Nats Nightly: Matz leads Metz over Natz

Steven Matz, who doesn't really need any help, took advantage of a "getaway day" strike zone by home plate umpire D.J. Rayburn and carved up the Washington Nationals over eight innings, helping the New York Mets escape the nation's capital with a 2-0 daytime win on Wednesday, giving the Mets the series victory as well.

Matz struck out seven and allowed just four hits and one walk, retiring 16 in a row at one point. The Nats biggest threat came in the ninth inning against closer Jeurys Familia. Jayson Werth and Daniel Murphy (2 for 4, .394) both singled to lead off the inning, but Familia rebounded to strike out Ryan Zimmerman and get both Anthony Rendon and Wilson Ramos to bounce out to secure the win.

Tanner Roark was pretty good in his own right. The Nats' righty allowed two runs (one earned -- David Wright's first inning home run) on five hits and two walks over seven innings with five strikeouts. The Mets' insurance run came in the seventh, after Murphy was unable to make a routine play on a tailor-made double-play grounder.

Bryce Harper, who was given the day off by manager Dusty Baker, grounded out in a pinch-hitting appearance in the eighth inning, Matz' last out of the day. Harper is now hitting .245 this season, despite owning a .430 on-base percentage.

The Nats are now 3-3 against the Mets this season and 28-19 overall, a half-game ahead of the 27-19 Mets and two games ahead of surprising (and due for a losing streak) Philadelphia.

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