The Nationals are busy trying to clinch the top seed in the National League postseason. Ryan Zimmerman is just trying to get back to full strength. Zimmerman - playing in just his second game since July 23 - played seven innings Thursday, going 1-for-4 and scoring a run in the Nationals' 7-4 loss to the Mets. The final score wasn't what Zimmerman or the Nationals wanted, but for the 29-year-old, it meant another step toward recovery. "I was running at the same percentage," Zimmerman said. "I can't really go 100 percent yet and it's learning what I have, what I don't have. The only way to do that is to go out and play."

Zimmerman earned the start in left field and exited with the Nationals and Mets tied 3-3 in the seventh inning. Nationals starter Blake Treinen, meanwhile, couldn't make it through five innings, tossing 4 1/3 innings and allowing four earned runs on eight hits. Still, the right-hander put the Nationals in a position to earn the win and keep pace with the NL West champion Dodgers. "Early on the ball wasn't sinking as much," Nats skipper Matt Williams said of Treinen. "They got one in the first and he pitched well enough to keep us in it. We ended up tying it later but he pitched fine. We could've pitched him further, but with what we've got it's not important that we do that right now, but he gave us a chance." What is important for the Nationals is making sure players are the right combination of being rested enough for the playoffs, without losing their edge in the game. A fortunate problem to have, certainly. Despite the loss, the Nationals did see some much-needed production from some of the lesser-known guys. Catcher Jose Lobaton and second baseman Danny Espinosa each went 2-for-4 while while center fielder Michael A. Taylor had a pair of RBIs hitting in the leadoff spot. With the loss in Game 1 of this doubleheader, the Nats fall to 92-65 on the season, two games ahead of the Dodgers for the top seed in the senior circuit. It'll be Gio Gonzalez for Washington up against Zack Wheeler for the Mets. For the Nats: 3B Rendon 2B Cabrera RF Werth C Ramos CF Schierholtz 1B Moore LF Hairston SS Espionsa P Gonzalez