Mets' Steven Matz dominates Nationals in finale in D.C.: "He threw a heck of a game." - Dusty Baker

Washington's Nationals faced New York Mets' lefty Steven Matz for the first time in his nascent major league career in the finale of the three-game set in the nation's capital on Wednesday.

Dusty Baker talked before the start of the third game of three in D.C. about the difficulty of facing a new pitcher for the first time and how he would suggest his hitters attack a starter they hadn't seen before.

"It's his advantage," Baker said. "If you haven't faced a pitcher, you can watch video all you want to, but until you see late life on his sinker or the fade on his changeup, till you see it with the eye...

"I think the pitcher always has the advantage if he hasn't faced you, because he can watch you and figure out how to attack you and it's not really going to change as much as when I get in the box and have to face a new pitcher."

As usual, Baker had some advice from his own history that he was willing to offer his hitters.

"Hank Aaron told me if you haven't seen a guy, you try to initiate him right away, like jump on him right away, don't let him get into a count, don't let him get into stuff you haven't seen. So, we'll see."

They weren't able to jump on Matz early, or at all, really.

New York's 24-year-old left-hander threw eight scoreless frames in what ended up a 2-0 win, striking out seven and walking just one batter in a 104-pitch effort that earned him his seventh straight win this season and his sixth win on the road in eight career starts away from Citi Field.

Baker was impressed. His team didn't manage much, but as he put it, it was more about Matz than a problem with the Nats' offense.

"He dominated," Baker said. "He was throwing as hard in the eighth as he was in the first. He threw a heck of a game.

"You don't see many lefties around throwing 94-95 mph consistently and a good changeup, I don't know if he walked anybody, he was dotting the outside part of the plate.

"I'm not that concerned with a guy like that. Sometimes you're dominated... and he threw a heck of a game up there."

"You don't see many lefties like that. He was very determined, he's a good athlete. I was looking at him and he reminded me of Jon Matlack back in my day, with the Mets.

"He was throwing the heck out of the ball and he was working quick and he threw a heck of a game. Heck of a game. That's probably one of the better games that we've seen this year."

Tanner Roark put together a solid outing against the Mets, allowing two runs, one earned in a seven-inning effort that started with David Wright hitting a solo blast one out into the first. A one-out error by Daniel Murphy in the seventh led to the second run coming around.

"He threw the ball outstanding," Baker said of Roark's effort. "He only gave up really one run and he was awesome too. I mean, both of them, he just got outdueled by the young lefty Matz."

Matz leads Mets to win over Nats: 2-0

Photo © Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports

After six games between the divisional rivals, the Nationals and Mets are even at 3-3 after each team took two of three in the other's home.

"It makes it about even," Baker said. "We're half a game in front... we've matched up good against them and they matched up good against us.

"They beat us quite handily the first game, we beat them quite handily the second game. These teams are going to battle for a while."