Miguel Batista Released By The Mets

Miguel Batista was released on Thursday by the New York Mets, just days after being designated for assignment by the club. The 41-year old Batista appeared in 30 games this season, five of them as a starter. He was 1-3 this year for the Mets with 4.82 ERA.

Batista struggled in his last two outings with the Mets, giving up three hits and two earned runs in 2/3 of an inning against the Washington Nationals on July 18 and giving up five hits and four earned runs in three innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 21.

In his 18-year career that spanned 10 teams, Batista appeared in 653 games, 258 of those as a starter. Batista finished with a 102-115 record while recording 41 saves. Batista was a member of the 2001 World Series team with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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Nationals 5, Mets 2: Stephen Strasburg Dominate As Washington Sweeps New York

The New York Mets could have used a four-strike count Wednesday, but the end result against Washington Nationals' ace Stephen Strasburg would probably be the same. Strasburg pitched seven brilliant innings, allowing one run, four hits and struck out 11 batters, to help the Nats' earn a 5-2 victory over the Mets, who were swept for the second straight time in less than a week at Citi Field.

Losing pitcher Jeremy Hefner was solid giving up three runs in six innings, but the Mets' offense managed just four hits and struck out a total of 12 times.

Ahead 3-1 in the top of the seventh inning, Washington's Adam LaRoche collected the decisive blow to New York as he belted a towering two-run home run to push the Nats' lead to 5-1.

The Mets tacked on a run in the bottom of the eighth inning, but it was too little, too late as the Nats bullpen buckled down to allow a total of one hit over three innings.

Ike Davis collected his 16th home run of the season in the second inning.

New York will now travel West to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks, who will host the Mets for a four-game series beginning Thursday at 9:40 p.m. ET.

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Mets (47-50) Vs. Nationals (57-39) Preview: Game Time, TV Schedule, Probable Pitchers

The Mets will try to snap their five-game losing streak and avoid the sweep on Wednesday against the Nationals.

Mets Vs. Nationals Final Score: New York Loses 5th Straight, 5-2

The New York Mets lost their fifth straight game Tuesday night, 5-2, against the Washington Nationals in the second game of a three-game series at Citi Field. Gio Gonzalez (13-5) out-dueled R.A. Dickey (13-2), giving up just two hits and two walks in seven innings while striking out four. Dickey ended a streak of 11 straight decisions won after giving up five runs, four earned, off eight hits and a walk in six innings. He struck out seven.

The Mets held the lead briefly in the second inning. Ronny Cedeno hit an RBI single scoring Scott Hairston to put New York up 1-0. That lead would last until the fourth inning.

Danny Espinosa tied the game with an RBI double in the fourth. The Nats then took the lead off an Adam LaRoche two-run home run in the sixth inning. A Jesus Flores single scored two runs due to a throwing by Jason Bay that allowed Roger Bernadina to round third to home. By the end of the sixth, Washington held a 5-1 lead.

Jordany Valdespin set a Mets franchise record with his fifth pinch-hit home run of the season in the eighth inning. The solo shot capped the Mets' scoring. Tyler Clippard earned his 17th save on the season after giving up no hits and no walks while striking out two in the ninth.

Game 3 of the series is set for 12:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Jeremy Hefner (1-3, 5.85 ERA) will take on the Nats' Stephen Strasburg (10-4, 2.85).

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Frank Francisco Injury Update: Oblique Recovery Delayed By Knee Problems

The New York Mets will need to wait a little bit longer for the return of closer Frank Fancisco. According to a report by ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin, Francisco's recovery from an oblique injury has been slowed by an apparent knee problem. Francisco received an anti-inflammatory injection a day after tossing a 40-pitch bullpen session Citi Field.

Francisco, who has been on the 15-day disable list, was schedule to make a rehab appearance with the Brooklyn Cyclones on Monday but was scratched.

Since being out, the Mets have turned to interim closer Bobby Parnell, who already cost New York two games in four saves chances despite having a decent ERA (2.53).

Before going on the DL, Francisco had an ERA of 4.97 and was 18-for-21 in save opportunities.

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Mets (47-49) Vs. Nationals (56-39) Preview: Game Time, TV Schedule, Probable Pitchers

Quickly, a postseason berth is getting away from the New York Mets. Losers of four straight, and nine of its last 10, New York will look to put the breaks on a mid-season skid Tuesday (7:10 p.m. ET on SNY) by knocking off the NL East's best team, the Washington Nationals, in Game 2 of a three-game series at Citi Field.

Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (13-1) will take the mound for the Mets and oppose the Nationals' Gio Gonzalez (12-5). The two faced off just a week ago, and Dickey earned the win while Gonzalez had his worst performance of the season.

Overall, the third-place Mets trail the first-place Nationals by 9 1/2 games in the NL East standings

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Pedro Beato Optioned After Mets Meltdown, Creates Room For Matt Harvey

Pedro Beato gave up four earned runs off four hits and a walk and forced just one out in a disastrous 10th-inning stint as the New York Mets lost 8-2 to the Washington Nationals on Monday. Immediately following the loss he was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo to make room for 23-year-old prospect Matt Harvey to join the roster and start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday.

Beato may have been headed down to Buffalo even before his meltdown on the mound. The ugly outing certainly made the decision much easier for the Mets, however. Beato has a 10.38 ERA with five strikeouts in just 4 1/3 relief innings pitched this season.

Harvey was the Mets' first-round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. He is 7-5 with a 3.68 ERA this season with Buffalo, and has 112 strikeouts in 110 innings. Harvey will replace Miguel Batista in the Mets' rotation.

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Mets Vs. Nationals Final Score: New York Loses 8-2 In 10 Innings

The New York Mets lost to the Washington Nationals, 8-2, in 10 innings on Monday night in the opening game of the three-game series at Citi Field. The loss was the Mets' fourth in a row and third in extra innings in their last seven games played.

Pedro Beato gave up five runs, four earned, off four hits and a walk and forced just one out before leaving the mound in the 10th. Michael Morse capped the Nats' six-run inning with a two-run home run.

Chris Young started for the Mets and gave up two earned runs off three hits and three walks while striking out seven in seven innings pitched. His only major mistake of the night came in the first inning when he gave up a two-run home run to Bryce Harper off of a 3-2 pitch with no outs. Harper finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

The Mets came back with a pair of homers of their own, however. David Wright hit a solo shot, his 15th home run of the season, in the fourth inning. Ike Davis tied the game at 2-2 with his 15th home run of the season in the seventh.

Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann gave up four hits and struck out six in six innings of work. He gave up the Mets' first home run. Davis' game-tying shot came off Mike Gonzalez in his lone inning of work.

Washington's Tom Gorzelanny (3-2) was given the win for giving up just one hit and no runs in 1 2/3 innings. Tom Byrdak (2-2) earned the loss for putting what would prove to be the winning run on base in the 10th before being relieved by Beato.

Game 2 of the series is set for 7:10 p.m. ET on Tuesday. R.A. Dickey (13-1, 2.84 ERA) and the Nats' Gio Gonzalez (12-5, 3.32) will be the starting pitchers.

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Mets (47-48) Vs. Nationals (55-39) Preview: Game Time, TV Schedule, Probable Pitchers