New York at Washington

The Nationals are two games better than the Mets and can never be counted out. That was proven last night when Washington rallied from a five-run deficit against good-looking rookie Nolan McLean, who had a 2.92 ERA entering the game. The Nationals got to McLean for nine runs — six earned — in 5.2 innings in their 9-6 victory. Now the Mets go from McLean to Zach Thornton, who is filling in for injured Clay Holmes. This is Thornton's Major League debut. New York's bullpen carries a high fatigue rating. The Nationals do not have good pitching and are last defensively. But they do have plenty of offense, making this a scary start for Thornton. Washington leads the majors in runs, averaging 5.5 runs a game. The Nationals have an excellent blend of power and speed, ranking in the top eight in homers and stolen bases. Washington starter Zack Littell threw five shutout innings in his last outing, giving up only two hits in a 3-2 win against the Orioles this past Friday. Take the Nationals.