John Maine on the mound for the Mets at home in New York's Shea Stadium. Maine hits Felipe Lopez in the thigh with the first pitch of the evening. "That means the fix is in," My Brother Scout says, referring to the first pitch of the '19 Series. (I just think it means the Mets are still mad about Elijah Dukes' cheerleading.) Cristian Guzman grounds into a force that would have been a DP if Jose Reyes fields it cleanly. Maine gets Ryan Zimmerman swinging for the second out, and gets a weak grounder from Nick Johnson to end the top of the first. Jose Reyes grounds out to Guzman's backhand, Ryan Church flies into Lastings Milledge's glove, but David Wright ruins John Lannan's flow by singling to center with two down. Lannan pops Carlos Beltran out to the infield. 

Austin Kearns beats Damion Easley to the hole with a one-out single into right. Elijah Dukes works a walk. Wil "The Thrill" Nieves grounds to Reyes who throws to third for a force. John Lannan hits like a pitcher, so he's back on the mound for the Mets' second. Moises Alou grounds deep into the hole at short, and Nick Johnson can't handle Guzman's throw. Carlos Delgado gets an awkward bunt down to beat the Dramatic Shift. Lannan walks Damion Easley to load'em up for Brian Schneider. Schneider grounds into a force at second, but a run scores. 1 out, 1-0 NY. Maine's sac bunt advances Schneider. Reyes grounds out to short. "Cool Hand" Lannan limits the damage. 

Felipe Lopez flies out to the warning track in right for the first out of the third. Guzman reaches when Damion Easley throws away a gimme. 1-2 pitch to Ryan Zimmer...THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!!! Fastball on the outside of the plate, Zimmerman lifts it to left, Alou just watches it sail. 2-1 Nationals middle of three. Ryan Church leads off the Mets' third with a homer off the apple in the top hat. 2-2 ballgame. David Wright beats Nick Johnson to the line for a double inside the bag. Lannan gets Beltran, Alou and Delgado to leave Wright at second. 2-2 after three. 

Maine pitches a scoreless fourth. Brian Schneider rips a one-out single up the middle. John Maine lines a single to left. Lannan starts Jose Reyes with two balls, but "Cool Hand" Lannan gets a DP grounder from the speedy Reyes to end the fourth. 1-2-3 fifth for Maine. Lannan almost takes his hanging slider in the grill after Carlos Beltran lines it back at the mound for a two-out single. Alou does the same. 2 on, 2 out for Delgado...Carlos Delgado gets hold of one and sends it deep to center and...Milledge makes the grab as he runs into the wall!! LASTO! LASTO! 

Lastings Milledge reaches base with two down after Damion Easley boots a grounder that should have ended the Nationals' sixth. John Maine isn't shaken, and just strikes out Kearns to end the top of the inning. Brian Schneider hits a fastball from Lannan for a one-out single in the sixth. Fernando "Former Expo" Tatis pinch hits for Maine. Tatis line an outside fastball on one-hop to Kearns. Two on, one out for Reyes. Lannan fools Reyes and gets him swinging. Ryan Church gets a chance at revenge...Ryan Church lines it at Kearns...and over his HEAD! Two runs score on the misplay in right. 4-2 NY after six. 

Matt Wise will pitch the seventh for NY. Elijah Dukes smacks a double "down the line in left" to start the Nationals' seventh. Dukes moves to third on Wil Nieves' groundout. Rob Mackowiak grounds out to score Dukes. 4-3 NY after six and a half. Stand up and stretch...Luis Ayala gets Beltran LOOKING! Ayala pops up Alou. Delgado grounds to first, and he can stay there, someone will bring the cap and glove.

Duaner Sanchez will pitch the eighth. Guzman works a leadoff walk. Ryan Zimmerman lines out to right. The Discerning Eye of Nick Johnson takes a 3-2 pitch for a ball. Lastings Milledge gets fooled badly by Sanchez. Austin Kearns with a shot at redemption...count's at 2-2...Kearns grounds into a force at second. 4-3 after seven and a half. Brian Schneider beats Zimmerman to the bag for a double to left with one down. Luis Ayala walks pinch hitter Marlon Anderson. Lastings Milledge tries to come up throwing on a ground ball to center from Jose Reyes, but Milledge loses it, out of his glove on the transfer, allowing Schneider to score. 5-3 NY. "Wild" Joel Hanrahan comes on to face Church. Sac fly to right. 6-3 NY.

Three outs to get three runs against Billy Wagner. Wright makes a sweet grab spins and fires to beat Dukes to first. Wagner blows a fastball by Belliard's bat. Aaron Boone singles to left. Felipe Lopez goes down swinging. 6-3 NY wins. 

Nationals now 16-24.