Even a five-run lead can’t help the Mets

NEW YORK -- With their pitching staff in tatters, the free-falling Mets are flirting with an historic collapse.

New York wasted two home runs by Carlos Beltran and another from Moises Alou, blowing a five-run lead Wednesday night in a 9-6 loss to the Washington Nationals that sliced its East Division lead to one game over Philadelphia with four to play.

“It’s hard to believe,” Beltran said. “Unbelievable.”

The Phillies haven’t been this close to first since they lost on opening day. New York led by seven games, with 17 to play, after beating Atlanta on Sept. 12. No major league team has failed to finish first after having at least a seven-game lead with 17 left.

Ryan Church homered and drove in four runs for the Nationals, who completed a three-game sweep after trailing, 5-0, through three innings.

--

RESULTS

at Philadelphia 5, Atlanta 2: Kyle Lohse pitched seven strong innings to help the Phillies move to within one game of East Division-leading New York. Pinch-hitter Shane Victorino hit a solo homer, Greg Dobbs had a two-run single and Philadelphia took advantage of third baseman Chipper Jones’ throwing error to score three unearned runs off Tim Hudson.

San Diego 11, at San Francisco 3: Jake Peavy won his league-leading 19th game, and the Padres spoiled Barry Bonds’ home finale to stay one game ahead of Philadelphia in the wild-card race and two games behind Arizona in the West. Bonds was 0 for 3 with two groundouts and a flyout.

at Florida 7, Chicago 4: The Cubs lost for the second night in a row to the last-place Marlins, but their magic number for clinching the Central Division remained at four. Florida beat Chicago for the ninth game in a row over two seasons.

St. Louis 7, at Milwaukee 3: The Brewers wasted a chance to reduce their deficit to one game behind Chicago in the Central, allowing the Cardinals to break the game open with four runs in the eighth inning.

at Pittsburgh 5, Arizona 1: Adam LaRoche drove in three runs with two doubles and Matt Morris pitched effectively over seven innings for the Pirates as the Diamondbacks saw their lead in the West drop to one game over the Padres.

Houston 7, at Cincinnati 6: Lance Berkman hit two of the Astros’ four home runs and Luke Scott drove in the winning run in the eighth inning with a single. Berkman’s homers give him 41 against the Reds, more than he has hit against any team.

Washington 9, at New York 6: Moises Alou’s first-inning home run extended his hitting streak to 30 games, the longest by a New York player since Joe DiMaggio’s record 56 in 1941.

Colorado 2, at Dodgers 0: The Rockies won their franchise-record 10th consecutive game and improved to 48-30 since a season-high eight-game losing streak in late June.