New York @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( May 23, 2016 ) NY Mets 7, Washington 1

The New York Mets can jump into first place in the National League East with a second consecutive win over the Nationals when they visit Washington on Tuesday. The Mets entered the key three-game series 1 1/2 games out of the top spot but breezed to a 7-1 victory in Monday’s series opener to tighten up the race.

New York has allowed a total of eight runs during a four-game winning streak and is hoping ace Matt Harvey can keep that momentum going on the rubber as he struggles to find his form in 2016. The Mets have been able to withstand Harvey’s slow start thanks to efforts like Bartolo Colon’s seven strong innings on Monday and Yoenis Cespedes’ home run barrage. Cespedes went deep in Monday’s opener and has four blasts in the last eight games to boost his season total to 15 – four more than Nationals superstar Bryce Harper. Harper went 0-for-4 on Monday to drop his batting average to .252 and is homerless in nine straight games with just two in May after belting nine in April.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Matt Harvey (3-6, 5.77 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (7-0, 2.80)

Harvey was lit up in his last two outings and lasted only 2 2/3 innings at home against Washington on Thursday while getting dinged for nine runs – six earned – on eight hits and two walks. The Connecticut native surrendered three or fewer earned runs in four straight turns before falling apart in his last two starts with 19 hits allowed in 8 1/3 innings. Harvey is 3-4 with a 2.49 ERA in 11 career starts against the Nationals and has held Harper to 1-for-22.

Strasburg and Cubs ace Jake Arrieta are the last two undefeated full-time starters in the NL, and Strasburg is coming off a dominating outing. The San Diego native struck out 10 and scattered one run and six hits over six innings while going up against Harvey at New York on Thursday. Strasburg, who has 75 strikeouts in 61 innings, is 5-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 10 career starts against the Mets.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Mets placed 1B Lucas Duda (lower back stress fracture) on the 15-day disabled list on Monday.

2. Washington 2B Daniel Murphy went 2-for-4 on Monday and is 6-for-15 in four games against his former team.

3. New York SS Asdrubal Cabrera has hit safely in six straight games and drove in at least one run in each of the last three.

PREDICTION: Nationals 5, Mets 4