NEW YORK -- Here's something for the New York Mets to consider as they ponder whether to move the outfield fences in at Citi Field:
Do they really want to make it any easier for the Washington Nationals to hit home runs?
Not that the Nationals seem to have much trouble with the current distances. They've now homered in 15 straight games at Citi Field, and Wilson Ramos' two-run shot off Jonathon Niese in the seventh inning Sunday sent the Nats to a 3-0 win.
The Mets didn't hit any home runs. They didn't score any runs at all, in 6 2/3 innings against Jordan Zimmermann or after that against the Washington bullpen.
The Mets were officially eliminated from the National League East race, not that they've been any factor in that race for most of the season. The Nationals reduced their magic number for clinching the division to five. They could clinch as soon as this week in Atlanta.
The road through Citi: The Nationals didn't win the division simply by beating the Mets, but their success in New York certainly didn't hurt. The Nats won nine of 10 games at Citi Field this season, hitting 18 home runs in those contests.
The home run total is actually down from last year, when the Nats homered 22 times in 10 games at Citi.
Niese and tough: It was another tough loss for Jonathon Niese, who allowed just six hits in seven innings and was throwing a shutout before the Ramos home run. Niese lost to the Nationals in all three starts this season, and hasn't beaten them since Aug. 18, 2012.
More on the home runs: The Nationals' 15-game Citi Field home run streak is the longest by any team in the ballpark's six-year history (the Mets' longest streak is nine games). It's also longer than any visiting team's home run streak in the six-year history of the new Yankee Stadium.
It's not the longest home run streak by a visiting team against the Mets. The Philadelphia Phillies homered in 19 consecutive games at Shea Stadium, from 2005 to '07.
Weekend of the HBP: Mets and Nationals pitchers combined to hit seven batters in the first three games of the series, leading some to wonder if there would be any incidents Sunday. There weren't, but there were two more HBPs. Eric Young Jr. was hit on the hand while trying to bunt in the third inning, and Lucas Duda was hit on the right elbow in the fifth inning.
There didn't seem to be any real intent on either one, and in fact, Nationals manager Matt Williams questioned whether Young had even pulled the bat back from his bunt attempt.
The weekend totals: Nationals pitchers hit five batters. Mets pitchers hit four.
The Mets and Nationals play again the last week of the season in Washington.
Big day for Wilmer: Wilmer Flores began Sunday in a 1-for-24 slump, but he tripled in his first at-bat and singled the second time up. The triple was the first of Flores' major league career.
What's next: The Mets and Marlins, who entered play Sunday in a virtual tie for third place in the National League East, open a three-game series Monday night at Citi Field. Jacob deGrom (8-6, 2.62), who has won each of his three starts against the Marlins while giving up just one earned run in 20 innings, starts for the Mets, against Marlins right-hander Jarred Cosart (4-2, 1.93).