Flushing, NY – Bryce Harper's second home run of the day broke a tie in the eighth, and the Washington Nationals held on for a 7-6 win over the New York Mets in the second installment of a three-game set at Citi Field.
Harper supplied a two-run shot earlier in the contest and went 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Adam LaRoche clubbed a three-run homer and Rafael Soriano notched his sixth save to help the Nationals bounce back from a 7-1 loss to New York on Friday.
Gio Gonzalez lasted just four frames after giving up five runs in his last inning of work, but four Washington relievers yielded one run on two hits the rest of the way, with Tyler Clippard (1-0) picking up the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
John Buck's RBI double in the seventh tied it at 6-6 before Josh Edgin (0-1) served up Harper's go-ahead homer. New York starter Jeremy Hefner allowed three runs on four hits with three walks over four innings of work.
Justin Turner and Collin Cowgill each had a two-run single, while Daniel Murphy and John Buck added an RBI apiece in the setback.
"Its disappointing, you get five off Gio (Gonzalez), we got to win that game," said Mets third baseman David Wright.
Ian Desmond got Washington on the board first with a leadoff homer in the second inning, and the Nationals took a 3-0 lead following Harper's two-run blast into right in the third.
"Harper was amazing today," said Washington manager Davey Johnson. "He crushed a couple of balls, what a day he had."
Gonzalez, who came in 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA in his last three starts against the Mets, allowed just one hit and struck out five over the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth.
The Mets plated five runs in the inning on four hits and three walks, forcing Gonzalez to throw 41 pitches in the frame.
With the bases loaded, Cowgill stroked a two-run single into left, and after Gonzalez walked pinch-hitter Ruben Tejada, Turner put the Mets in front with a grounder through the hole at short, scoring two runs.
Murphy then sent an RBI single into right to give New York a 5-3 edge, but Washington answered right back with three runs in the fifth.
Reliever Aaron Laffey took over on the hill for New York and recorded the first two outs before walking Jayson Werth. Harper then doubled and LaRoche followed with a shot into the first row of seats in left center, putting the Nationals back on top, 6-5.
Game Notes
The Nationals have won 13 of their last 15 games at Citi Field ... The Mets were 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position ... New York and Washington managed seven hits apiece ... After the game, Washington manager Johnson announced that the club will be placing third baseman Ryan Zimmerman on the 15-day disabled list with a hamstring injury. To fill the roster spot, the Nationals will recall infielder Anthony Rendon from Double-A Harrisburg.
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