'Embarrassed' Mets blown out

NEW YORK -- The New York Mets wanted to get off to a fast start on their season-ending homestand.

By the end of the night, they just wanted to move on.

The Mets squandered a chance to widen their lead in the NL East as Austin Kearns hit a 3-run homer and Ronnie Belliard drove in 3 more in the Washington Nationals' 13-4 victory Monday.

"It's over now," New York manager Willie Randolph said. "We have to get ready for tomorrow."

New York's magic number remained at 5 and its lead in the division dropped to 2 games over idle Philadelphia. The Mets play the Nationals again today while the Phillies host Atlanta in the opener of a three-game series.

"It's embarrassing with the season on the line to go out there and get embarrassed on your own home field," said David Wright, who had 3 hits.

Carlos Delgado went 2-for-5 and Moises Alou extended his club-record hitting streak to 28 games with a sixth-inning double for the Mets, who had won four of five. Alou also committed an error in left that allowed a run to score in the fourth.

Matt Chico (6-9) pitched into the sixth inning, and Ryan Langerhans hit a 3-run homer in the ninth for Washington, which did New York a favor by beating the Phillies 5-3 on Sunday.

"We're not going to roll over," said Nationals manager Manny Acta, the Mets' third base coach the previous two seasons. "I still think they have the best team in our division. If I'm going to pick a situation I'll pick their situation, two games up with (six) games to play."