Good Morning Mets Fans!

Ah yes, the Washington nationals, the tonic for every team in need of some wins.

Big Mike Pelfrey came back after missing a start due to tendinitis and pitched effectively. His ground ball to fly ball out ratio was an astonishing 12 to 1.

The big righty didn't have his 'A' game, but he certainly had his 'B' game and induced ground ball after ground ball. The Mets #2 starter had his sinker working, generating 14 consecutive outs on grounders before Elijah Dukes' RBI triple chased him with two down in the sixth.

"I just felt like, a little dead. But I was able to make pitches when I had to and the guys behind me played great," Pelfrey said. "I think we need to get on a little streak. I think if you look at our losses so far, most of it's been because of starting pitching. We all know that. We're going to get this thing turned around and figured out."

"I saw good stuff. I didn't see great stuff," Jerry Manuel said. "He's nasty right now, but he's not filthy."

All told he pitched to 2 outs in the 6th before manager Jerry Manuel lifted him for Sean Green, who promptly got the third out of the inning.

Ryan Church drove in three runs, Carlos Beltran added 3 more hits to raise his average to a gaudy .415, and the Mets took advantage of sloppy play by the Nationals in what was basically a rout.

"You've just got to keep beating a team when it's down," Church said. "You're supposed to win these games."

Carlos Beltran is on fire. He leads the NL in hitting, is on an 8-game hitting streak, and drove in his 1,000th run of his career Friday--on his 32nd birthday.

"I'm hitting better. I prepared the same way, it's just I'm starting with a good April," said Beltran, who recently was switched with David Wright from fifth to third in the batting order. "I was swinging the bat good when I was hitting fifth. Right now I have the opportunity to drive in more runs, and I like that."

Helped by solid glove work behind him, Pelfrey (2-0) allowed two runs, six hits and three walks while striking out one. Sean Green, Bobby Parnell and Brian Stokes followed with scoreless relief before 39,960 fans on a beautiful afternoon.

As Bart Hubbach of the NY Post reports, David Wright had a banner day in the field.

What David Wright isn't providing with his bat the All-Star third baseman is providing with his glove.

Just days after picking up a Gold Glove for his third-base handiwork last season, Wright turned in two highlight-reel plays at third base in the second inning of an 8-2 win over the Nationals. Wright has just one error in his first 17 games this season and seems to be in a zone defensively after three memorable assists Friday, too.

"Everything that's coming down there, he's putting a glove on and making a good play and a good throw," Jerry Manuel said. "The work he's doing every day early is really paying off."

One key to yesterday's game was the Mets ability to drive in runs with men in scoring position--it's been a huge problem this season, but yesterday was much better. They finished 4-for-11 with RISP on the day, improving their season average in those situations to .253.

"The last couple games we've been terrible -- pretty much the whole season," Church said. "Everybody knows that we're a good team. I think once it clicks, it's not going to stop."

Today they go for the sweep.

Enjoy your coffee!

Scoreboard
Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Washington (3-13)	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	2	9	3
N.Y. Mets (8-9) «	3	1	1	0	0	3	0	0	x	8	9	0

Player of the Game

New York
C. Beltran	AB	5
	R	2
	H	3
	HR	0
	RBI	1

New York Mets
Hitters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Jose Reyes, SS	4	0	1	0	1	1	0	.315
Daniel Murphy, LF	4	1	1	0	0	0	5	.317
Jeremy Reed, LF	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.222
Carlos Beltran, CF	5	2	3	1	0	0	3	.415
Carlos Delgado, 1B	3	1	0	0	2	1	2	.250
David Wright, 3B	3	2	0	0	1	1	3	.288
Ryan Church, RF	4	0	2	3	0	0	0	.358
Omir Santos, C	4	1	1	0	0	1	2	.308
Luis Castillo, 2B	3	1	1	0	1	0	0	.380
Mike Pelfrey, P	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000
Sean Green, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Bobby Parnell, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
a- Alex Cora, PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.182
Brian Stokes, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Totals	34	8	9	4	5	5
a-popped out for Parnell in the 7th
Batting
SH - Mike Pelfrey (1)
RBI - Carlos Beltran (14), Ryan Church 3 (7)
2-OUT RBI - Carlos Beltran (4), Ryan Church 3 (7)
SB - Carlos Beltran (1, 3rd base off Bergmann/Nieves), David Wright (2, 2nd base off Rivera/Nieves)
Team LOB - 8
Fielding
Outfield Assists - Daniel Murphy 1
DP - Murphy-Delgado, Wright-Delgado, Castillo-Reyes-Delgado

New York Mets
Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Mike Pelfrey (W,2-0)	5.2	6	2	2	3	1	0	6.32
Sean Green (H,3)	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	6.52
Bobby Parnell	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	1.86
Brian Stokes	2	2	0	0	2	2	0	0.00
HBP - Nieves (by Bobby Parnell)
WP - Mike Pelfrey (1)
Pitches-Strikes - Mike Pelfrey 95-54, Sean Green 3-2, Bobby Parnell 17-13, Brian Stokes 35-19
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Mike Pelfrey 12-1, Brian Stokes 2-2
Batters Faced - Mike Pelfrey 23, Sean Green 1, Bobby Parnell 5, Brian Stokes 10