More photos » by Henny Ray Abrams - AP

2 months ago: Washington Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman, center, is congratulated by teammate Josh Willingham, right, after driving-in Cristian Guzman, left, with a two-run home run in the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets at Citi Field in New York, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

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• Ryan Zimmerman’s 2-run home run off Mike Pelfrey in the first is Zimmerman’s 30th of the season. The Nationals’ 1st 1st Round pick is now 6 over his previous season high of 24 set over 162 games back in 2007. Zimmerman now has 30 in 142 games played in '09, and he put Washington up 2-0 over Pelfrey and the New York Mets after one...

• J.D. Martin got through two scoreless, but gave up a leadoff double to Wilson Valdez in the third. After a sac fly by Pelfrey, the Mets hit back to back singles with Angel Pagan knocking Valdez in and taking third on a low liner to center by Luis Castillo. One out later, after Josh Willingham leaps at the wall to rob David Wright, Carlos Beltran singles in the second run with the fourth hit of the inning and it's a 2-2 tie.

• Josh Bard, who came into the game with a .167 AVG with 4 hits in 24 September at bats, so of course, Bard gets a hold of a sinkless sinker from Mike Pelfrey and launches it to right center, and just into the bullpen for a two-run HR that scores Ian Desmond, who’d doubled to the corner in left to start the fifth. 4-2 DC...

(The SHOCKING Conclusion After The JUMP)...

• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...

• Check Out The SB Nation's Mets Blog: Amazin' Avenue Open Thread.

• "Game 147: Yeah, it's the Mets, but a win is a win" - Doghouse.

For The Completists, Full Game Report After The JUMP...

Nationals now 51-96. 

• J.D. Martin walks Carlos Beltran to start NY’s sixth, and gives up a one-out single to Jeff Francoeur before he’s lifted from the game after (5.1 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 3 K's)....Ron Villone takes over, and walks the first batter he faces, Fernando Tatis, to load the bases, and Villone gives up a line drive to left to Wilson Valdez, Josh Willingham charges in to catch Valdez’s liner and the Hammer throws home as Beltran tags from third, Bard catches the throw on one hop, reaches across the plate and makes the tag as Beltran slides around and reaches for the dish..., "You’rrrre OUT!!!" yells the Ump as he punches the air.

• Elijah Dukes scores the Nationals’ 5th run of the game after a throwing error on an excuse-me single in the seventh...Dukes takes second after Mets’ catcher Josh Thole throws by first on Dukes' dribbler. Ian Desmond’s grounder to second moves Dukes up to third and Josh Bard drives in another run with a sac fly to center for a 5-2 DC lead.

• Best and Worst Of Bergmann And MacDougal...

Jason Bergmann started the eighth by striking out both David Wright and Carlos Beltran, Wright with a heater, Beltran with the curve (he still can't hit those!), but then Rutgers' Finest gives up a two-out single to Daniel Murphy and another single to Jeff Francoeur, and DC closer Mike MacDougal has to come out in the eighth for the 4-out save. MacDougal strikes out backup backstop Josh Thole to strand Murphy and Frenchy and preserve the 5-2 DC lead.

• STOP: Hammertime - Top of the ninth...Josh Willingham leads off against Brian Stokes. Stokes throws a first-pitch fastball and instantly regrets it, 94 mph coming in, and gone just as quick, Josh Willingham hits his 23rd HR of 2009 and knocks in his first run since September 4th...

• Back To MacDougal... It's at this point that Mike MacDougal decides he'll continue the "DC Closer Tradition of 'Making It Interesting'", walking the first batter of the ninth, before popping up pinch hitter Jeremy Reed...and walking Angel Pagan...Luis Castillo singles, bases loaded, David Wright singles, 6-3 DC. Carlos Beltran grounds into a force but scores a run. 6-4. Daniel Murphy rips a hotshot to short, Ian Desmond stabs it and throws high to first and off Adam Dunn's glove. Castillo scores, 6-5. Jeff Francoeur rips one to the mound that takes MacDougal's glove off his hand, the pitcher recovers, throws to first, ballgame. 

• E: 125, 126.

E: 125 - 2nd Inning, Jeff Francoeur pops up foul of first, Adam Dunn tries to stay with, tries to make the catch...and...drops it. Dunn's 15th Nick-Johnson-esque error is the Nationals' 125th as a team. OUTCOME: Francoeur flies out given another pitch, and Brian Schneider flies out to end the inning. No harm. E: 126 - 6-4 Nationals, bottom of the ninth, Mike MacDougal's reeling, and Daniel Murphy rips a two-out one-hopper to short, Ian Desmond stabs it with his backhand but throws high to first, Dunn leaps, but it's off his glove. Desmond's 3rd is DC's league-leading 126th. OUTCOME: A run scores on the error to make it 6-5, but MacDougal recovers to end it one batter later. 

GAME REPORT: 

Washington Nationals At New York Mets. Game 147 Of 162.

Mike Pelfrey’s on the mound for the Mets, Willie Harris leads off for DC with a fly ball to Carlos Beltran in center for the first out of the game. Daniel Murphy tries to toss a weak grounder to first with his glove, but it doesn’t quite work, Guzman’s safe. Ryan Zimmerman goes the other way with a low fastball outside and just gets it over the fence for a 2-run blast and a 2-0 DC lead. Adam Dunn fouls off a few full-count pitches and flies out to Angel Pagan in left. Josh Willingham swings over a two-strike sinker inside...Josh Willingham pulls up just short of the wall in foul territory in the left field corner to catch Angel Pagan’s fly ball out. Luis Castillo throws his bat at a two-strike fastball outside for a swinging K. David Wright rolls the second fastball he sees out to third for Zimmerman to handle.

Elijah Dukes rrrrips one back off the pitcher’s feet, and David Wright can’t make a barehand play. Dukes safe. Ian Desmond grounds to second, Luis Castillo tosses to second for the force but Dukes’ slide into Wilson Valdez ends any chance of a DP. Josh Bard gives them another chance, grounding to Luis Castillo to Valdez to Daniel Murphy at first, double play...Ian Desmond dives over a grounder from Carlos Beltran who’s on first to start the Mets’ second. Daniel Murphy K’s swinging over a two-seam slider that breaks outside at the last second. Adam Dunn drops a foul pop off Jeff Francoeur’s bat, but Frenchy just flies out to left unproductively given the second chance. Brian Schneider flies to Willingham to end the second.

J.D. Martin grounds out to Wilson Valdez at short. Willie Harris flies out to Carlos Beltran. Cristian Guzman flies out to Pagan in left for a quick 1-2-3 by Pelfrey...Wilson Valdez rips a double by Josh Willingham and to the wall in left. Mike Pelfrey’s sac bunt moves Valdez to third. Angel Pagan drives a sinking fastball outside through second and into center. Valdez scores, 2-1 Nationals. Luis Castillo hits a low liner back up the middle for the third hit of the inning. David Wright flies to deeep left, WIllingham leaps at the wall, and makes the grab!! Hammer!!!! Carlos Beltran sneaks another single under a diving Desmond at second for an RBI single and a 2-2 tie. Daniel Murphy flies out to center to end the frame.

Ryan Zimmerman starts the fourth with a single back over the mound and up the middle. Adam Dunn flies out to Angel Pagan in left field. Josh Willingham lines on one hop to Beltran in center. Elijah Dukes grounds to Valdez at short, to Castillo to Murpy, double play...J.D. Martin gives up the second straight leadoff double, this one to Jeff Francoeur. Brian Schneider takes a free pass. Wilson Valdez grounds to second, Desmond, to Guzman to Dunn, double play. Francoeur to third. Pelfrey grounds back to the mound, 2-2 ballgame.

Ian Desmond pulls a hanging bender to left for a leadoff double. Josh Bard gets a sinkless fastball over the heart and takes it deeeep to right and gone, two-run blast, 4-2 Nationals. J.D. Martin takes a fastball for a called strike three. Willie Harris swings through a fastball for the second out. Guzman chops one slowly to Pelfrey to end the inning...Angel Pagan grounds out to second to start the Mets’ fifth. Josh Willingham charges in to catch the second out off Luis Castillo’s bat. J.D. Martin throws a high two-strike fastball by David Wright for a swinging K to end the frame.

Ryan Zimmerman rips a line drive right at Angel Pagan in left. Adam Dunn flies out to left for David Wright. Josh Willingham swings through a high fastball for the second-straight K to end the sixth...J.D. Martin walks Carlos Beltran to start the home half of the frame. Daniel Murphy sends a high fastball out to Willlie Harris in center. Carlos Beltran’s running as Jeff Francoeur lifts a low slider to center for a one-out single. J.D. Martin’s lifted. Ron Villone vs Fernando Tatis. Tatis walks to load the bases for Wilson Valdez. Valdez lines to left, Willingham catches it coming in and fires home as Beltran tags from third, Josh Bard catches it on one hop and tags Beltran before his hand slides over the plate. "You'rrre OUT!" yells the UMP.

Elijah Dukes surprises the new catcher with a swinging bunt on a fastball inside, and Dukes is safe when Josh Thole throws it by first. Dukes takes second. Ian Desmond does his job, grounding Dukes over to third. Josh Bard flies out to center, Dukes tags and scores. 5-2 DC. Mike Morse grounds a few feet in front of home for the last out of the inning...Sean Burnett takes over on the mound. Gary Sheffield sends a screamer right into Ian Desmond’s glove. Sean Burnett gets a swinging K out of Angel Pagan. Luis Castillo pops out to second.

Sean Green vs Willie Harris in the eighth. Harris grounds back to the mound. Cristian Guzman grounds out to Castillo at second. Ryan Zimmerman beats David Wright with a high hopper to third. Green out, Pedro Feliciano gets a fly ball to right center from Dunn to end the inning...David Wright vs Jason Bergmann. 92 mph fastball gets Wright swinging for the first out. Beltran swings over a two-strike bender from Bergmann. Daniel Murphy sneaks a single through second. First pitch fastball to Francoeur, who singles, and it’s first and third with two down after a double. Bergmann out, Mike MacDougal’s going to try for four outs. Francoeur takes second without a throw. Josh Thole swings through a fastball for strike three to end the eighth.

Josh Willingham gets a hold of a hanger from Brian Stokes and sends it out to left and GONE! HAMMER!!! 6-2 DC. Elijah Dukes flies out to left. Ian Desmond grounds out to short. Josh Bard pops up over short, Wilson Valdez makes the grab...Mike MacDougal looks to end it. Cory Sullivan walks to start the frame. Jeremy Reed flies out to Willie Harris in left. Angel Pagan takes the second walk. Luis Castillo singles by a diving Zimmerman at third to load the bases with one out. David Wright rips a single to right to score Sullivan. 6-3 DC. Carlos Beltran grounds to second, Desmond to Alberto Gonzalez to Dunn...not in time, 6-4 and two down. Daniel Murphy rips a hotshot to short, Ian Desmond stabs it, spins and throws high to first and it hits off Dunn’s glove, run scores, 6-5, second and third. Jeff Francoeur lines up the midd--MacDougal knocks it down and it knocks off his glove, MacDougal recovers and throws to first to end it.

Nationals win, 6-5 final. 

Nationals now 51-96.