WASHINGTON -- So it wasn't such a bad day for the Mets from one perspective, at least. The bullpen pitched a clean eighth inning and allowed nothing thereafter. And how often could that have been said in this season of almost nightly late-inning peril?

That the Mets didn't pitch in the ninth inning Monday is only half the story. Bobby Parnell did pitch the eighth -- it was his big league debut -- and did retire the side without incident.

The Mets did trail by five runs when Parnell was summoned, but there have been times this season when the 'pen had padded greater deficits.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel had planned to have Parnell throw in simulated game conditions before the game Tuesday because the right-handed 24-year-old hadn't pitched since before his promotion to the big leagues -- 15 days. Manuel had no specific plans for him thereafter. But now the plans he didn't have have changed. There may be more work, more important work for Parnell in the remaining games.

Chances are he won't pitch Tuesday in the second game of the series against the Nationals. His arm is unaccustomed to assignment on successive games. But the scoreless eighth and high velocity stuff didn't go unnoticed by Manuel, who seemingly is auditing tomorrow's bullpen each day.

"You never know," the manager said. "I might have to give him another look."

Pitching matchup
NYM: RHP Mike Pelfrey (13-9, 3.77 ERA)
Pelfrey produced a no-decision during the Mets' high-scoring affair with the Nationals on Wednesday, surrendering five runs on eight hits in five innings. Although his workday was shorter than usual -- he hadn't been pulled before the sixth inning since he pitched 4 2/3 innings against the Marlins on Aug. 10 -- Pelfrey still threw 96 pitches (56 strikes). His control was streaky, though, especially with Elijah Dukes in the batter's box. Dukes hit a home run in the second inning and was nearly hit in the fourth, causing Dukes to yell at Pelfrey. Dukes was hit by Pelfrey in the fifth, but took first base without incident. Pelfrey now faces the Nats for the fourth time this season. He has produced a 1-1 record and a 2.75 ERA in his first three starts.

WSH: LHP Odalis Perez (6-10, 4.48 ERA)
Perez's least effective pitching came against the Mets on Wednesday. He surrendered seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in three innings. The six earned runs equaled the most he had allowed this season. He has started four times against the Mets this season; his record is 1-1, while the Mets' is 3-1. Somehow, he has allowed 43 baserunners in 21 1/3 innings. Perez has allowed 15 runs in 18 2/3 innings -- a 7.23 ERA -- in his seven most recent starts.

Tidbits
Damion Easley didn't take batting practice, though he did say the condition of his strained right quad had improved marginally. He hopes to take BP on Tuesday and be available to play by the weekend. ... Brian Schneider's left knee was slightly swollen Monday, a result of bursitis above the knee cap. But he started and had the Mets' lone hit, a double, off Nats starter John Lannan in seven innings.

This date in Mets history -- Sept. 16: Roger Craig, who lost 24 games in 1962, won for the second time in three days on this date that year. Two days after he earned a victory in relief in the Mets' final-pitch 10-9 victory against the Reds -- Choo Choo Coleman's home run was the difference -- Craig pitched a complete game in the Mets' 8-2 victory over 20-game winner Joey Jay. The Mets' two improbable victories at the Polo Grounds left the Reds six games behind the Dodgers with 10 to play.

Tug McGraw continued his remarkable September run on this date in 1973. He was the winning pitcher in the Mets' 4-3 victory over the Cubs at Shea Stadium. McGraw had a 5-0 record with 12 saves and a 0.88 ERA in his last 19 appearances. He allowed merely 22 hits in 41 innings, and opponents batted .157 against him in that period. He pitched more than an inning in nine of the 12 saves. The victory, the Mets' 12th in 17 games, put them 2 1/2 games from first place, despite their 73-76 record, but behind three teams.

Dwight Gooden pitched an 11-strikeout two-hitter and drove in two runs in the Mets' 9-0 victory over the Phillies at Shea on Sept. 16, 1985, to keep his team one game behind the Cardinals. ... Three years later, Gregg Jefferies drove home the winning run in the ninth inning of a 4-3 victory against the Expos at Shea to reduce the Mets' magic number to five.

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Up next
• Wednesday: Mets (Brandon Knight, 0-0, 6.43) at Nationals (Shairon Martis, 0-2, 2.70), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Mets (Johan Santana, 13-7, 2.70) at Nationals (Tim Redding, 10-9, 4.54), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Friday: Mets (Oliver Perez, 10-7, 4.09) at Braves (Mike Hampton, 2-2, 5.34), 7:30 p.m. ET