METS (44-34, second place/NL East) at NATIONALS (34-45, fifth place/NL East)

Thursday: LHP Johan Santana (5-5, 3.55) vs. RHP Livan Hernandez (6-4, 3.10), 7:05 p.m. ET

Friday: LHP Jon Niese (5-2, 3.82) vs. RHP Luis Atilano (6-4, 4.33), 7:05 p.m. ET

Saturday: RHP R.A. Dickey (6-1, 2.98) vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg (2-2, 2.27), 4:10 p.m. ET

Sunday: LHP Hisanori Takahashi (6-3, 4.24) vs. RHP Craig Stammen (2-2, 5.13), 1:35 p.m. ET

Nationals short hops

Rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg, the top overall pick in last year’s draft out of San Diego State, enters the sixth start of his major league career Saturday in dire need of run support. The Nationals have lost Strasburg’s last three starts, but have scored only one run in those three games -- in a 2-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox on June 18. Washington has since been shut out 1-0 by the Kansas City Royals and 5-0 by the Atlanta Braves. Strasburg has 48 strikeouts, two shy of matching the record for the most through five starts, by Herb Score with the Cleveland Indians in 1955. The chirping in D.C. is that Strasburg ought to be selected for the All-Star Game. In reality, there’s no slam-dunk National to select for the July 13 game. Still, having produced two wins with one start to go before Selection Sunday hardly makes Strasburg a legitimate contender. The best recent example of a rookie phenom making the All-Star Game came in 2003 when the Florida Marlins’ Dontrelle Willis burst onto the scene. However, by the end of June, Willis already had an 8-1 record and 2.26 ERA in 10 starts. And, still, Willis wasn’t an original selection. He was an injury replacement four days before the game for Kevin Brown. … The Nats’ best All-Star candidate may be third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, whose ability to make the roster despite a mini-slump undoubtedly will be aided by Philadelphia’s Placido Polanco landing on the disabled list. The alternative for a Nat in Anaheim could be first baseman Adam Dunn or closer Matt Capps, who still leads the National League with 22 saves in 26 chances. … Teams are interested in acquiring Dunn via trade, but the speculation is the Nationals will not deal him unless they are blown away by the offer, and that they are not actively shopping him. Despite his shortcomings at first base in his first season exclusively playing the position, Washington actually hopes to re-sign Dunn if it can hold the line on his contract demands in terms of salary and years. Dunn is in the second season of a two-year, $20 million contract. Dunn isn’t keen on being a DH if he’s traded to an American League club, although he doesn’t have a no-trade clause. … Left-hander John Lannan, who made a combined 64 starts for the Nationals in 2008 and ’09, was demoted after a June 20 outing with a 2-5 record and 5.76 ERA in 14 starts. Lannan, 25, was assigned to Double-A Harrisburg. He experienced elbow trouble early in the season and has been having difficulty getting his sinker to be an effective pitch, but the southpaw insisted recently the elbow issue was behind him. Right-hander Craig Stammen, who had been demoted when Strasburg joined the Nationals, returned from the minors Tuesday and limited Atlanta to two runs in 7 1/3 innings as Washington snapped a five-game losing streak. … Shortstop Ian Desmond has 19 errors, making him the overwhelming leader at the position in the majors. Desmond made a costly error in Strasburg’s latest start, bobbling Troy Glaus’ grounder to allow the Braves to load the bases in what became a five-run seventh inning that broke a scoreless tie. Desmond did not start for the third time in four games Wednesday. But while the fan uproar is for Desmond to be benched or demoted, the Nationals have appeared reasonably committed to the 24-year-old infielder. They don’t have a credible alternative anyway in Cristian Guzman or Alberto Gonzalez. Gonzalez, who did have a 4-for-4 game Tuesday, started at shortstop Wednesday at Turner Field. Desmond took his place in right field in the series finale after entering as a pinch hitter, but did flip with Gonzalez and move to shortstop before play resumed. Desmond had not appeared in the outfield since spring training. He started one major league game in the outfield last season. … Nyjer Morgan may be losing his grip on the starting center field job. Acquired last June 30 from the Pittsburgh Pirates with reliever Sean Burnett for outfielder Lastings Milledge and reliever Joel Hanrahan, Morgan has been caught stealing a major league-high 11 times and picked off another seven times. That means his .312 on-base percentage through Tuesday actually can be considered worse. He’s also been subpar in the field. … Since returning from a lower back injury on June 8, catcher Ivan Rodriguez has sagged at the plate, although his average remained over .300 until dipping under Wednesday. Rodriguez, who has been praised for his work with Strasburg, could use a capable understudy so he’s not logging so much duty. However, Wil Nieves (.175, 1 HR, 8 RBIs in 103 at-bats) has been subpar as a backup. Meanwhile, former Mets farmhand Jesus Flores is still dealing with a year-plus-old shoulder issue and has not started a rehab assignment. And Chris Coste, who was claimed off waivers from the Mets at the end of spring training, injured his elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery. … Reliever Tyler Clippard, who started the season a remarkable 6-0 in the bullpen, has tailed off. He lost two games in Baltimore last weekend, including when he failed to protect a 6-3 eighth-inning lead in the series opener against the Orioles at Camden Yards. … Ex-Met Livan Hernandez has been mortal since a remarkable opening to the season in which he raced to a 4-1 record and 1.04 ERA through his first six starts. Hernandez was tattooed for eight runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Detroit Tigers on June 16. Then, after limiting Kansas City to one run in seven innings, Hernandez allowed five runs on 11 hits in six innings in his most recent start, against the Orioles.

Matchups

Santana vs. Nationals (career: 6-2, 3.23 ERA)
Adam Dunn .500, 2 HR, 3 RBIs, 8 AB
Cristian Guzman .474, 1 RBI, 19 AB
Josh Willingham .385, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 13 AB
Ryan Zimmerman .313, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 16 AB
Wil Nieves .231, 13 AB
Ivan Rodriguez .225, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 40 AB
Adam Kennedy .211, 2 RBIs, 19 AB
Alberto Gonzalez .200, 5 AB
Nyjer Morgan .167, 6 AB
Willie Harris .111, 9 AB
Mike Morse .000, 5 AB
Ian Desmond .000, 2 AB

Niese vs. Nationals (career: 0-0, 12.46 ERA)
Cristian Guzman 1.000, 1 AB
Ryan Zimmerman .500, 2 AB
Nyjer Morgan .400, 1 RBI, 5 AB
Adam Dunn .333, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 3 AB
Ivan Rodriguez .333, 3 RBIs, 6 AB
Ian Desmond .000, 2 AB
Josh Willingham .000, 2 AB

Dickey vs. Nationals (career: 0-1, 8.38 ERA)
Willie Harris 1.000, 1 RBI, 1 AB
Adam Dunn .500, 2 AB
Josh Willingham .500, 1 RBI, 2 AB
Ryan Zimmerman .333, 3 AB
Adam Kennedy .267, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 15 AB
Ivan Rodriguez .222, 1 RBI, 9 AB
Cristian Guzman .125, 8 AB
Roger Bernadina .000, 1 RBI, 1 AB
Nyjer Morgan .000, 3 AB
Ian Desmond .000, 1 AB
Alberto Gonzalez .000, 1 AB

Takahashi vs. Nationals (career: 0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Cristian Guzman 1.000, 1 AB
Adam Kennedy .500, 2 AB
Ryan Zimmerman .000, 3 AB
Nyjer Morgan .000, 2 AB
Ian Desmond .000, 1 AB
Adam Dunn .000, 1 AB
Willie Harris .000, 1 AB
Mike Morse .000, 1 AB
Ivan Rodriguez .000, 1 AB
Josh Willingham .000, 1 AB

Hernandez vs. Mets (career: 12-13, 4.38 ERA)
Angel Pagan .500, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 AB
Jeff Francoeur .438, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 16 AB
Fernando Tatis .391, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 23 AB
Henry Blanco .375, 2 RBIs, 24 AB
David Wright .333, 4 HR, 10 RBIs, 36 AB
Ike Davis .333, 3 AB
Jose Reyes .260, 2 HR, 3 RBIs, 50 AB
Alex Cora .244, 2 RBIs, 45 AB
Jason Bay .214, 14 AB
Rod Barajas .000, 3 AB

Atilano vs. Mets (career: 1-1, 5.59 ERA)
Jason Bay .600, 5 AB
David Wright .400, 4 RBIs, 5 AB
Rod Barajas .400, 5 AB
Ike Davis .400, 5 AB
Jose Reyes .400, 5 AB
Jeff Francoeur .250, 4 AB
Angel Pagan .250, 4 AB
Alex Cora .000, 3 AB

Strasburg vs. Mets (career: never faced)

Stammen vs. Mets (career: 1-2, 5.24 ERA)
Angel Pagan .625, 1 RBI, 8 AB
Ike Davis .500, 2 AB
Fernando Tatis .400, 1 RBI, 5 AB
Jose Reyes .333, 1 RBI, 3 AB
David Wright .333, 9 AB
Alex Cora .200, 1 RBI, 5 AB
Jason Bay .000, 6 AB
Jeff Francoeur .000, 6 AB
Rod Barajas .000, 1 AB

Last series results:

Mets split 1-1 at Nationals Park, May 19-20 (AP game recaps)

Nationals 5, Mets 3: Angel Pagan hit an inside-the-park home run and started a triple play, but that wasn't enough. Pagan became the first player in 55 years to take part in both feats in the same game. Despite his achievements, the Mets lost for the ninth time in 11 games. Pagan hit the first inside-the-park home run in Nationals Park history in the fourth inning. An inning later, the center fielder's shoestring catch led to the Mets' first triple play since 2002. Phillies shortstop Ted Kazanski was the last player to do both, on Sept. 25, 1955, for Philadelphia against the New York Giants, the Elias Sports Bureau said. That was also the last time a team pulled a triple play and hit an inside-the-parker in the same game, Elias said. Pagan's homer came in Washington's third season at its ballpark. His second career inside-the-parker came on a drive off the center-field wall. Nyjer Morgan couldn't make a leaping grab and Pagan scampered around the bases, sliding home safely ahead of a relay by shortstop Ian Desmond. After making an earlier diving grab to rob Roger Bernadina of an extra-base hit, Pagan started the 10th triple play in Mets history. The Nationals put runners on first and second in the fifth and Cristian Guzman hit a sinking liner that Pagan rushed in to catch. The runners kept going and Pagan threw home, just in case. Catcher Henry Blanco tossed the ball to shortstop Jose Reyes at second base to double off Livan Hernandez. Reyes relayed to first baseman Ike Davis to catch Morgan. Crew chief Tim Tschida briefly huddled with the other base umpires before affirming the call. The Mets' last triple play came May 17, 2002, against San Diego, an around-the-horn play on a groundball by Wiki Gonzalez. The last time the Montreal/Washington franchise hit into a triple play was July 28, 2002, when Vladimir Guerrero of the Expos hit a line drive to Florida third baseman Mike Lowell. Slumping third baseman David Wright was held out of the Mets lineup, which included Davis as the cleanup hitter for the first time. The rookie went 1-for-4. The Nationals broke a 2-all tie with a three-run seventh. Bernadina hit a leadoff double against Raul Valdes (1-1) and scored on pinch-hitter Adam Kennedy's sacrifice fly off reliever Fernando Nieve. Guzman added an RBI triple and scored on Ryan Zimmerman's single. Rookie Drew Storen (1-0) got the final two outs of the seventh for his first major league victory. Matt Capps got the final three outs for his major league-leading 15th save despite allowing Fernando Tatis' solo homer. Washington got to Mets starter R.A. Dickey, whose contract was purchased from Triple-A Buffalo before the game, for two runs in the fourth. The knuckleball specialist allowed singles to Guzman and Zimmerman before walking Adam Dunn to load the bases. Josh Willingham followed with a tying single and Bernadina had a sacrifice fly, with Pagan making a diving catch in left-center. The Mets tied it in the sixth when Jeff Francoeur hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Pagan's other inside-the-park homer came Aug. 23, 2009, against the Phillies' Pedro Martinez.

Mets 10, Nationals 7: David Wright hit a three-run double and had four RBIs, and Raul Valdes filled in admirably for injured starter John Maine for five innings. In his first at-bat since sitting out for first time this season, Wright put the Mets ahead 3-0 with a double. But in the bottom half, Maine threw just five pitches, walking Nyjer Morgan, before Mets manager Jerry Manuel removed him. Valdes (2-1) pitched five innings, allowing three runs and seven hits. He struck out six and walked one. Wright added a sacrifice fly during a five-run fifth inning for the Mets. New York went 2-6 on its road trip and returns home to play the crosstown rival Yankees for three games. Wright went 1-for-4 without a strikeout, ending a streak during which he struck out in a career-high 15 straight games. Luis Atilano (3-1) allowed seven runs in 4 2/3 innings for Washington. Valdes, a 32-year-old rookie left-hander loaned from the Mexican League, had never pitched four innings in the major leagues. He went five. Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen had noticed during Maine's pregame bullpen that his velocity was down, and had Valdes warming up during Morgan's at-bat. Afterward, Warthen called Maine a “habitual liar” with respect to his injured shoulder. All three of Valdes' decisions have come against the Nationals -- a win on May 11 and a loss in this series’ opener. Valdes allowed a run in the second when Roger Bernadina's fielder's choice scored Adam Dunn and two runs in the sixth on Willie Harris' pinch-hit single. By then, the Mets were ahead 10-3. New York scored five runs in the fifth on a sacrifice fly, Jeff Francoeur's two-run single, an infield RBI single by Jose Reyes and a sacrifice fly by Alex Cora. Rod Barajas' 10th home run, a two-run shot in the sixth, gave the Mets 10 runs -- equaling their high for the year. Washington scored three runs in the eighth off Jenrry Mejia and one in the ninth off Francisco Rodriguez. Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner was struck by a ball while standing in right field during batting practice. Lerner was in uniform and shagging balls. According to The Washington Post, Lerner was struck on the bridge of his nose and received stitches. This was the second time in Mets history that a starting pitcher was removed from a game after facing just one batter. It last happened on April 26, 1981, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, involving Craig Swan. After Montreal Expos outfielder Tim Raines reached base at Olympic Stadium in Game 2 of a doubleheader, catcher Ron Hodges hit Swan in the shoulder trying to throw out Raines attempting to steal, forcing the pitcher from the game. Montreal’s Jerry Manuel was the batter when it occurred. Valdes' five-inning relief stint was the longest by a New York reliever since Darren Oliver worked five innings against Florida on July 7, 2006. Mets rookie 1B Ike Davis equaled career highs with three hits and three runs scored.