Mets at Nationals
The New York Mets will try to continue their best start in 12 years when they visit the frustrated Washington Nationals on Sunday night. New York is 6-1 for the first time since the 2006 club began 8-1 after Saturday's 3-2 victory over Washington, surviving Bryce Harper's fifth home run and benefiting from the ejection of Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon and manager Dave Martinez for arguing balls and strikes.
Mets left fielder Michael Conforto, who recorded career highs with a .279 batting average, 27 home runs and 68 RBIs last season, is expected to return to the starting lineup Sunday after walking as a pinch-hitter Saturday. Conforto belted a two-run homer Thursday in his first game since suffering a season-ending shoulder injury Aug. 24. Washington's Tanner Roark tinkered with his delivery in spring training before returning to the basics in winning his season opener and opposes Matt Harvey, who appears to have put his injuries behind him. “We were talking about it, (Stephen) Strasburg was talking to me about it, Max (Scherzer) was talking to me about it, just getting back to feeling the way I usually feel,” Roark told reporters. “Feeling good and feeling my windup just making sure everything’s smooth and slow and then go. Instead of my head moving too much and the previous one was trying to make it simpler but I think they helped me out with making it a lot simpler. ...''
TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Matt Harvey (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Tanner Roark (1-0, 1.29)
Harvey allowed a hit and a walk while striking out five in five scoreless innings of a 2-0 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday. "I think it's just knowing that I'm healthy and that I can go out there and I'm not in pain," the 29-year-old Connecticut native, who was 25-18 with a 2.53 ERA in his first three seasons before slumping to 9-17, 5.78 in the past two years, told reporters. "There's no issues." Bryce Harper is 2-for-29 with a home run and seven strikeouts while Anthony Rendon is 9-for-23 with a homer versus Harvey, who is 3-6 with a 3.16 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) versus Washington and 1-3, 3.86 in six turns at Nationals Park.
Roark allowed one run, four hits and a walk while striking out six in seven innings of an 8-1 victory at Atlanta on Monday. The 31-year-old Illinois native is 27-19 with a 3.38 ERA in 74 games (53 starts) at Nationals Park after going 6-6, 5.04 in 17 games (14 starts) there last season. Yoenis Cespedes and Jay Bruce are a combined 4-for-27 versus Roark, who is 7-2 with a 2.76 ERA in 17 games (11 starts) against New York.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington CF Adam Eaton (.435, two home runs, five RBIs this season) was limited to pinch-hitting duty Saturday after twisting his ankle Thursday.
2. Harper (.292, 11 walks) has hit all his home runs in the last four games -- all losses after the Nationals started the season 4-0.
3. New York has clinched only its fourth series victory (4-9-1) in its last 14 sets at Nationals Park.