Mets Pound Nationals to Snap 4-Game Skid

Marlon Byrd maintained his mastery of Dan Haren with a pair of home runs, and the New York Mets broke a four-game losing streak by pounding the Washington Nationals 10-1 on Wednesday night.

The win put the Mets above .400 and the Nationals below .500 -- a succinct reflection of the mixed fortunes of both clubs -- and also dropped preseason favorite Washington to third place behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East and eight games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves.

Byrd hit a two-run homer in the second and a solo shot in the third, making him 10 for 18 in his career against Haren (4-7).

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