Washington @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2013 ) NY Mets 5, Washington 6

If the Washington Nationals are to make an improbable run for a playoff spot, Ryan Zimmerman will need to be one of the leaders. Zimmerman enters Monday's opener of a four-game series against the host New York Mets having belted five home runs in his last six games. Washington scored 15 runs and compiled 27 hits to beat Miami the last two days without the injured Bryce Harper (sore hip) as Wilson Ramos, Anthony Rendon and Jayson Werth combined to go 13-for-26.

Harper is questionable for Monday as Washington sits 7 1/2 games behind Cincinnati for the second National League wild-card spot. The Mets have dropped five of their seven games this month after winning at Washington each of the last two days of August. Eric Young Jr., who is 15-for-40 in his last 10 games, delivered the go-ahead RBI double in Sunday’s 2-1 victory at Cleveland.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (9-6, 3.49 ERA) vs. Mets RH Carlos Torres (3-3, 2.89)

Gonzalez was victorious in each of his last two starts, including a triumph over Miami on Aug. 29 in which he tossed seven scoreless innings. He has compiled 170 strikeouts in 167 2/3 innings and blanked the Mets over seven frames on June 30. Gonzalez is 4-1 with a 3.15 ERA in seven career outings against New York and won’t have to face injured Mets David Wright and Ike Davis, who both have homered against him.

Torres has pitched well of late, going 1-1 while yielding four runs over 13 2/3 innings in his last two starts. He was touched for eight runs over the first three innings on July 28 at Washington after pitching two scoreless frames in relief against the Nationals on June 29. Ramos is 2-for-2 with a homer and five RBIs against Torres, who has given up 59 hits in 62 1/3 innings this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals CF Denard Span has hit safely in a career-high 19 consecutive games and is 11-for-25 in his last seven.

2. Mets INF Justin Turner is 7-for-17 with two homers and four RBIs in his last four contests.

3. Washington is 8-7 against the Mets this season after winning 14-of-18 meetings in 2012.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Mets 2