Jonathon Niese Bad Again, Nationals Top Mets

The Mets lost to the Nationals Wednesday night as Jonathon Niese has continued his disturbing trend of poor performances.

The Nationals jumped all over Niese in the first inning. Anthony Rendon doubled with one out. Jayson Werth singled to score Rendon and then Adam LaRoche homered and just like that Washington led 3-0.

Niese was able to keep the Nationals in check until the sixth when Danny Espinosa hit a three-run homer to extend the lead to 6-0.

Jonathon Niese was done after the sixth, ending the night with a line of six runs allowed, eight hits, two walks and two strikeouts. Niese has not been the same coming back from the disabled list. He is 0-4 and his ERA has climbed from 2.96 to 3.51. Perhaps his shoulder strain is something more serious.

Meantime the offense was its usual inept self. The Mets managed to score a run on a Daniel Murphy single in the eighth, but LaRoche got it back in the bottom of the inning with his second home run on the night.

Mets lose 7-1.