The last is first: Detwiler, offense blow by Mets, 6-2; Zimmerman first National to record 500 RBI

The last pitcher named to Washington’s rotation became the first starter to record a win this season, as Ross Detwiler threw five strong innings while Nationals batters, led by Jason Werth’s four hits, fleeced New York Mets’ pitchers for a 6-2 victory.

In all, Nationals hitters scattered 13 hits in their largest offensive outpouring so far this season.

But it was Detwiler who controlled the game, working quickly and changing speeds to keep Mets hitters off balance. After New York started the night with back-to-back hits from shortstop Ruben Tejada and third baseman Ronny Cedeno, playing in place of an injured David Wright, Detwiler retired 15 of the next 16 batters he faced, striking out six, walking just one and silencing the Citi Field fans. 

Video courtesy of MLB.com

The 26-year-old, and former first-round draft pick, had one luxury his rotation mates lacked in their starts – an early lead, thanks to Ian Desmond’s lead-off home run. The Nationals’ shortstop started the game by blasting a 2-1 Dillon Gee fastball into the left field seats , his first home run of the season, and the first of his two hits on the night. 

But that’s where the scoring ended until the top of the sixth, when Nationals hitters appeared to figure out Gee’s assortment of breaking pitches and dancing 80 mph change-ups. Ryan Zimmerman led off the inning by ripping a double into the left-field corner. After first baseman Adam LaRoche struck out for the third time against Gee, Werth slapped an 83 mph slider into right field, and Zimmerman sprinted home from second base – Werth’s first RBI of the season. 

Xavier Nady followed with a single to left, and Gee gave way to the Mets bullpen and hard-throwing Bobby Parnell. But New York’s luck didn’t change. Roger Bernadina reached base when New York second baseman Daniel Murphy booted his ground ball, allowing Werth to score from second. 

Catcher Wilson Ramos drove in the third run of the inning with a scorched a line drive double into right centerfield, scoring Nady from second. Pinch-hitter Chad Tracy and Desmond struck out to end the sixth, and leaving the Nationals with their first comfortable lead of the season, 4-0.

 Werth, who was mired in a 1-for-14 hitting slump to start the season, grabbed his second RBI of 2012 with a one-out, line-drive single to centerfield in the seventh, scoring Zimmerman, who walked earlier in the inning. Zimmerman would later record his 500^th career RBI with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. 

New York tallied its first run in the bottom of the seventh on a double by Jason Bay, a Lucas Duda fly-ball out and a Justin Turner line drive, but the Nationals bullpen quickly snuffed any further scoring opportunities in the inning. 

The Mets would add their final run in the eighth after Washington set-up man Tyler Clippard walked Tejada leading off the inning, then threw a high breaking pitch to Cedeno, who smashed it over Bernadina’s head in centerfield, scoring Tejada from first.

The Nationals and Mets will meet in a 1:10 p.m. matinee Monday at Citi Field with a battle of arms, as Stephen Strasburg goes head-to-head with New York ace Johan Santana.