You win one, you lose one. Despite an eleven hit attack, the Mets failed to hit with runners on base, leading to a 5-2 loss to the Nats and dropping another series.

Jeremy Hefner got the start today and after a very long rain delay, the game finally got underway. After a lead-off single, Hefner was able to strand the runner to retire the side. His second inning involved another lead-off single, followed by a two-run homer from Danny Espinosa. Hefner allowed another two runs in the third on a lead-off single, followed by an RBI triple from Harper and then an RBI single by Ryan Zimmerman. He went unscathed in the fourth, but in the fifth he was tagged by a solo homer from Bryce Harper. Hefner ends the night with five runs against him on eight hits, a wild pitch, a hits batsman, two homers, no walks, and three strikeouts in five innings of work. He gets his fifth loss of the season, and sees his ERA rise to 5.11 on the season.

Hefner is now the sixth man in the rotation, and with R.A. Dickey going twice before him, Hefner will now start once every seven days. He will also be doing double duty as Terry Collins says that two or three games in between starts, he will be the long man out of the bullpen. It’s gotten to the point where guys are just auditioning for 2013. And with Santana possibly being shutdown, there could be more rookies on their way up. Jeremy Hefner is a busy man these days.

Manny Acosta pitched a perfect 1.1 innings with two strikeouts. Josh Edgin gets two outs with one hit allowed, while Bobby Parnell gets a one-two-three eighth inning.

Mets had eleven hits today, but only two runs. They left 10 men on base, and were only 1-for-11 with RISP. Not how you win ballgames.

Wright, Hairston, Turner, Shoppach, and Cedeno each had two hits today. Ronny Cedeno’s two hits included a double and a lead-off triple in the fifth inning, but the Mets couldn’t score him. Disgrace.

Mets got their first run in the sixth with a lead-off Ike Davis double, moved over to third on a Cedeno fly out, and then an RBI groundout from Jason Bay. Their second run came in the eighth with a two-out RBI from Shoppach.

Game Ball

Ronny Cedeno for two hits, including his first Mets triple, plus he played great defense today.

Notes

The Mets have only won one game in each of the last five series, and have only won one series since the second half began.

Up Next

Mets head home to host a four game series against the Colorado Rockies. This is the second and last time the Mets will play the Rockies this year, and is the first series with them at home. R.A. Dickey will start for the Mets and will go up against the 2-6 Alex White. First pitch set for 7:10 pm.