The Washington Nationals hit three home runs and Gio Gonzalez pitched six innings to record his 19th win of the season as Washington started its National League East road trip with a 5-1 win over the New York Mets at Citi Field Monday night.
Washington broke the game open with three runs in the third inning as Kurt Suzuki hit a solo home run to left field and Ryan Zimmerman smashed a two-run shot to dead center field four batters later. Ian Desmond ended the Nats' scoring for the night in the fourth inning, when he hit a two-run opposite-field homer to right-center field. Desmond's blast was also the final hit of the night for Washington, whose magic number to clinch the division was reduced to 15 after Atlanta's 4-1 loss to Milwaukee later Monday night.
New York got their only run in the bottom of the fourth inning, when Scott Hairston led off the half-inning with a solo home run to left-center field off of Gonzalez (19-7). The left-hander struck out six New York batters and scattered three hits and five walks over his six innings. Mets starter Collin McHugh (0-2) pitched just four innings and allowed five hits (including the three home runs) and two walks while striking out three batters.
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