Walk-Off Wild Pitch Lifts Washington Nationals Over New York Mets. 5-4 Final In Wild One In D.C.

• Det vs Niese In D.C.: In his first start back after the All-Star break, and his 13th start of 2012, 26-year-old Washington Nationals' lefty Ross Detwiler needed just nine pitches to complete a quick 1-2-3 top of the first in the series opener with the New York Mets in the nation's capital. Bryce Harper singled with one down in the bottom of the inning, taking a 1-2 curve from NY lefty Jon Niese to right, but the Nats' 19-year-old center fielder was stranded at first two outs later when Ryan Zimmerman K'd swinging and Michael Morse K'd looking at a fastball high in the zone. 0-0 after one in Washington.

• Nats And Mets Have Post-Game Plans: Mets' outfielder Scott Hairston hit a broken-bat single back up the middle to start the top of the second against Detwiler, but Hairston was quickly erased on a Jason Bay grounder to short that started a slick 6-4-3 DP by the Nats' infield. Danny Espinosa to Steve Lombardozzi to Adam LaRoche. Two quick outs. Ike Davis and Andres Torres hit back-to-back two-out singles off the Nationals' left-hander to put runners on the corners for catcher Mike Nickeas, but a sharp grounder to third and a nice pick and throw by Ryan Zimmerman ended the two-out threat. 19-pitch second for Detwiler, who was at 28 total after two. After an eight-pitch, 1-2-3 bottom of the second, Jon Niese was at 27 pitches.

• Espi-To-Lombo-To-LaRoche: Ruben Tejada lined a 1-2 slider to left for a one-out single off Ross Detwiler in the third, but the Nats' left-hander got a 4-6-3 inning-ending DP off Ronny Cedeno's bat to end a 10-pitch top of the frame. Jesus Flores, Ross Detwiler and Steve Lombardozzi went down in order in the bottom of the inning, with Lombo at least making the Mets' left-hander work for the out in a seven-pitch AB, but after 13 pitches, Niese was through three scoreless in which he allowed just one hit. Michael Morse made a leaping catch as he collided with the right field wall and the United Airways sign, robbing David Wright of extra bases in the first at bat of the fourth. Detwiler threw a 94 mph 1-2 fastball by Ronny Cedeno for out no. 2 and then fielded a swinging bunt off Jason Bay's bat and threw to first in time to complete an eight-pitch, 1-2-3 fourth at 46 pitches overall. After a 13-pitch, 1-2-3 bottom of the frame, Mets' lefty Jon Niese had retired 11-straight after Bryce Harper's one-out single in the first. Still 0-0 in the nation's capital.

• 4-1 Groundout: Ross Detwiler got over to cover first after Adam LaRoche missed a grounder that Steve Lombardozzi somehow got to in short right. Six in-a-row set down by Detwiler. The Nationals' left-hander needed just 10 pitches total to retire the side in order in the fifth, sending the 5th, 6th and 7th-straight Mets' batters back to the bench. 56 pitches total through 5.0 scoreless for Det. Jon Niese started the bottom of the fifth at 53 pitches. Niese got Adam LaRoche swinging on four pitches for his 5th K of the game, but a first-pitch fastball to Tyler Moore ended up in the first row of seats above the out-of-town scoreboard in right where Moore hit his 5th HR of 2012 to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead over the Mets on the Nats' second hit of the night off Niese. Oppo-boppo Moore. 5th HR of the year for Moore. One-run lead after five.

• Runner On 3rd, 0 outs: Given a 1-0 lead to work with, Ross Detwiler returned to the mound and retired the Mets in order in a 12-pitch, 1-2-3 frame that had him at 68-pitches total after six scoreless innings of work. After Jon Niese set the Nationals down in order in a seven-pitch bottom of the inning, Mets' third baseman David Wright hit his 29th double of 2012 off the out-of-town scoreboard, just out of Michael Morse's reach to start the seventh. Two-base hit in the scorebook on what should have been an out. An 0-1 pitch got away from Nats' catcher Jesus Flores, allowing Wright to take third, but Detwiler recorded his 3rd K of the day when Scott Hairston K'd swinging through a 2-2 sinker. One down. Jason Bay hit one to short center, but not deep enough for Wright to test Harper's arm. Two down, and Ike Davis grounded out to second to end an 18-pitch inning with the score still 1-0 Nats.

• Detwiler's Line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's, 86 P, 62 S, 8/6 GO/FO.

• #JonHeymanIsInThe#LomboLobby!: Jon Niese needed 16 pitches to complete a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh. Sean Burnett took over on the mound in the eighth, recording one questionable out on a grounder to second by Andres Torres on which the speedy Mets' outfielder appeared to beat Lombardozzi's throw to LaRoche. Daniel Murphy doubled to right for his 25th two-bagger of 2012, but two outs later, the Nats' left-handed reliever stranded the Mets' infielder there. 1-0 Nats after seven and a half. Mets' right-hander Ramon Ramirez took over on the mound for NY in the bottom of the eighth, retiring the first two batters and handing the ball to lefty Josh Edgin, who walked pinch hitter Mark DeRosa with two down. DeRosa stole his first base of the year with Steve Lombardozzi up, then scored when Lombo lined to left for his 12th two-bagger of 2012. 2-0 Nats.

• Clipp'd: Tyler Clippard took the mound in the 9th looking for save no. 15 of 2012. Josh Thole singled through the right side of the infield to start the inning. David Wright got ahead 3-1, fouled one off and then took a full-count pitch through the left side to put two on with no outs. Scott Hairston K'd swinging at a 94 mph 1-2 fastball for out no.1. ONE! Jordany Valdespin went down 1-2... and took an 83 mph change deeeeeep to right-center and... just over the out-of-town scoreboard. 3-2 Mets. The umpire's review it, but it was out. 3-2 Mets lead. Clippard's first blown save since taking over as closer. Bobby Parnell came on to try to close it out for the Mets. Ryan Zimmerman got hold of a 2-0 pitch from Parnell, but flew out to right. Michael Morse went the other way with 98 mph two-strike heater, singling to right with one down. Ian Desmond ran for Morse and went first-to-third™ on an Adam LaRoche single to center. With runners on first and third, Tyler Moore K'd swinging at an 0-2 curve, leaving it up to Danny Espinosa, who singled to center on a 2-2 pitch, tying it at 3-3. We're headed to extras...

• FREE BASEBALL!!: Daniel Murphy beat out a slow roller to second to lead off the tenth with a single off Nats' lefty Michael Gonzalez. A sac bunt by Kirk Nieuwenhuis moved Murphy into scoring position with one down. Ruben Tejada flew to right for out no.2, but Josh Thole battled in an eight-pitch AB that ended with the Mets' catcher lining to left to bring Murphy around and make it 4-3 Mets. Ryan Mattheus got the Nats out of the top of the tenth, and backup backstop Jhonatan Solano started the home-half of the frame with a single to left off Mets' lefty Tim Byrdak. Steve Lombardozzi bunted Solano over. Bryce Harper stepped in with the tying run on second... and tripled to right, off the out-of-town scoreboard. 4-4 game. The Mets gave up back-to-back intentional walks to get through Zimmerman and Desmond to get to Adam LaRoche, who grounded to first, allowing Ike Davis to get the force at home for out no.2. 1st/3rd, 2 outs. Pedro Beato took over for New York with Tyler Moore up, and a walk-off wild pitch brought Ryan Zimmerman in! Nats win! NATS WIN!!

• Miss The Game? The D.C. Faithful Were Watching...

• Doghouse's Post Game WPA Graph: COMING SOON! W00T!!

Nationals now 52-36.