NL: WASHINGTON at NY METS <div class="pre">WASHINGTON (1) VS NY METS (3) - FINAL (1ST GAME) WASHINGTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg F Lopez ss 4 1 1 1 0 0 0 .241 D Jimenez 2b 3 0 2 0 1 0 0 .147 R Zimmerman 3b 4 0 0 0 0 1 3 .257 D Young 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 3 .331 A Kearns rf 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 .251 R Church lf 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 .257 J Flores c 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 .255 N Logan cf 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 .231 T Redding p 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 .125 S Rivera p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 a-R Langerhans ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .158 C Schroder p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 30 1 3 1 2 9 10 a-flied out to center for S Rivera in the 8th. BATTING: HR - F Lopez (6, 6th inning off O Hernandez 0 on, 1 Out). RBI - F Lopez (40). GIDP - R Zimmerman. Team LOB - 4. NY METS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Reyes ss 5 1 2 0 0 0 2 .303 R Gotay 2b 4 1 2 1 0 1 1 .336 D Wright 3b 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 .290 C Delgado 1b 3 1 1 1 1 2 3 .251 R Castro c 4 0 1 0 0 1 4 .316 M Anderson lf 4 0 0 0 0 1 4 .222 L Milledge cf 3 0 1 1 0 1 0 .281 S Green rf 3 0 1 0 1 1 0 .271 O Hernandez p 2 0 0 0 0 1 4 .200 a-D Easley ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .261 A Heilman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 b-A Hernandez ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .500 B Wagner p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 31 3 9 3 5 8 18 a-flied out to center for O Hernandez in the 7th; b-reached on infield single to shortstop for A Heilman in the 8th. BATTING: 2B - L Milledge (4, T Redding); R Gotay (7, T Redding); J Reyes (22, S Rivera). RBI - L Milledge (13), R Gotay (19), C Delgado (55). 2-out RBI - L Milledge. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - M Anderson 1, O Hernandez 2, R Castro 1. Team LOB - 10. BASERUNNING: CS - J Reyes (14, 2nd base by T Redding/J Flores), L Milledge (1, 2nd base by C Schroder/J Flores). FIELDING: E - J Reyes (8, throw). DP: 1 (J Reyes-R Gotay-C Delgado). ---------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON - 000 001 000 -- 1 NY METS - 000 100 20x -- 3 ---------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON ip h r er bb so hr era T Redding 6 5 1 1 4 8 0 2.64 S Rivera (L, 4-3) 1 3 2 2 1 0 0 3.48 C Schroder 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.37 NY METS ip h r er bb so hr era O Hernandez (W, 7-4) 7 3 1 1 2 8 1 3.02 A Heilman (H, 10) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.50 B Wagner (S, 24) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.39 IBB - S Green (by T Redding). HBP - L Milledge (by C Schroder). Pitches-strikes: T Redding 106-64; S Rivera 28-18; C Schroder 12-7; O Hernandez 99-62; A Heilman 8-6; B Wagner 22-13. Ground balls-fly balls: T Redding 4-5; S Rivera 2-1; C Schroder 1-1; O Hernandez 4-9; A Heilman 1-1; B Wagner 3-0. Batters faced: T Redding 26; S Rivera 7; C Schroder 4; O Hernandez 25; A Heilman 3; B Wagner 4. UMPIRES: HP--Tom Hallion. 1B--Mike Estabrook. 2B--Mike Winters. 3B--Phil Cuzzi. T--2:38. Att--51,947. Weather: 81 degrees, overcast. Wind: 8 mph, out to center.</div>
Gotay's hit makes Hernandez a winner in first game of DH <h3>NY METS 3, WASHINGTON 1 (1ST GAME)</h3>FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Ruben Gotay made sure OrlandoHernandez got the credit he deserved. Gotay snapped a seventh-inning tie with an RBI single andHernandez pitched seven strong innings as the New York Metsedged the Washington Nationals, 3-1, in the first game of aday-night doubleheader. Hernandez (7-4) allowed just one run and three hits, butappeared to be headed to his second straight no-decision when hewas lifted for a pinch hitter leading off the seventh. "If it's a no-decision, it's a no-decision," Hernandez said."If my team wins in nine innings, that's good." Although Damion Easley flew out to center field to begin theseventh, Jose Reyes followed with a double to right field offSaul Rivera (4-3) and scored when Gotay capped a nine-pitchat-bat by lining a single to right-center field to give New Yorka 2-1 lead. Gotay had played against Rivera in the Puerto Rican WinterLeague, but that was not necessarily an advantage. "I knew himfrom Puerto Rico, but even if you know a guy he can make a goodpitch," Gotay said. "I wasn't looking for anything inparticular. I'll take it." After a walk to David Wright, Carlos Delgado singled home thethird run for New York. Lastings Milledge drove in the first run for the Mets with adouble in the fourth inning. Hernandez struck out eight batters and walked two to win for thefourth time in five decisions. His only costly mistake was asixth-inning home run to Felipe Lopez. "Not many guys can do what he does, consistently throwing hisbreaking balls for strikes," Mets manager Willie Randolph said."It was vintage 'El Duque'." Aaron Heilman retired the side in order in the eighth and BillyWagner worked around some shaky throws by Reyes and Gotay torecord his 24th save. The Nationals were held to three hits, tying a season low. "We lost the game, but I liked the way the guys played,"Nationals manager Manny Acta said. "It was a clean, well-playedgame." Washington starter Tim Redding had another strong outing,allowing one run and five hits over seven innings. He also tieda career high with eight strikeouts and walked four. "It was one of those pitcher's duels," Redding said. "I madeone bad pitch to Milledge. Other than that, I was happy withthe way things turned out, other than the fact we didn't get the'W'." The righthander has not allowed more than three runs in any ofhis five starts for the Nationals since being called up fromClass AAA Columbus earlier this month. Hernandez allowed just a single to D'Angelo Jimenez and twowalks over the first five innings, striking out the side in thefifth. His first costly mistake came in the sixth when he lefta 1-1 pitch over the plate that Lopez lined over the right fieldfence to tie it at 1-1. The only run allowed by Redding came in the fourth. CarlosDelgado walked with one out and Ramon Castro singled beforeMilledge doubled off the left field wall to open the scoring. Milledge has driven in seven runs in his last seven games. Redding worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in the fifth,striking out Delgado and getting Castro to fly out to leftfield. The Mets are playing a day-night doubleheader at Shea Stadiumfor just the second time. The other was against the Los AngelesDodgers on May 11, 1972.
