Mets-Nationals Preview

The New York Mets seem to have the Washington Nationals figured out in 2008.

New York looks for its fifth win in as many tries against Washington on Thursday as it wraps up a two-game set in the nation's capital.

The Mets (11-9) lost five of six to the Nationals from mid-September on last season, when their poor late-season play led to one of baseball's most memorable collapses. They blew a seven-game NL East lead in the season's final month.

New York, though, has dominated Washington (6-16) so far in 2008, sweeping a three-game series at Shea Stadium last week and picking up where it left off on Wednesday in its first trip to the Nationals' new stadium.

The Mets, who hadn't scored more than six runs in their previous eight games, stopped that streak on Wednesday in their 7-2 win even though two of their three extra-base hits came from pitcher Johan Santana.

"We didn't knock the walls down tonight, but still, that's the kind of game we have to win every once in a while," manager Willie Randolph said.

Third baseman David Wright leads the Mets with four homers and 19 RBIs, but left fielder Ryan Church has been the team's most consistent hitter. Church, who was acquired from the Nationals in the offseason for Lastings Milledge, is batting .342.

He's hit safely in his last nine games, during which he's gone 14-for-36 (.389). Church had two hits and two RBIs on Wednesday, his first visit to the city he called home for three years.

"In spring training, I let that go," Church told the Mets' official Web site. "I wanted to hit a home run every time I came up. But all the emotion, that's all gone."

New York will try to remain undefeated against the Nationals by sending Oliver Perez (2-0, 2.49 ERA) to the mound. Perez hasn't allowed a run in three of his four starts, although a high pitch count has kept him from working into the seventh inning in any of those outings.

He's 2-2 with a 5.26 ERA in five career starts against Washington.

The Nationals have dropped 16 of 19 since winning their first three games of the season. They've scored only 27 runs in their last nine games, and their .227 team batting average is the worst in the majors.

Washington needs more production from third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. The team's RBI leader from last season, Zimmerman hasn't hit a home run since the Nationals' first three wins of the season, and he's hitting .177 with six RBIs in his last 15 games.

Nationals starter Shawn Hill (0-0, 7.20) will make his second start of 2008. On Saturday, the right-hander yielded four runs in five innings of a 6-5 loss at Florida, but did not factor in the decision.

Hill, though, struck out six and didn't issue a walk, and although he called his effort "not very good," his manager felt differently.

"I thought he threw the ball well," Manny Acta told the Nationals' official Web site. "I really like what I see."

Hill was impressive in two starts against the Mets last season, lasting seven innings and allowing only two runs in each.