New York @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2016 ) NY Mets 1, Washington 8

Clinging to the second wild card in the National League, the New York Mets send ace Noah Syndergaard to the mound Tuesday night when they continue their three-game series against the host Washington Nationals. The Mets hold a half-game over St. Louis after they were blown out 8-1 in the series opener, only their second loss in nine games.

Washington is breezing toward the NL East title and cut its magic number to clinch the division to nine games with its fourth consecutive victory. Anthony Rendon clubbed a three-run home while ex-Met Daniel Murphy kept tormenting his former club by going 3-for-5, giving him at least one hit in all 17 games versus New York this season. Murphy has struggled against Syndergaard with two hits in nine at-bats. New York's Jose Reyes has scored in eight straight games and owns multiple hits in four of his last six contests.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (13-8, 2.48 ERA) vs. Nationals RH A.J. Cole (1-2, 4.56)

Syndergaard improved to 4-1 over his last five starts by holding Cincinnati to six hits over five scoreless frames in his last outing. It was the fifth consecutive start with two earned runs or fewer allowed by 24-year-old, whose only loss in that span was against Washington on Sept. 2, when he gave up two runs on only three hits in seven innings. Bryce Harper and Rendon are both 5-for-16 versus Syndergaard.

Cole turned in his best performance against the Mets earlier this month, outdueling Syndergaard by permitting one run and three hits over six innings for his lone major-league victory. He is having trouble keeping the ball in the park, surrendering six homers in his four starts this season. That proved to be his undoing in a 4-1 defeat last time out versus Philadelphia, when all the runs allowed came on a pair of homers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Murphy is 28-for-68 against this New York, tying the longest hit streak against the Mets in one season.

2. Mets SS Asdrubal Cabrera, who had a 10-game hitting streak snapped Monday, has not gone hitless in back-to-back games since July 30-31.

3. Rendon has two homers and 10 RBIs over his last seven games.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Nationals 3