WASHINGTON — The Mets hope to protect or add to their slim NL East lead here tonight when Mike Pelfrey (pictured) takes on the Nationalsâ Odalis Perez in the second game of a four-game series. The Mets, whose division lead is now just a half-game over the Phillies after Monday nightâs 7-2 loss to the Nationals, are counting on Pelfrey to revert to the form that saw the big right-hander win 11 of 13 decisions from June 16 through Aug. 25. Pelfrey is 0-1 in his past two starts, though, including an outing against the Nationals last week at Shea Stadium in which he surrendered five runs in five innings.
Perez, meanwhile, is 1-1 with a 6.33 ERA in four starts against the Mets this season, the most recent of which came last week. The Mets knocked him out after just three innings by scoring six runs on eight hits.
As for Jerry Manuelâs lineup, the Mets are going with rookie Argenis Reyes at second base over the hobbled Luis Castillo. Veteran Fernando Tatis also is getting another start in left field over rookies Nick Evans and Daniel Murphy.
The overall lineup for the 83-66 Mets is:
Jose Reyes SS
Ryan Church RF
David Wright 3B
Carlos Beltran CF
Carlos Delgado 1B
Fernando Tatis LF
Argenis Reyes 2B
Brian Schneider C
Mike Pelfrey RHP (13-9, 3.77)
The 57-93 Nationals are going with:
Willie Harris LF
Cristian Guzman SS
Ryan Zimmerman 3B
Lastings Milledge CF
Elijah Dukes RF
Aaron Boone 1B
Anderson Hernandez 2B
Wil Nieves C
Odalis Perez LHP (6-10, 4.48)
Game time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: SNY.
