Major League Baseball

Zimmermann sharp, gets RBI as Nats beat Mets 4-0

Published Mar. 27, 2014 3:38 p.m. ET

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PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) Even though he'll face the New York Mets in the regular season next week, Jordan Zimmermann said he didn't hold anything back.

Zimmermann allowed four hits in five innings and also had a RBI infield single, helping the Washington Nationals beat the Mets 4-0 Thursday in the final Florida spring training game for both teams.

''I went after them and threw everything at them,'' Zimmermann said. ''Bottom line, they're going to have to hit the same stuff I throw here as they do up there. I'm not trying to trick them by not showing them everything. I have to get ready myself. I was throwing everything.''

Zimmermann struck out three, walked none and finished the exhibition season with a 0.50 ERA in 13 innings.

''I want to do good every time I go out,'' Zimmermann said. ''I come down here and give it my all when I go out there. I feel good and I'm ready to go.''

Zimmermann went 1 for 2 at the plate, including a bases-loaded infield single off Cory Mazzoni in the second.

Mazzoni grabbed his right elbow after Zimmermann's hit and was immediately replaced by John Lannan. The Mets said Mazzoni was diagnosed with triceps soreness, and manager Terry Collins said the right-handed prospect will miss ''significant time.''

''Any time you see a pitcher stop and has to come out of a game ... it's always a concern,'' Collins said. ''This kid's got a great arm, and until that arm's ready again he's going to miss some time. That's too bad, because he's certainly is on our radar as a guy people thought certainly was going to come up this summer and help us.''

Bryce Harper was 2 for 4 with a RBI, and Denard Span added three singles and scored a run.

Eric Young Jr. was 3 for 4 and Ike Davis had two singles for the Mets.

New York plays Toronto on Friday and Saturday in Montreal before going home for its opener Monday against Washington. The Nationals host Detroit on Saturday in Washington.

NIESE, COLON THROW

Mets starters Jonathon Niese and Bartolo Colon threw against the St. Louis Cardinals' minor leaguers on Thursday.

Niese, who has dealt with shoulder and elbow injuries, will start the season on the disabled list. He threw 4 1-3 innings in his first outing since receiving a cortisone shot on March 17.

''It's a roller-coaster,'' Niese said. ''I was pretty low there for a while at the beginning and then I got even lower when the elbow started flaring up, and then it was real concerning, but after the last week it's great. Today was a huge step because I felt amazing.''

New York opted to have Colon throw 60 pitches in a minor league game rather than face the Nationals. Colon is scheduled to start against the Nationals on Tuesday.

ROSTER TIME

Nationals: Washington has optioned left-hander Xavier Cedeno, outfielder Jeff Kobernus, right-hander Ryan Mattheus and first baseman Ted Moore to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and catcher Sandy Leon to Harrisburg of the Double-A Eastern League.

Mets: New York put left-hander John Lannan on the major league roster. He gets a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues and $150,000 in the minors. He also can earn $2 million in performance bonuses: $100,000 each for 20, 23, 26, 29 and 32 starts; $200,000 apiece for 150, 160, 170, 180 and 190 innings; and $250,000 apiece for 200 and 210 innings.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Washington right-hander Doug Fister left a minor league start after one inning Thursday with a strain of the latissimus dorsi muscle on the right side of his back and may not be able to take his first turn in the rotation on April 6. Fister, who missed time earlier in spring training because of elbow inflammation, will be examined by team physician Dr. Wiemi Douoguih on Friday in Washington.

''It certainly is a setback,'' manager Matt Williams said.

Acquired from the Detroit during the offseasonTigers this offseason, Fister was hoping to be ready for the April 6 game at home against Atlanta. Williams said that is uncertain.

''He came back fairly quickly from the elbow inflammation,'' Williams said. ''It's a little early to tell right now.''

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was a late scratch from the lineup due what Williams called a stomach issue. Zimmerman was on the field with the team before the game and is expected to play Saturday.

QUOTABLE

''We certainly didn't get all the answers we wanted. That's not a secret,'' Collins said when asked to summarize spring training, citing injuries. ''We'll make the decisions based on what we've seen and what we think is our best options.''

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