The Washington Nationals offense continues to fail them, mustering 11 hits but just three runs Friday night in a 7-3 loss to the New York Mets at Nationals Park. New York knuckleballer R.A. Dickey kept the Nats' bats in check, scattering nine hits and allowing three runs in six innings of work.
After a run of five straight decent starts, 25-year-old lefty Ross Detwiler had a tough trip to the hill for Washington, lasting just three innings and allowing six runs on seven hits, walking none and striking out two.
Rick Ankiel and Wilson Ramos were the lone bright spots at the plate for the Nationals, each notching two hits in four at bats, with Ankiel homering and driving in two of the three Washington runs.
The teams will meet in game two of their three game set Saturday evening, with Nationals' September call-up Tom Milone taking on surprise Mets ace Dillon Gee. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 P.M., with a Lifehouse concert to follow the game. That is correct, a Lifehouse concert.