Nationals 6, Mets 4

NEW YORK -- Ian Desmond homered in the fifth inning for the Washington Nationals' first hit Friday night, then capped a comeback victory with an RBI double in the ninth inning of the Nationals' 6-4 win over the New York Mets in front of 28,363 at Citi Field.

The Nationals (40-39) were dominated by Matt Harvey in the first seven innings before breaking through against the Mets' bullpen in the eighth. That's when Ryan Zimmerman laced a game-tying, three-run double. Then, in the ninth, Jayson Werth and Desmond led off with a pair of doubles in a four-pitch span off Mets closer Bobby Parnell.

That made it 5-4, and Kurt Suzuki added a sacrifice fly for an insurance run.

Tyler Clippard (6-1) earned the win with a hitless eighth before Drew Storen notched his second save with a perfect ninth for the Nationals, who moved back over .500 at 40-39.

Desmond, Zimmerman and Denard Span had two hits apiece for Washington.

Parnell (5-4) took the loss for the Mets (32-44), who were trying to win their third game in three days in three different time zones. The Mets beat the White Sox 3-0 in the finale of a two-game series in Chicago on Wednesday and edged the Rockies 3-2 in Denver on Thursday in a makeup of a game postponed by snow in April.

Mets rookie Josh Satin, who was promoted from Triple-A Las Vegas on June 11, had a career-high three hits, including two doubles, and tied a career high with two RBIs.

David Wright had two hits for the Mets, who left the bases loaded in the fourth and left a runner in scoring position in the sixth and seventh innings.

The Nationals' eighth inning began innocently enough as David Aardsma allowed a leadoff single to Roger Bernadina before retiring the next two batters he faced.

But Mets manager Terry Collins began playing the matchups, and it took just 11 pitches for a trio of pitchers to cough up Harvey's lead. Left-hander Josh Edgin gave up a double to Span, and right-hander Brandon Lyon walked Anthony Rendon before surrendering Zimmerman's double.

Harvey struck out 11 batters in seven dominant innings and was in line for the win when he exited with a 4-1 lead. Harvey allowed three hits and walked none, which made Friday the third time in 17 starts this year he's struck out at least 10 and walked none in a no-decision. He has five no-decisions this season in which he's allowed two runs or less over at least seven innings.

Harvey is proving to be a quite a draw for the Mets, and he didn't disappoint the fans that filled the upper deck encircling Citi Field.

He retired the first 14 batters he faced, seven by strikeout, and a giant, knowing roar went up from the crowd when Marlon Byrd made a diving catch of Rendon's sinking liner with one out in the second.

But the budding perfect game, no-hitter and shutout all ended on Harvey's 65th pitch, which Desmond crushed into the second deck in left field to tie the game at 1-1.

The homer also provided a measure of redemption for Desmond, whose error in the bottom of the fourth gave the Mets their short-lived 1-0 lead.

Wright led off with a double and scored when Desmond bobbled Byrd's grounder and then threw wide of first base. Satin followed with a double to deep right field, but Byrd didn't leave second base until the ball landed and he was held up at third. The Mets ended up leaving the bases loaded in the inning when Harvey made the final out by grounding out to starting pitcher Ross Detwiler.

Like Desmond, Byrd didn't have to wait long for a chance to atone. His two-out double to left in the bottom of the fifth brought home Eric Young to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. Byrd then scored on a single to left by Satin.

NOTES: The Mets also had right-handed pitcher Dillon Gee, their scheduled starter for Saturday, fly home ahead of the team with Harvey on Thursday afternoon. ... Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada, who has been on the disabled list since May 30 due to a right quad strain, began a rehab assignment Friday with the short-season Single-A Gulf Coast League Mets and went 1-for-2. ... The Nationals' starter for Saturday was still listed as "TBA" in the game notes Friday night, but Washington is expected to recall right-handed pitcher Taylor Jordan and send him to the mound for his major league debut. Jordan is 9-1 with a 1.00 ERA in 15 starts for Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse. Jordan is taking the rotation spot of Dan Haren, who was placed on the disabled list June 25 (retroactive to June 23) with right shoulder inflammation. ... Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, who has been on the disabled list since June 1 (retroactive to May 27) with bursitis in his left knee, had a scheduled day off Friday in his rehab stint with Double-A Harrisburg. He is hitting .500 (4-for-8) in three games for Harrisburg. ... Catcher Wilson Ramos, who has been out since May 16 with a left hamstring injury, played three innings for the Gulf Coast League Nationals on Friday and is expected to join a full-season affiliate next week.