WASHINGTON — While Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel were confirming that their jobs are supposedly safe, the Mets and Livan Hernandez went out Monday night and did what they were supposed to — beat the hapless Nationals.

Hernandez’s strong pitching with his rotation spot on the line and Jeff Francoeur‘s big night keyed a 6-2 win over the worst team in baseball in the opener of a three-game series.

In the notes, Jonathon Nieseis expected to get the call this weekend in Houston after Fernando Nieve was put on the disabled list Monday with a torn muscle in his right thigh.