Yoenis Cespedes, Bryce Harper homer in clash of MVP seekers

The New York Mets completed a sweep of the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night and extended their division lead to seven games.

Harvey pitched 5 1/3 innings against the Nationals, raising his total to 171 2/3 innings in a season where he’s coming back from ligament-replacement surgery in his right elbow. The team would like Harvey to be at 180 innings prior to the final weekend of the season, and could have him exceed that number in the postseason, though via the Times, Alderson was noncommittal about whether Harvey would be in the playoff rotation, and that it would depend in part on how Harvey felt.

“I’m not sure how that works, but he should be in discussion for the National League MVP”, captain David Wright said.

He’s left it in the hands of the Mets. After rallying to win each game in the series, the Mets can come away knowing they’re capable of grinding out wins no matter what the deficit. While his velocity has not dipped, manager Terry Collins said fatigue is potentially a factor in deGrom’s pitches creeping upward in the zone and him becoming more hittable.

The eighth-inning rally made a victor of Jacob deGrom, who allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings. The big blow was a three-run double by Yoenis Cespedes, who one inning earlier committed an error that allowed three runs to score.

Harper had his ninth career multihomer game and fourth this season.

“We’re playing like we don’t have anything to lose, and that’s what we need to do”, Nieuwenhuis said. “I’ve dealt with a fair share of adversity in my career, so just to go dig down and get through”. Jeurys Familia closed for his 39th save.

Stephen Piscotty supplied the winning hit, lacing the first pitch from Fernando Rodney to the center field wall for a two-run double that scored Peter Bourjos and Matt Carpenter.

It was 3-1 in the sixth when the Nationals used a single, a walk and a bunt to load the bases.

Mariners 6, Rangers 0: Mark Trumbo and Kyle Seager each hit a two-run homer to lead Seattle.

The lead didn’t last.

“Our bullpen is one of our strengths generally, and it hasn’t been [recently]”.

“In all of those guys’ lives and in mine, there have been good times and bad times”, he said. “Fresh off the bench, and he takes me upper deck”.

Cespedes’ new team, the New York Mets, took care of that. It gave the Mets nine straight games with a homer. The hope is that Zimmerman can return Wednesday to extend a hitting streak that’s reached 11 games. Scheduled starters are Gio Gonzalez (10-7, 3.96 ERA) for the Nationals and Brad Hand (4-5, 5.20 ERA) should make the start for the Marlins.

Jonathan Broxton (2-4) got the win and Trevor Rosenthal earned his 43rd save.

The Nationals look for Stephen Strasburg to do two very important things in his start tonight against the Mets. “There will be no pitch limitations”.

Diamondbacks 2, Giants 1: Zack Godley pitched six effective innings and Arizona intentionally loaded the bases to get out of a seventh-inning jam and beat San Francisco.