The Nationals roughed up Matt Harvey, and got a quality start out of Gio Gonzalez in a 7-2 win in the opener of a three-game series between the top two teams in the National League East Monday night in Nationals Park.
Gonzalez (7-4, 3.93 ERA) gave up two runs on six hits in six innings, striking out four and walking three.
The story of the night was what the Washington offense was able to do to Harvey (8-7, 3.19 ERA), who gave up five runs, four earned, on five hits in seven innings.
The Nats got on the board with two in the first, on an RBI single from Yunel Escobar, and then when Bryce Harper scored from third after Escobar got caught in a rundown between first and second.
Washington added three more in the third on a two-run double by Clint Robinson and an RBI single by Ian Desmond.
The Mets got all of their offense on a two-run single by Harvey in the top of the fourth.
Ian Desmond hit a two-run homer in the eighth to give Washington a pair of key insurance runs.
The win lifts Washington (50-41) to a three-game lead over the Mets in the NL East.
Share
AFP
