NL East Wrap: Mets edge Nats, Marlins lose

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Thursday, May 19, 2011
Posted: 11:02 p.m.Updated: May 20, 12:14 p.m.

Mets 1, Nationals 0

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NEW YORK -- Dillon Gee shut down Washington once again, tossing hitless ball until pitcher Livan Hernandez grounded a clean single with two outs in the sixth inning, to lead the New York Mets over the Nationals 1-0 Thursday.

The game ended with Washington manager Jim Riggleman, catcher Ivan Rodriguez and third-base coach Bo Porter hollering at the umpires, moments after a disputed call.

For Gee (3-0) and the Nationals, his performance probably looked familiar. In his major league debut last September, the 25-year-old righty held the Nationals without a hit until Willie Harris homered leading off the sixth.

Justin Turner hit an RBI single in the fourth for the only run. That was enough for the Mets to win for the ninth time in 13 games as they head into interleague play Friday night at Yankee Stadium in the Subway Series.

Washington threatened in the eighth and ninth, yet was shut out in both games of this series. The Nats began the day with the worst batting average in the majors and got blanked for the seventh time in 43 games this year.

In the eighth, the Nationals put runners on first and second with one out. Pinch-hitter Matt Stairs lined out to right field on Gee's last pitch, and reliever Tim Byrdak retired pinch-hitter Michael Morse on a grounder.

Francisco Rodriguez held on for his 14th save in 15 chances, extending his scoreless streak to 18 innings. Laynce Nix doubled with one out and Jayson Werth hit a hard one-hopper to third that Turner snagged -- but his throw appeared to pull first baseman Daniel Murphy off the bag. Plus, Werth seemed to beat the play.

Werth jumped up when he was called out by first-base umpire Phil Cuzzi, and Riggleman came out to argue. Riggleman kept up his dispute with plate umpire Manny Gonzalez, a minor league call-up.

Cubs 5, Marlins 1

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MIAMI -- Casey Coleman had a career-high seven strikeouts in 5 2-3 shutout innings Thursday, and the Chicago Cubs completed a two-game series sweep by beating the Florida Marlins 5-1.

Coleman (2-3) walked five but retired five batters with runners in scoring position and lowered his ERA from 7.22 to 6.03.

He departed after throwing 109 pitches, and four relievers completed the eight-hitter, with Carlos Marmol pitching a scoreless ninth. Marmol has thrown 22 2-3 consecutive shutout innings on the road since Aug. 25.

Marlon Byrd hit a two-run homer, his third of the season and his second in two nights against Florida. Starlin Castro hit a two-out, two-run double in the ninth, and Reed Johnson doubled home Chicago's first.

The Cubs have won their past five games in Miami. They now head to Fenway Park, where they'll play this weekend for the first time since the 1918 World Series.

Florida's Mike Stanton struck out three times against Coleman, then hit his ninth homer in the eighth off Kerry Wood. But the Marlins stranded 12 runners and went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Leadoff hitter Chris Coghlan went 0 for 5 with three strikeouts, and he's in a 3-for-33 slump that has dropped his average to .238.

Diamondbacks 2, Braves 1

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PHOENIX -- Josh Collmenter blanked Atlanta for six innings to run his scoreless streak to 21 and the Arizona Diamondbacks handed Jair Jurrjens his first loss of the season with a 2-1 victory over the Braves on Thursday night.

Collmenter (3-0) gave up two hits with one strikeout and no walks in his second start. The 25-year-old right-hander has allowed two runs in 26 innings, with 15 strikeouts and one walk, since being called up from Triple-A Reno, including a franchise-record 12 scoreless innings in a row as a starter.

He and Jurrjens were locked in a scoreless fight until Chris Young's solo home run with two outs in the sixth. Juan Miranda, who had three hits, tripled in a run later in the inning.

Jurrjens (5-1) lost for the first time in seven starts as Arizona swept the two-game series from Atlanta.

The Braves got an unearned run off closer J.J. Putz in the ninth when Brian McCann doubled off the left field wall with two outs, then right fielder Justin Upton dropped Dan Uggla's line drive for an error. Putz struck out Freddie Freeman to end the game and earn his 10th save in 10 tries.

Collmenter, who has an unusual straight overhand style, threw just 76 pitches, 57 for strikes, in the Diamondbacks' third straight victory and fifth in six games. The Braves had won four in a row before dropping two in the desert.

Jurrjens, who entered the game with a 1.66 ERA, allowed two runs on eight hits in 6 2-3 innings, striking out two, walking one intentionally and hitting a batter.

2011 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.

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