| SEASON | CAREER |
| W9 | 31 |
| L6 | 29 |
| G23 | 88 |
| IP144.2 | 515.0 |
| BB38 | 161 |
| SO122 | 437 |
| SEASON | CAREER |
| W7 | 67 |
| L7 | 67 |
| G22 | 225 |
| IP137.0 | 1216.0 |
| BB44 | 483 |
| SO110 | 911 |
The Washington Nationals have gotten a number of contributions during what's looking more and more like their first playoff-bound season in eight years in the nation's capital.
Michael Morse has given his surging club some significant help lately and will try to help add to its recent dominance over the New York Mets on Saturday night.
Washington (74-45) is only eight wins shy of securing its first winning season since relocating from Montreal after the 2004 campaign. The Nationals, though, have their sights set on bigger goals, namely the franchise's first postseason berth since 1981.
Washington is speeding toward that goal with 21 victories in 27 games and Morse has helped his team earn some of those wins with a 13-game hit streak, the longest current run in the NL and longest by a Nationals player this season. He hit a go-ahead grand slam in Friday's 6-4 win over the Mets (56-63), and Bryce Harper added a two-run shot for his first homer in 11 games.
"It has been a lot of fun watching Mikey the last couple of years, kind of come into his own and turn into the player that he has become. He is awesome," outfielder Jayson Werth told the team's official website. "He is a great teammate and a great guy to have."
Morse, batting .315 with four homers and 12 RBIs during his streak, has recorded at least one hit in each of his 10 games against New York this season. He has three doubles in 12 career at-bats against the Mets' Jonathon Niese (9-6, 3.67 ERA).
Niese enters this start having given up one run in two of his last three outings, including a 6-5 win over Atlanta on Sunday. The left-hander matched a season high by going eight innings while rebounding from a 4-2 loss to Miami on Aug. 7.
"I don't consider it me struggling very much, but I might have had a rough game here and there," Niese said of his recent outings.
Niese is 2-0 with a 1.37 ERA in his last four starts against the Nationals, who have won 10 of 12 over New York, but he hasn't recorded a decision in the past two matchups. He gave up one run and three hits over seven innings while striking out eight at Nationals Park on July 17 as the Mets lost 5-4.
He'll pitch opposite Edwin Jackson (7-7, 3.74), who has performed well in his two starts against New York this season. The veteran right-hander is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in those games and earned a 5-3 home victory June 6, allowing three runs and three hits over seven innings.
Jackson gave up five runs over 5 2-3 innings last Saturday in Arizona but got enough support for a 6-5 victory.
"Right now, we can afford to have a game like today, when you have a starter out there having to kind of grind through it without his best stuff and still come away with a win," first baseman Adam LaRoche said after that game.
Jackson hasn't pitched past the sixth inning in each of his last three starts.
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@
AVG
HRRUNSSBSOBBOBPSLGOPSERAQSSOBBSVBSBAAWHIPE
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Jason Bay | 11 | .273 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | .385 | .930 | .545 |
| Ronny Cedeno | 8 | .250 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .250 | .625 | .375 |
| Ike Davis | 2 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Lucas Duda | 4 | .250 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .400 | .900 | .500 |
| Scott Hairston | 7 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Daniel Murphy | 3 | .333 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .666 | .333 |
| Kirk Nieuwenhuis | 2 | .500 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .500 | 2.500 | 2.000 |
| Mike Pelfrey | 5 | .400 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .400 | 1.200 | .800 |
| Ruben Tejada | 4 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .000 |
| Josh Thole | 4 | .250 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .400 | .650 | .250 |
| Andres Torres | 7 | .286 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .375 | 1.089 | .714 |
| David Wright | 5 | .200 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | .333 | .533 | .200 |
VS.
| HITTERS | AB | AVG | H | HR | RBI | BB | SO | OBP | OPS | SLG |
| Rick Ankiel | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Roger Bernadina | 4 | .250 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .500 | .250 |
| Brett Carroll | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .500 | .500 | .000 |
| Mark DeRosa | 3 | .667 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .667 | 1.667 | 1.000 |
| Ian Desmond | 11 | .182 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .182 | .546 | .364 |
| Danny Espinosa | 5 | .400 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .400 | 1.000 | .600 |
| Jesus Flores | 2 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Tom Gorzelanny | 2 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Adam LaRoche | 9 | .333 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | .333 | 1.333 | 1.000 |
| Xavier Nady | 9 | .222 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .222 | .444 | .222 |
| Wilson Ramos | 3 | .333 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .666 | .333 |
| Jayson Werth | 14 | .286 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .333 | .619 | .286 |
| Ryan Zimmerman | 8 | .500 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .556 | 1.181 | .625 |
| Jordan Zimmermann | 1 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
 New York Mets |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| August 02, 2012 | Tim Byrdak | 15-Day DL | Sore left shoulder |
| July 31, 2012 | Andres Torres | Day-to-Day | Strained right thumb |
| July 31, 2012 | Jason Bay | Day-to-Day | Bruised left calf |
| July 21, 2012 | Johan Santana | 15-Day DL | Sprained right ankle |
| July 21, 2012 | Johan Santana | 15-Day DL | Sprained right ankle |
| July 11, 2012 | Dillon Gee | Day-to-Day | Bloot clot in right shoulder |
 Washington Nationals |
|||
| Date | Player | Status | Injury |
| August 13, 2012 | Jayson Werth | Day-to-Day | Sore right ankle |
| August 05, 2012 | Mark DeRosa | 15-Day DL | Left abdominal strain |
| August 01, 2012 | Henry Rodriguez | 15-Day DL | Strained lower back |
| July 29, 2012 | Adam LaRoche | Day-to-Day | Left game - Back tightness |
| July 22, 2012 | Ian Desmond | 15-Day DL | Torn left oblique |
| July 22, 2012 | Ian Desmond | 15-Day DL | Torn left oblique |
WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a tight duel with Jonathon Niese , one mistake cost Edwin Jackson .
Niese pitched into the eighth inning and Ike Davis hit a two-run homer off Jackson in the seventh to lead the New York Mets over the Washington Nationals 2-0 Saturday night.
Jackson (7-8) had allowed only a triple to Mike Baxter in the first inning and set a season high with 10 strikeouts through six. But in the seventh, the right-hander issued a leadoff walk to David Wright and Davis drove the next pitch the other way to left field for his 22nd home run.
Seventeen of his 22 homers have come on the road, most in the NL.
"I wasn't trying to go anywhere. I was just trying to hit the ball," Davis said.
"We didn't really do a great job of that tonight, partly because (Jackson) was so nasty. But he left a fastball up and away and I hit it on the barrel and it got out of there."
Niese (10-6) allowed one-out singles to Danny Espinosa and Ryan Zimmerman in the first. With Espinosa on third, Zimmerman stole second, but the left-hander pitched out of trouble.
"Oh, man. He was nasty tonight. He had everything. He was throwing all his pitches for strikes. His fastball was moving everywhere and his slider was real sharp," Davis said.
After allowing a leadoff single to Espinosa in the sixth, Niese retired the last seven batters he faced.
"It was one of those nights where everything felt good," he said.
Jon Rauch relieved Niese with one out in the eighth and retired his only two hitters. Frank Francisco worked a perfect ninth for his 20th save in 23 chances.
Francisco was helped by Baxter, who made a nice running catch of Zimmerman's fly ball to right to start the ninth.
"It was a good catch. I really had no idea why he was there, but he got me out," Zimmerman said.
Niese, who is 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA in six games against Washington, allowed five hits and struck out seven without a walk.
"It seems like when you need him most, he steps up," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Tonight he knew we needed him again and he gave us a great outing."
New York posted its 11th shutout of the season, while Washington was blanked for the fifth time.
Jackson pitched seven innings, allowing two runs and two hits. He walked one and struck out 11.
"Tonight, Niese was the better pitcher. He held us scoreless. The bullpen did the same. I gave up two runs. I lost," Jackson said.
Washington manager Davey Johnson was impressed, though.
"That was probably the most dominant I've seen him pitch," Johnson said. "He was fun watching. His stuff was so electric. He was overmatching them."
It was only New York's fourth win in 14 games against the NL East leaders this season.
"It's great to beat them. You always want to beat the best. And right now they're the best in the division," Davis said.
The Nationals remained four games ahead of second-place Atlanta, which lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers . The two teams begin a three-game series Monday in Washington.
NOTES: Collins said he would meet with general manager Sandy Alderson on Monday to discuss struggling LHP Johan Santana . Collins said Santana is scheduled to pitch Thursday. The 33-year-old left-hander, who missed last season following major shoulder surgery, permitted six runs and seven hits over five innings Friday in his second outing since spending three weeks on the disabled list with a sprained ankle. He has lost five straight starts, giving up at least six runs in each one. Collins said Santana wasn't asking to be shut down. "I don't think he's asking for it. What he's basically saying is if that's what we think we should do to make sure he's healthy next year, he's on board with that," Collins said. ... Johnson said he would give SS Ian Desmond the day off on Sunday. Desmond returned Friday from more than three weeks on the disabled list with a strained oblique muscle. ... For the 500th straight time, the character portraying Teddy Roosevelt lost in the Nationals' "Racing Presidents" mascot race. ... The crowd of 42,662 was the second-largest in Nationals Park history. ... Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (15-6, 3.29 ERA) pitches Sunday against New York RHP Jeremy Hefner (2-4, 4.76).
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New York Mets
