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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