Nationalsclub.com | Washington Nationals News, nationals Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div> The Nationals avoided a sweep with an 8-1 win over the Mets on Sunday, but they have continued to struggle with the same issues that led them to 13 losses in their first 16 games this season. Washington's remade bullpen hasn't blown a save since the Nationals sent three players to the minors on April 19, but a lack of productive hitting and a spate of errors led to back-to-back one run losses on Wednesday and Friday. The topper was an 8-2 loss to the Mets on Saturday, when the fly ball Elijah Dukes lost in the sun led to three Mets runs.</div>PLAYER NEWS: --RHP Daniel Cabrera gave up five runs, though only one was earned, in Saturday's 8-2 loss to the Mets. Cabrera threw 86 pitches, only 43 of them for strikes, but the more troubling thing for the Nationals has been his velocity. The 6-foot-9 Cabrera's fastball has hovered around 92-93 mph, well below the 97-mph mark he used to hit with the Orioles. "We are trying to find out where that comes from exactly, what is it that he is trying to do," manager Manny Acta said. "He indicated to us that he was trying to throw more strikes. But the fact is, he is still a little bit on the wild side, and the velocity is not the same." --OF Austin Kearns hit his third home run of the year in the fifth inning of Sunday's game against the Mets, becoming the first player to hit a ball onto the black ramp behind the center field wall. The shot, which traveled an estimated 420 feet, was Kearns' third homer of the year and his second hit of the day. MEDICAL WATCH: LHP Joe Beimel (strained left hip flexor) went on the 15-day disabled list April 21. SS Cristian Guzman (strained left hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 14. He will go on a minor league rehab assignment but should be back after missing just 15 days. 2B/OF Willie Harris (strained left oblique muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list April 13. He was set to begin a rehab assignment with Class AAA Syracuse during the week of April 20-26. OF Roger Bernadina (broken right ankle) went on the 15-day disabled list April 19. He had surgery April 18, and he will miss a minimum of two months before beginning a rehab assignment. 1B Dmitri Young (strained back and hip) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 1. He remained at extended spring training in Viera, Fla., in late April with no timetable for his return to the majors. RHP Terrell Young (inflamed right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He started a throwing program at extended spring training in early April. LHP Matt Chico (Tommy John elbow surgery in July 2008) went on the 60-day disabled list March 28. He will miss at least the first half of the season. ROTATION: LHP John Lannan LHP Scott Olsen RHP Daniel Cabrera RHP Shairon Martis RHP Jordan Zimmermann BULLPEN: RHP Joel Hanrahan (closer) RHP Julian Tavarez RHP Mike Hinckley RHP Saul Rivera RHP Garrett Mock RHP Jason Bergmann RHP Kip Wells CATCHERS: Jesus Flores Wil Nieves INFIELDERS: 1B Nick Johnson 2B Anderson Hernandez SS Alberto Gonzalez 3B Ryan Zimmerman INF Ronnie Belliard INF Alex Cintron OUTFIELDERS: LF Adam Dunn CF Elijah Dukes RF Austin Kearns OF Josh Willingham OF Justin Maxwell

The Nationals avoided a sweep with an 8-1 win over the Mets on Sunday, but they have continued to struggle with the same issues that led them to 13 losses in their first 16 games this season. Washington's remade bullpen hasn't blown a save since the Nationals sent three players to the minors on April 19, but a lack of productive hitting and a spate of errors led to back-to-back one run losses on Wednesday and Friday. The topper was an 8-2 loss to the Mets on Saturday, when the fly ball Elijah Dukes lost in the sun led to three Mets runs.

PLAYER NEWS:

--RHP Daniel Cabrera gave up five runs, though only one was earned, in Saturday's 8-2 loss to the Mets. Cabrera threw 86 pitches, only 43 of them for strikes, but the more troubling thing for the Nationals has been his velocity. The 6-foot-9 Cabrera's fastball has hovered around 92-93 mph, well below the 97-mph mark he used to hit with the Orioles. "We are trying to find out where that comes from exactly, what is it that he is trying to do," manager Manny Acta said. "He indicated to us that he was trying to throw more strikes. But the fact is, he is still a little bit on the wild side, and the velocity is not the same."

--OF Austin Kearns hit his third home run of the year in the fifth inning of Sunday's game against the Mets, becoming the first player to hit a ball onto the black ramp behind the center field wall. The shot, which traveled an estimated 420 feet, was Kearns' third homer of the year and his second hit of the day.

MEDICAL WATCH:

LHP Joe Beimel (strained left hip flexor) went on the 15-day disabled list April 21.

SS Cristian Guzman (strained left hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 14. He will go on a minor league rehab assignment but should be back after missing just 15 days.

2B/OF Willie Harris (strained left oblique muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list April 13. He was set to begin a rehab assignment with Class AAA Syracuse during the week of April 20-26.

OF Roger Bernadina (broken right ankle) went on the 15-day disabled list April 19. He had surgery April 18, and he will miss a minimum of two months before beginning a rehab assignment.

1B Dmitri Young (strained back and hip) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 1. He remained at extended spring training in Viera, Fla., in late April with no timetable for his return to the majors.

RHP Terrell Young (inflamed right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He started a throwing program at extended spring training in early April.

LHP Matt Chico (Tommy John elbow surgery in July 2008) went on the 60-day disabled list March 28. He will miss at least the first half of the season.

ROTATION:

LHP John Lannan

LHP Scott Olsen

RHP Daniel Cabrera

RHP Shairon Martis

RHP Jordan Zimmermann

BULLPEN:

RHP Joel Hanrahan (closer)

RHP Julian Tavarez

RHP Mike Hinckley

RHP Saul Rivera

RHP Garrett Mock

RHP Jason Bergmann

RHP Kip Wells

CATCHERS:

Jesus Flores

Wil Nieves

INFIELDERS:

1B Nick Johnson

2B Anderson Hernandez

SS Alberto Gonzalez

3B Ryan Zimmerman

INF Ronnie Belliard

INF Alex Cintron

OUTFIELDERS:

LF Adam Dunn

CF Elijah Dukes

RF Austin Kearns

OF Josh Willingham

OF Justin Maxwell