Bobby Prenell (UPI)
PAR-NAILED: The throw from the outfield gets to Mets catcher John Buck too late as Washington’s Adam LeRoche celebrates after scoring the winning run on a sacrifice fly off Mets closer Bobby Parnell (inset) in last night’s 3-2 Nationals win over the Amazin’s. (
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WASHINGTON — Bobby Parnell was riding high in May, then got shot down in June.
After a nearly untouchable month in which the Mets closer converted all seven of his save opportunities, Parnell last night added to his team’s recent misery by blowing one.
“They earned it — I didn’t walk them or anything like that,” Parnell said after allowing two runs in the ninth, sending the Mets to a fourth straight loss, 3-2 to the Nationals. “They hit some decent pitches, but I could have been better.”
Steve Lombardozzi’s sacrifice fly to left field won it, after the Nationals had tied the game on Adam LaRoche’s RBI single against Parnell then loaded the bases against him with nobody out.
Ryan Zimmerman started the winning rally with a double to deep center — he nearly was thrown out at second base by Rick Ankiel on the play — and went to third when Parnell unloaded a wild pitch. LaRoche tied it with a single.
“We were at the stage of the game exactly where we would have drawn it up in the beginning,” manager Terry Collins said. “That’s having Bobby in there with the lead in the ninth inning. It just didn’t work tonight.”
Parnell had last blown a save on April 29 in Miami — a game the Mets lost in 15 innings. Parnell’s blown save last night was his third in 12 chances overall.
The closer’s awful night wasted a strong showing by Jeremy Hefner, who allowed one run on four hits over seven innings with seven strikeouts and one walk.
“It’s a little tough, but I’ll take Bobby any day,” Hefner said. “He’s been great all year, but today he had a bad day.”
With the team likely within 1 1/2 weeks from promoting top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler and bumping somebody from the rotation, the 27-year-old Hefner is making a case to stay.
It was a third straight solid start for Hefner, who probably is competing with tonight’s starter, Dillon Gee, for the last rotation spot once Wheeler arrives from Triple-A Las Vegas.
The Mets’ struggling lineup managed just four hits — only one of which came after the fifth inning. Omar Quintanilla and Jordany Valdespin had two hits apiece to account for the Mets’ offense.
David Wright went hitless in three at-bats to fall to 2-for-22 (.091) on this road trip, which started with three losses in Miami over the weekend.
Quintanilla’s two-run triple in the fifth gave the Mets a 2-1 lead against Jordan Zimmermann. Valdespin reached on a bunt single before Ankiel hit a grounder to first, on which LaRoche threw to second, pulling Ian Desmond’s foot off the bag. Valdespin was ruled safe and Hefner’s ensuing sacrifice bunt gave the Mets runners on second and third with two outs before Quintanilla delivered.
Desmond’s homer in the second gave the Nationals a 1-0 lead. The homer was the 11th surrendered by Hefner this season.
Now it’s Gee who will try to show he deserves to remain in the rotation when Wheeler arrives. Gee pitched maybe the game of his career on Thursday, when he allowed one run over 7 1/3 innings with 12 strikeouts and no walks to beat the Yankees, 3-1.
Before last night, Collins made it clear it’s going to take more than Wheeler’s arrival to rescue the Mets.
“I hope that everybody understands, if and when [Wheeler] comes, he’s not going to be the savior,” Collins said. “There’s a lot of pieces that have to work. One guy is not going to turn this around for us.
“He’s got great stuff, but there’s been so much made of this poor kid that he hasn’t pitched a game in the big leagues yet, and it looks like he’s going to be in the finals for the Cy Young. He’s not even here. We’ve got to let him get up here and pitch a little bit.”
mpuma@nypost.com