columbus before the game. Hanrahan allowed three runs and four hits with seven strikeouts.

"He was impressive. We all knew he had that arm," Acta said. "We saw it in spring training."

Signed by the Nationals as a minor league free agent last winter, Hanrahan is the 11th different rookie to play for the Nationals and finally made it to the majors after pitching in the minors since 2000.

"The reason I took so long is I was never healthy at the right time," said Hanrahan, a second-round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002.

The 25-year-old righthander cruised through the first five innings and recorded the first two outs of the sixth before Ruben Gotay singled. David Wright drove home the first New York run before Delgado sliced his 17th home run to left field to tie the game at 3-3.

Mets starter Mike Pelfrey pitched six innings in his latest major league chance, allowing three runs and eight hits and striking out five. He was sent back to Class AAA New Orleans after the game.

"I just have to continue to worry about executive pitches and just eliminate some mistakes," Pelfrey said. "I definitely have to keep working."

A first-round draft pick of the Mets in 2005, Pelfrey earned the job of fifth starter out of spring training, failed to win any of his first six starts this season and was sent back to the minors. He has been called up twice since, including Saturday, when the Mets needed an extra starter due to the doubleheader. All of his troubles came in the third inning.

Hanrahan lined a triple to left-center field in his first plate appearance and scored on a double to right field by D'Angelo Jimenez. Ryan Zimmerman and Dmitri Young followed one later with consecutive RBI single to give Washington a 3-0 lead.

Hanrahan became the first pitcher to triple in his first major league at-bat since Chris Michalak for Toronto on June 17, 2001. The last pitcher to do so in his first plate appearance was Eric Cammack for the Mets on July 5, 2000.

"I joked to someone I would hit a home run," Hanrahan said. "I'll take the triple."

Lo Duca said the injury was not serious and hoped to return Tuesday in Milwaukee when Tom Glavine goes for his 300th career victory.

"I will be out there Tuesday unless I get shot," Lo Duca said.

The injury left the Mets shorthanded in the late stages of Friday's game. With Carlos Beltran missing his fifth straight game with an abdominal strain, manager Willie Randolph was forced to use Glavine as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning. Young was 1-for-4 after agreeing to a two-year contract extension that was announced between games of the doubleheader.

The Mets played their first day-night doubleheader at Shea Stadium since May 11, 1972 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.