Josiah Gray tossed six scoreless innings and received some offensive support for the first time this year on Tuesday as the visiting Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets 5-0 in the opener of a three-game series.

Keibert Ruiz homered in the second inning for the Nationals, who scored a total of one run in Gray’s first four starts.

Joey Meneses had a pair of RBI singles and Luis Garcia laced a two-run double as the Nationals won for the third time in four games.

The Mets took their third straight defeat.

Gray (1-4) allowed four hits and one walk while striking out a season-high nine. He has thrown six scoreless innings three times in 46 career starts, and he has never pitched shutout ball beyond that point.

Ruiz’s homer and Meneses’ RBI single in the third against Jose Butto (0-1) provided an early cushion for Gray.

The Washington right-hander didn’t allow a runner beyond first base until the fifth, when Brett Baty doubled with one out and Francisco Alvarez legged out a two-out infield single. Brandon Nimmo then drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases, but Gray struck out Starling Marte.

The Nationals added insurance in the sixth, when Victor Robles and Alex Call each singled against Jimmy Yacabonis with one out and scored on Garcia’s double. Meneses singled home Garcia with two outs.

Gray threw a perfect sixth, and Mason Thompson earned his first save by tossing three innings of one-hit ball.

Meneses and Ruiz each had three hits while Call added two hits.

Five players had a hit apiece for the Mets, who were shut out for the fourth time this season. New York has been outscored 17-8 over the past three games.

Butto, making his second start of the season and the third of his career, gave up two runs on four hits and six walks while striking out one over 4 2/3 innings.

–Field Level Media