Instant analysis: Nats 2, Mets 1

Associated Press

Game in a nutshell: Only two hours after suffering one of their worst losses of the season — an 11-0 trouncing — the Nationals re-took the field for the nightcap of this doubleheader, facing a stiff challenge with ace Matt Harvey on the mound for the Mets. Ross Ohlendorf, however, was up to the challenge. The journeyman right-hander was brilliant in this spot start, allowing one run over seven innings to give his team a chance. The Nationals hardly did anything against Harvey — their lone run came via a fifth-inning error — but they managed to keep this a 1-1 game into the ninth. Rafael Soriano wriggled his way out of a first-and-third, one-out jam in the top of the inning, setting the stage for a potential walk-off win. Which they got, from an old friend. Ryan Zimmerman launched a 3-1 pitch from LaTroy Hawkins deep to right-center for his ninth career walk-off homer, his first since 2011, giving the Nationals a much-needed and dramatic victory.

Hitting highlight: Stymied all night by Harvey, the Nationals couldn't wait to get the young ace out of the game and get into the Mets' bullpen. They finally got the chance in the ninth and made it worthwhile. After Anthony Rendon grounded out, Zimmerman worked the count to 3-1 against Hawkins. He then drove the veteran reliever's next pitch over the wall in right-center for a long-awaited, walk-off homer. It was Zimmerman's ninth of his career, but his first since 2011. It couldn't have come at a better time, salvaging a long day of baseball for the Nationals.

Around the NL East: Breakups at the bottom

   USA Today Sports Images

By Steve Roney

CSNwashington.com

Atlanta Braves (51-38)

Would you have picked the Braves to lead the NL East for pretty much the entire first half of the season, and yet produce only one All-Star? Stranger things have happened, sure, but unless first baseman Freddie Freeman can continue to hold off Dodger wunderkind Yasiel Puig in the Final Vote, Craig Kimbrel will be the lone Brave in New York for the Midsummer Classic. Still, outside of Freeman and Mike Minor, there aren't many with legitimate gripes. So far, the sum is greater than the parts in Atlanta.

The outfield for the ages that hasn't yet materialized, though they will likely earn a bit of ignominy, as both Upton brother are almost a lock to hit 100 strikeouts by the All-Star break. Second baseman Dan Uggla more than beat them there, currently sitting with 111, though he does lead the team with 16 home runs. Chris Johnson continues to be a nice surprise, and Brian McCann is mashing like it's 2009 since his delayed debut. 

Player of the Week: McCann, C: 6 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .500 AVG

Around the NL East: Shut down Harvey?

Photo by USA Today

Atlanta Braves (48-34)

The Braves have won five of their last six games including a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend. They are getting hot and have a favorable schedule up ahead with 16 of their next 20 games against teams under the .500 mark. 13 of those games are on the road, but the Braves have a chance to create some more distance in the N.L. East in the month of July.

Pitching has been a big strength for them lately, especially with the continued dominance of Julio Teheran. The 22-year-old threw six shutout innings against the D’backs on Friday and now has a 3.12 ERA on the year. He has a 2.28 ERA in ten starts since the beginning of May. Craig Kimbrel has also been hot as of late, converting his last 13 save attempts with 17 consecutive outings without allowing a run.

Player of the week: RF Jason Heyward – 9-for-22, HR, 4 RBI, 4 R, 4 2B, 2 BB

Philadelphia Phillies (39-44)

After losing three out of their last four, the Phillies have dropped to a season-worst 9 ½ games out of first place in the N.L. East. Their 2013 campaign is continuing on very much like how it started. Chase Utley and Dominic Brown are producing at the plate, while others like Cole Hamels and Jimmy Rollins are having off years.

The question for Philly will become whether they will start selling off pieces. There is interest around the league in Jonathan Papelbon and Michael Young, plus Cliff Lee and Chase Utley may garner some suitors as well. It will be up to Ruben Amaro, Jr. if he wants to pull the trigger. Last season they sold off Hunter Pence and watched him win a World Series. They are never easy decisions for a general manager to make, but the clock is ticking with the trade deadline just weeks away.

Instant analysis: Nats 6, Mets 4

USA Today Sports Images

Ross Detwiler allowed three runs (two earned) over five innings.

Game in a nutshell: Talk about a tough assignment. A Nationals lineup that has struggled all season to produce was being asked to get hot against perhaps baseball's best pitcher so far in 2013: Matt Harvey. And the young right-hander was even better than advertised, striking out 11 without issuing a walk over seven innings, his only blemish a solo homer by Ian Desmond in the fifth. So when the Mets scratched out four runs off Ross Detwiler and Ross Ohlendorf, the Nats found themselves in a hole that felt even bigger than a three-run deficit. Ah, but all they needed was to get Harvey out of the game and take their hacks against the New York bullpen. Which they did in impressive fashion. They loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, and then Ryan Zimmerman brought them all home with a bases-clearing, game-tying double off Brandon Lyon. Desmond then delivered yet again in the ninth, following up Jayson Werth's double off Bobby Parnell with a two-bagger of his own to give the Nationals the lead. Kurt Suzuki added a sac fly for a big insurance run. With Rafael Soriano unavailable after making three straight appearances, Drew Storen closed this one out and catapulted the Nationals over the .500 mark once again.

Hitting highlight: The highlight of the night: When Terry Collins took the ball out of Harvey's hand and gave it to his bullpen.

Game 79: Nats at Mets

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

NEW YORK — Good afternoon from Citi Field, where tonight the Nationals open a weekend series against the Mets, beginning with an awfully tough matchup against the dynamic Matt Harvey.

The Nats have already gotten a good look at Harvey this season; he beat Stephen Strasburg with an electric performance here back in April. So they know they've got their work cut out for them tonight. They can only hope Ross Detwiler is up to the challenge himself after some recent shaky outings.

Still waiting on the Nationals' lineup, which I don't believe will include Bryce Harper. Though I suppose you never know...

Updates to come...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at NEW YORK METS
Where: Citi Field
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, Ch. 9, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 185
Weather: Chance of storms, 80 degrees, Wind 10 mph out to RF

NATIONALS (39-39)
CF Denard Span
2B Anthony Rendon
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche

Premier matchup tonight in New York

Any franchise trying to build itself into a legitimate contender knows one of the first pieces to a championship puzzle: An ace atop its rotation.

The Nationals knew this as they constructed their current club, tabbing Stephen Strasburg nearly four years ago as the No. 1 starter who would ultimately lead this team to the promised land. And, more recently, the Mets drew the same conclusion, selecting Matt Harvey seventh overall in the 2010 draft and hoping the big right-hander would develop into an ace.

Tonight, we get to see these two premier young hurlers go head-to-head, with Strasburg and Harvey drawing the starting assignments for the opener of a weekend series at Citi Field.

Harvey isn't shying away from the attention this elite matchup will receive.

"It's our first game back from a long road trip, and the Nationals are a good-hitting lineup," he told reporters on Wednesday. "And