The New York Mets (22-16) defeated the Washington Nationals (23-16) by the final score of 2-0 this evening at Citi Field. For a full boxscore recap follow the link below…

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2016_05_17_wasmlb_nynmlb_1#game=2016_05_17_wasmlb_nynmlb_1,game_tab=box,game_state=Wrapup

Game Notes:

• Noah Syndergaard pitched 7 solid scoreless innings only allowing 5 hits, and striking out 10. Syndergaard did not walk a batter.
• Curtis Granderson was 2-2 with a solo HR and 2 walks.
• Michael Conforto was 1-3 with a solo HR.
• Jeurys Familia picked up his 13th save of the season pitching a scoreless 9th.

What an absolutely electric performance by Noah Syndergaard tonight. The Nationals had absolutely no shot to hit the heat Syndergaard was throwing off the mound tonight. Nationals hitters looked overmatched at the plate, and I believe Syndergaard is climbing up the ranks of elite status in the league with each performance. There is not much else to say about his performance other than it was absolutely dominant. Curtis Granderson also started the offense off with a bang with his leadoff home run in the bottom of the 1st. It almost set the tone for the rest of the game as the Mets were in complete control for the rest of the game. Granderson’s lead off home run was his 14th as a member of the Mets and he is now just two leadoff home runs short of Jose Reyes’s record of 16. You can tell the day off on Sunday did wonders for Granderson, as he looked like the Grandyman we’ve come to know over the last year by reaching base in all four plate appearances. 

A gigantic credit to the Mets fans for giving Daniel Murphy a well deserved ovation twice before his first official at-bat tonight. Murphy has been a big part of this organization for the better half of seven seasons and he is well respected by his former teammates, as well as Mets fans alike. I had a chance to meet Daniel after a spring training game a few years ago in Tampa and he is one of the nicest guys around. Murphy received his NL Championship ring prior to tonight’s game in a private ceremony, and had an awesome tribute video posted on the Citi Field scoreboard as well. There hasn’t been this much emotion in the stadium with a former player returning since Jose Reyes returned to Citi Field as a member of the Marlins back in 2012, and it was a great sight to see. But from here on out you can now be considered the enemy Murph!

The Mets are now a half-game out of first place and will look to take sole possession of first place tomorrow night. Yes it’s only a series in May, however I believe it’s crucial for the Mets to set the tone early against the Nationals and prove they are just as hungry, if not hungrier than the Nats are. 

• The Mets and Nationals are scheduled to play the second game of their three game series tomorrow evening with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 pm et. You can catch tomorrow’s game on SNY and ESPN.

• Bartolo Colon (3-2, 3.53 ERA) will take the hill for the Mets tomorrow night against Nationals lefty Gio Gonzalez (2-1, 1.93 ERA).