Live Blog: New York Mets (45-35) at Washington Nationals (35-46)

FINAL: Nationals (36-46) 6, Mets (45-36) 5

Pudge Rodriguez drives in the game-winning run on an opposite field single to win the game and complete the comeback for the Nationals: Mets 5, Nationals 6

WP: Matt Capps (2-3)

LP: Fransisco Rodriguez (2-2)

Bottom 9th: Rodriguez enters the game for his fourth consecutive time in as many days, and produces a blown save.

Against his first batter in the pinch-hitter in Cristian Guzman, Rodriguez produces a four-pitch walk. But the closer comes back, getting ahead of Morgan and producing a groundout to Wright.

Willie Harris then singled to right to put runners on the corners with one out. Zimmerman steps to the plate as the game-winning run.

After Zimmerman got ahead 2-0, Rodriguez worked back into a full-count with a cutter. At 3-2, Rodriguez walked Zimmerman.

The bruiser Dunn then stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, and hit a ball to dead center field that just missed Angel Pagan' glove, and just missed leaving the park as a homerun to tie the game. The shot produced one of the more hectic plays of the year, as Guzman and Harris almost collided at third as Guzman tagged. Both runners just missed a tag at home from Henry Blanco.

The Umpires then reviewed the shot from Dunn quickly, and concluded that it did not leave the park, standing as a double.

Then, after  Willingham was intentionally walked to load the bases, Pudge Rodriguez drove in the game-winning run on an opposite field single to win the game and complete the comeback for the Nationals.  Mets 5, Nationals 6

Top 9th: Pagan and Cora reach base on a walk and wild throw from Slaten. After Matt Capps entered the game, David Wright gutted out a long at bat and flew out to center for the first out of the inning. Davis then got behind 0-2 to Capps with runners at the corners. Capps struck out Davis swinging for the second out of the inning. Bay grounded out to second as Capps kept the Nationals in the game with spot pitching. K-Rod will enter the game for the Mets attempting to close the game out for Dickey. Mets 5, Nationals 3

Bottom 8th: In his latest addition to completely sure up that 8th inning slot for the Mets, Bobby Parnell struggled after a successful outing Friday. Parnell tag-teamed with backup catcher Henry Blanco to force Zimmerman into a groundout. After Dunn singled to center, Parnell walked Willingham to get to Rodriguez. With one outs and runners on first and second, Rodriguez -- the tying run at the plate -- got behind 0-2 to Parnell on a high 97-mph fastball. Parnell then struck out Rodriguez on an identical 97 mph pitch. Kennedy then came to the plate with two out and, with a single, pulled the Nats within two runs. Then with two on and two outs and Ian Desmond at bat, Desmond struck out to end the inning. Mets 5, Nationals 3

Top 8th: With Tyler Clippard taking over for Storen for the Nationals on the mound, Alex Cora records his second triple in as many nights, easily sliding in to third on a drive to right-center field to start the inning. The league leader in RBI's in Wright then came to the plate, working the count to 3-2. On the full count and with Cora on third and 0 outs, Wright hit a single by a diving Zimmerman to give the Mets a 3-2 lead, his NL leading 64th RBI of the year. Ike Davis then singled into left field. With runners on first and second, Bay popped out to Adam Dunn in foul territory. Thole then put his average over .500 with a deep one-hop double off the right field wall to drive in Wright. Francoeur was then intentionally walked to load the bases for Tejada. With one out and the bases loaded, Tejada drove in a run on the first pitch via a sacrifice fly. Clippard was then removed from the game in favor of the Nationals Doug Slaten, as Fernando Tatis pinch-hit for Dickey (who will be removed from the game for Bobby Parnell who is warming in the Met bullpen). With runners on the corner, Tatis grounded out to short to end the inning. Mets 5, Nationals 2

Bottom 7th: After Desmond grounded out, pinch hitter Alberto Gonzalez singled to reach first. Nyjer Morgan then grounded out into what appeared to be a double play to end the inning, but his speed was enough to make it a close enough call at first, as Morgan was called safe. After nearly being picked off, Morgan (the league leader in caught stealing) stole second. But Dickey escaped the inning on a Bernadina ground out to Tejada. Dickey hasn't recorded an earned run through seven. Mets 2, Nationals 2

Top 7th: With Storen still on the mound for the Nationals against the last frame's Goat in Tejada, the replacement shortstop's rough night continued with a swinging strikeout. Dickey then got behind 0-2 and grounded out to Dunn. With two outs -- Storen has recorded five perfect outs since arriving in the game -- the leadoff hitter in Pagan got behind 0-2 as well and struck out to increase Storen's K total to three in two innings. Mets 2, Nationals 2

Bottom 6th: Throughout the night Dickey has picked his spots near perfectly. And when he hasn't, he has been able to escape most trouble. That should have been the case in the sixth... but it wasn't thanks to a Tejada error. Against the heart of the Nationals order, Dickey walked Bernadina, but got Zimmerman to ground out into what should have been an easy inning-ending double play as Tejada produced an error. With one out and runners on first and second, Big Adam Dunn wiffed on a Dickey knuckler. But two unearned runs for Dickey tied the game for the home club, as Willingham and Rodriguez drove in two runs each on back-to-back singles to tie the game. Against Kennedy, super-rookie Ike Davis made a diving grab and flipped to Dickey to end the inning and escape further trouble. Mets 2, Nationals 2

Top 6th: No Burnett, as the righty Drew Storen enters the game to relieve Strasburg. After getting ahead of Bay, Storen fields a throw on a Thole hot shot to Dunn for the second out of the inning. A beardless Francoeur strikes out to end the frame...Nowhere near Copenhagen. Mets 2, Nationals 0 

Bottom 5th: Dickey does his best Johan Santana impression, fielding and Adam Kennedy hot shot for the first out of the inning. With Strasburg apparently out of the game as he has reached his career high pitch count with 96, Dickey rolls with the last two outs of the inning. Dickey has given up only three hits through five... Mets 2, Nationals 0

Top 5th: In what was probably the last inning for Strasburg, with Sean Burnett warming in the Nats' bullpen, Strasburg gets Cora to groundout. Wright got behind Strasburg 0-2, and grounded out to Kennedy the second baseman. Davis grounds out to Dunn to end the inning. Halfway through, still... Mets 2, Nationals 0 

Bottom 4th: Dickey continues to get ahead of hitters, picking his spots whenever he wants to. After working Bernadina around the strikezone, Dickey got him to pop out to Pagan. The Nats' MVP on the day in Zimmerman then fouled out to Thole in just two pitches. BIG Adam Dunn then hit an easy ground ball that turned into a single in the Jason Giambi-esque shift to the right side of the infield. Dickey walked Willingham as his control is starting to wain. With two outs and Pudge at the plate, Dickey got the catcher to ground out. Still Rolling. Mets 2, Nationals 0 

Top 4th: Zimmerman made another highlight worthy play from third, throwing out the speedy Tejada on a barehanded dribbler for the first out of the inning. Dickey grounded out for the second out. With two outs, Pagan struck out in the dirt to end the inning. Strasburg's pitch count continues to ballon, but it appears he won't give up much more during his time on the mound. If the Nats are going to have a chance, with Strasburg most likely leaving the game soon, they will need to start getting something going on Dickey. Two, three and four hitters due up for the Nats. This could be the frame. Mets 2, Nationals 0 

Bottom 3rd: After the single and run in the last inning, David Wright made another heady play throwing out Ian Desmond at second after misplaying a one-hopper  at third. Strasburg then grounded out. Morgan grounded out as well for another easy inning for Dickey. Through three... Mets 2, Nationals 0 

Top 3rd: With one out, Wright singles up the middle. On a 2-2 count, Zimmerman made a highlight worthy diving grab down the line. But the tremendous defensive play was just enough to avoid more earned runs for the rookie, as Zimmerman held onto the ball following the grab. With Wright on second and Davis on first, Strasburg got the better of the first inning hero in Bay, striking him out swinging with a 97-mph fastball. Two on and two out, Thole drove in Wright with a shot similar to his up the middle. The RBI single for Thole improved his MLB numbers to 4-7 from the plate. Francoeur holds off a breaking ball on the outside corner called for a ball to extend the count to 2-2, but pops out to end the inning. Mets 2, Nationals 0 

Bottom 2nd: Dickey continues the success striking out his second of the night in Adam Dunn. With a full count, struck out Willingham with his bread and butter. Against the hall-of-famer in Pudge, Rodriguez hit a dribbler down the third base line for a double. Kennedy grounded out to Wright to end the inning. Mets 1, Nationals 0 

Top 2nd: Strasburg's response to the horrid first inning... Well, slightly more of the same. No verdict yet. But with the pitcher in Dickey up, he had a little more room for error, striking out two  After getting ahead of Reyes' replacement in Tejada, Strasburg let the shortstop back in it with three balls. But with high heat, Tejada struck out. The counterpart in Dickey had no chance, striking out as well. Pagan tried to bunt to get on on the first pitch, but tipped it foul for the out. Mets 1, Nationals 0

Bottom 1st: After the hectic long inning from Strasburg, Dickey has his way with the Nats' hitters. Less than 20 pitches. and no threat against Dickey. Got ahead of the promising Zimmerman 0-2, and ended the inning with a foul pop to Ike Davis. Perfect from Dickey Mets 1, Nationals 0

Top 1st: On two pitches, Strasburg gets Pagan to commit to an inside pitch for an easy pop out. Without Reyes in the lineup, Cora bats second, and draws a walk from Strasburg. Wright chases badly on a 98 mph fastball for out No. 2. Then, with Strasburg going for the inning ending strikeout, the normally efficient Ivan Rodriguez sent a bad throw down to second as Cora attempted to steal second base. On Pudge's error, Cora went to third. The Mets then put runners on the corners as Ike Davis drew a walk on the at bat, not biting on a pitch just off the outside corner. With two outs and runners on the corner, Jason Bay sent a line drive to right center field to drive in Cora, as Davis held up at third. Strasburg continued to throw heat throughout the inning, yet continued to get behind in counts. It continued with Met catcher Josh Thole, as Thole got ahead 3-1. Strasburg fought back for a full-count -- as his pitch count skied over 30 pitches -- and walked Thole to walk the bases at pitch No. 32. With the bases loaded, Francoeur stepped to the plate swinging, as usual. Strasburg got ahead 0-2 on a pretty breaking ball. But the Nuke Laloosh in Strasburg came back immediately, with a scary heater at the Met's head -- which hit his bat. But the rookie escaped the inning as the Met flew out to center. After all of that and nearing 40 pitches -- with action already in the home sides bullpen -- Mets 1, Nationals 0

It'll be the Knuckleballer in R.A, Dickey (6-1. 2.98 ERA) vs. Strasburg of course (2-2, 2.27)

Hey everyone, Tony Olivero here with all of the live blogging you will need from this afternoon's tilt in the nations capital. As I'm sure you all know, the Mets will finally get their crack at Stephen Strasburg after his debut nearly a month ago. First pitch will occur slightly after 4:10, and until Strasburg takes the mound at that time here are tonight's vitals: