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Nationals take out Mets

Sep 12, 2014 - 4:44 AM Flushing, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Adam LaRoche hit a two-run home run and drove in three as the Washington Nationals defeated the New York Mets, 6-2, in the opener of a four-game series.

Anthony Rendon also hit a two-run home run and scored twice, while Wilson Ramos drove in a run for the Nationals, who have won four of their last five. Tanner Roark (13-10) snapped a three-start losing streak as he was charged with just two runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Bartolo Colon (13-12) was tagged for all six runs -- five earned -- on seven hits and a pair of walks over three-plus innings for the Mets, who had a four- game winning streak snapped. Anthony Recker hit a solo home run and Dilson Herrera drove in the other.

The Nationals went on top in the first inning on LaRoche's two-run home run. Rendon had reached base earlier in the inning with a single.

Washington tacked on two more runs in the third. Jayson Werth doubled with one out, and LaRoche plated him with a single. LaRoche moved to second on a fielder's choice by Ian Desmond, took third on a Bryce Harper single, and came home on a Ramos groundout for a 4-0 lead.

In the fourth, Denard Span led off with a bunt single and Rendon followed with his 19th home run of the season for a 6-0 advantage.

Following the home run, Colon hit Werth with a pitch and was promptly ejected, along with New York manager Terry Collins. Colon had hit Desmond with a pitch after LaRoche's home run in the first inning.

"All I know is (Colon) has exceptional control," insinuated Nationals manager Matt Williams.

Recker got the Mets on the board in the fifth with his seventh home run of the year, a solo shot to left-center.

"I was just looking for a pitch out over the plate to put a good swing on," Recker said.

The Mets got another run on the board when Herrera singled in a run with the bases loaded and one out. Craig Stammen, though, took over and got Wilmer Flores to hit into an inning-ending double play.

The Mets had the bases loaded again in the eighth with one out, but Lucas Duda lined out to short, and Tyler Clippard struck out Recker to end the frame.

Ross Detwiler pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the victory.

Game Notes

Washington has won 11 of the 13 games with New York this season, including all seven games in New York ... The Nationals have won 12 straight games as the guests in this series ... Colon fell to 2-4 in six lifetime meetings against the Nationals ... Roark improved to 4-0 in five meetings against the Mets ... New York third baseman Daniel Murphy and catcher Travis d'Arnaud both left the game with wrist injuries.