Allgemeines » The Hornets drew 1-1 with Southampton on the

NEW YORK -- After letting a big chance to tighten the NL East race slip away, New York Mets manager Terry Collins was looking forward to taking a break.Taking a break from facing Daniel Murphy was bound to help, too.Murphy kept answering the Citi Field boos with booms, hitting his seventh home run this year against the team that let him go last winter and leading the Washington Nationals over the Mets 3-2 Sunday.The Mets won the opener of the four-game set, then dropped three in a row to fall six games behind the Nats going into the All-Star Game. Not even two home runs from leadoff man Jose Reyes was enough in the series finale.Were still in the race. The state of the team is were banged up, Collins said.Weve been in this situation one year ago where things looked bleak. We end up playing in the World Series, he said. So were upbeat, were going to take the rest and get ready for the second half.Murphy tops the majors with a .348 batting average at the All-Star break, boosted by the damage hes done to the Mets. He homered three times and drove in 10 runs in this series.I dont think its just against us. Hes hitting like .350, losing pitcher Steven Matz said.I dont have any answer, he said.Murphy lined a two-run drive off the facing off the upper deck in the first inning. Overall, he is 22 for 52 (.423) with 21 RBI vs. his old club.If theres any consolation for Collins, hell soon have Murphy back on his side, albeit for just a day -- Collins is guiding the NL team in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in San Diego, and Murphy is on the squad.The Nationals posted their 54th win, matching the 1994 Montreal Expos for the most in franchise history before the break.Reyes homered in his first two at-bats. His next time up, he took three wild swings and struck out.Gio Gonzalez (5-8) pitched into the sixth as the Nats beat the Mets for the ninth time in 13 matchups this year.Tanner Roark made his first relief appearance of the season, replacing Gonzalez and retiring seven straight batters. He went seven innings last Wednesday for a win.Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his 19th save in 21 chances.Matz (7-5) fell to 0-4 in his last eight starts. He gave up an RBI single to All-Star Wilson Ramos in the third that put Washington ahead 3-1, and left after the seventh.It took Murphy less than two months to go from valued ex-player to villain at his former home. Murphy drew two standing ovations and got a video tribute when he returned for the first time in mid-May.The longtime second baseman whose playoff slugging helped the Mets reach the World Series last year got jeered every time he came to the plate on this afternoon. He managed to make at least one new fan, however -- after chasing down a popup that landed in foul territory, he pointed to a young person in the stands and tossed the souvenir that way.TRAINERS ROOMMets: OF Yoenis Cespedes (strained right quadriceps) hasnt started since getting hurt Friday night. Collins said it was unlikely the slugger wouldve been able to pinch-hit. ... OF Alejandro De Aza twice knocked himself down with foul balls in the fourth. He got checked and stayed in.RAISING REYESReyes hit his 22nd career leadoff home run, including 17 with the Mets that tied teammate Curtis Granderson for most in team history. Reyes liner to left in the third gave him his eighth career multihomer game and first since 2011.Its always a surprise for me when I hit a homer because I dont hit too many, he said.UP NEXTNationals: Open a nine-game homestand next Friday, starting with Pittsburgh. The Dodgers and Padres later visit Washington.Mets: Start a three-game series at Philadelphia on Friday. RHP Noah Syndergaard, who left his last start with arm fatigue, will pitch at the back end of the rotation coming out of the break, Collins said. Mariners Jerseys 2019 . Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Seattle Mariners Gear . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. https://www.cheapmariners.com/ .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. Seattle Mariners Pro Shop .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Seattle Mariners Shirts . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. Arsenal will have A chance to take the pressure off their manager Arsene Wenger when they travel across north London to take face Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday.The Gunners dismal 0-1-1 start has seen veteran manager Wenger come under intense criticism for his lack of transfer activity and a culture of mediocrity that permeates throughout the club. However, a fortuitous draw with Leicester last weekend at least got a point on the board for Arsenal.Wide man Theo Walcott believes the teams difficult run could be about to come to an end.We dont want teams getting away from us (in the title race), but its only two games in, Walcott said. Weve got a nice run of games now and weve got to think about all of the positives from today.Watford is going to be another tough game because every game is this season, so its going to be very difficult. Each team gets better each year. We want to have a similar sort of performance to when we last played Watford away. It doesnt matter how we play, as long as we get the three points.Watford (0-1-1) also arrive into the game low on confidence, having endured a tricky start to life under new manager Walter Mazzarri.The Hornets drew 1-1 with Southampton on the opening day of the season, but failed to spark in that game and then suffered a 2-1 loss to Chelsea last weekend. And things went from bad to worse for Mazzarri and his side as they were dumped out of the League Cup by third-tier side Gillingham on Tuesday evening.However, the Italian coach was keen to move on from the disappointing cup exit and opted to take positives from some promising signs in the display at Stamford Bridge. HHe also focused on the boost of new signings Daryl Janmaat, Younes Kaboul and Roberto Pereyra.ddddddddddddIm not sure if they will start (against Arsenal) or play later, Mazzarri said. I want to start from the good things we did against Chelsea, so its nearly impossible all three will start. I need to take into consideration the XI who played against Chelsea.Mazzarri will not have the luxury of picking right-back and summer signing Brice Dja Djedje. The Ivory Coast international is struggling with a foot injury. However, striker Isaac Success could make his club debut if he passes a late fitness test.Arsenal have, as usual, a host of injury concerns. Midfielders Aaron Ramsey and Alex Iwobi, defenders Carl Jenkinson, Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista, and utility forward Danny Welbeck have all been ruled out.Wenger may be without a number of players, but he will take confidence from a terrific personal record against Watford. Arsenal have never lost to the Hornets in six total Premier League meetings, though the Gunners were downed 2-1 in an FA Cup quarterfinal between the two teams last season.Midfielder Etienne Capoue has scored in each of Watfords league matches so far this season. No player in the clubs history has ever scored in three straight games at the start of a top-flight campaign.Defeat for Arsenal would leave them on just one point after three games, which would be their lowest tally at this stage since 2011-12. Wengers side went on to finish third in the league that season. ' ' '