A day after cancelling a game despite there being very little rain in the area, the New York Mets played through on-and-off downpours and took out the Washington Nationals 3-0 on Wednesday night at Citi Field.
Jonathon Niese provided seven innings of shutout ball, allowing six hits and striking out seven to earn his third victory of the season. Battling a muddy mound, Niese was able to keep the ball in the strike zone, only allowing one walk in his final inning of work.
The Mets offense was almost as miserable as the weather as they managed to go just 1-12 with runners in scoring position. That one, however, was a two-run double in the sixth inning from second baseman Justin Turner off of losing pitcher Tom Gorzelanny.
Francisco Rodriguez made things interesting in the ninth inning, bringing the tying run to the plate, but continued his run as one of the bets closers in baseball. Rodriguez put the Nationals comeback hopes on ice by getting Laynce Nix and Roger Bernadina to fly out for his 13th save. He has now recorded 17 straight shutout innings to go along with 13 consecutive save conversions.
The shutout was the first for the Mets pitching staff this season.
New York and Washington will wrap up their short two-game series Thursday afternoon at 1:10. Dillon Gee (2-0) will take the ball for the Mets while the Nationals will counter with Livan Hernandez (3-5).