Mets come up empty again in 1-0 loss to Nationals

Needing wins in a tense pennant race, the free-falling New York Mets can't find a way to beat the lowly Washington Nationals. Sounds the same as last September.

Odalis Perez shut down the slumping Mets and scored the only run of the game, sending Washington to a 1-0 victory Tuesday night that put New York's NL East lead in jeopardy.

The Mets, who began the day with a half-game edge over Philadelphia, lost for the fourth time in five games. The Phillies played at Atlanta.

Willie Harris made another key catch against New York, which went 1-5 versus the Nationals over the final two weeks last season _ a big reason for its massive meltdown. The Mets held …