Washington @ New York preview
Citi Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2010 ) NY Mets 3, Washington 2
The New York Mets and Washington Nationals have one last chance to end losing seasons on a winning note when they close their 2010 campaigns with a three-game series at Citi Field beginning Friday.
The Mets were assured of their second consecutive losing season when they lost 9-2 to Milwaukee on Thursday, their third straight loss to the Brewers after winning the series opener.
New York has lost nine of 12, so it could use something positive to take into the offseason.
Positives have been hard to come by for the Nationals. They are mired in last place in the division for the fifth time in six years, and it's too late to catch the Mets and change that. But they do lead the season series with New York 8-7, including a 4-2 mark at Citi Field.
Washington has lost three of five since its season-high four-game win streak was snapped Saturday against Atlanta.
The winning pitcher in the last of those four consecutive victories was Jordan Zimmermann and the 24-year-old right-hander takes the mound tonight looking for another win.
Zimmermann (1-2, 5.76 ERA) beat the Braves on Friday, earning his first win since June 25, 2009. He allowed one run on three hits over five innings, striking out five.
Zimmermann has been on a limited pitch count, so he has gone five or more innings only twice in six starts since returning from Tommy John surgery Aug. 26.
In three starts against New York, Zimmermann is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA. He faced the Mets on Sept. 6 at Nationals Park, allowing three runs -- one earned -- over four innings and settling for a no-decision in a 13-3 win.
The Mets will send 29-year-old left-hander Pat Misch to the mound in search of his first win of the season.
Misch (0-4, 4.66 ERA) lost his first four starts after being called up Aug. 14 -- and subsequently lost his spot in the rotation -- but after five scoreless relief appearances, he was tabbed to rejoin the rotation when rookie Jenrry Mejia was shut down for the season with a shoulder injury.
In his return to the rotation Sunday at Philadelphia, Misch didn't last long enough to earn the win in the Mets' 7-3 victory, failing to get out of the fifth after starting the game with four scoreless innings. He allowed three runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out three over 4 2/3 innings.
Misch has made one start and three relief appearances against the Nationals, going 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA. The start came in 2007 with the Giants and he allowed three runs over 5 1/3 innings and took the loss.