Nationals 3, Mets 2

WP: Esteban Loaiza (5-5)
LP: Pedro Martinez (9-3)
S: Chad Cordero (30)

Two months and one day after injuring his ankle sliding into home plate, 2B Jose Vidro returned to the Nationals lineup and found himself sliding into home plate again, this time scoring the decisive run in another one-run Washington win.

Vidro went 1-4 with an RBI double and a run scored.

Washington took a 1-0 lead in the second afer Vinny Castilla doubled and was knocked in on a Brian Schneider single.

With the lead still 1-0 in the seventh, Vidro hit a double that scored Jamey Carroll, and Jose Guillen followed with a single that knocked in Vidro to put the Nats up 3-0.

Esteban Loaiza dominated for eight plus innings, giving up one run on six hits and striking out eight Mets. He worked into the ninth, but gave up a leadoff single to Cliff Floyd and was lifted for closer Chad Cordero. After striking out Mike Piazza, Cordero gave up consecutive singles and a run-scoring groundout that cut the lead to 3-2. With a man on third and two out, Cordero got pinch hitter Brian Daubach to pop out to end the game. It was Cordero's 30th save.