Game #149: Nationals 2, Mets 0

Dickeyosis seems to be spreading: first from R.A. Dickey himself two nights ago to Dillon Gee last night, and now to Mike Pelfrey tonight.

Pelfrey gave up just two unearned runs, but it was enough for the Nationals, who dropped the Mets to their 5th straight loss, 2-0.

The Bad Stuff:

• Washington scored a couple 2-out runs in the top of the 3rd. They got a chance at those runs after David Wright committed what seems like his millionth error of the past week; it's been at least 5 in 5 games.
• Those gift runs turned out to be the difference: New York could not get anything going on offense. The well was about as dry as it could be: 4 hits, 1-11 with RISP, 10 men left aboard. With 2 on and 2 out in the 9th, Jose Reyes lined out to center to end the game.

The Good Stuff:

• Pelf pitched about as well as he could on this night, tossing 7 innings and allowing just those 2 unearned runs. Unfortunately, all he has to show for it is his 12th loss of the year (he's the third Met starter to earn that distinction this year, after Dickey and Chris Capuano).

Final Analysis:
Boy, when these guys run out of gas they really run out of gas. They can't even get it push-started again. Five straight losses, 7 of their last 8. Now the Mets are back to only one game above their worst record of the year, 8 games under. And this series was supposed to be the easy one: after tomorrow's finale against the suddenly-smoking Nationals, here's how the schedule breaks down: at the Braves, at the Cardinals, home against the Phillies, home against the Reds. It will take a near-miracle to finish above .500, but now the big concern is how far the team will fall before Game #162.

MM