Washington, DC (My Sportsbook) - Ramon Castro and Marlon Anderson each drove in a pair of runs to lead the New York Mets over the Washington Nationals, 5-3, at RFK Stadium.

Anderson finished 2-for-3 and Castro, who was playing for a resting Mike Piazza, went 2-for-4 for New York, which has taken two of the first three contests in this four-game set. Mike Cameron added a solo homer for the Mets, who finally handed Washington starter Livan Hernandez a loss.

Hernandez (12-3) saw his personal winning streak end at a career-high 11 straight decisions. The righthander threw into the eighth and was charged with five runs on eight hits, striking out four and walking three. It was his first setback since April 19, a span of 14 starts.

"He wasn't real sharp, but he battled," said Washington manager Frank Robinson of Hernandez.

"We didn't take full advantage of our opportunities," he added. "The team needs more fire and determination."

New York starter Tom Glavine (6-7) got the win, yielding three runs on nine hits, striking out two and walking three, in 5 2/3 innings. Aaron Heilman worked a fabulous 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief and Braden Looper pitched the ninth for his 19th save of the season.

Trailing 3-1 the Mets got to Hernandez in the sixth inning for three runs to take the lead. Carlos Beltran started the frame with a double, moved to third on a Cliff Floyd single and following a David Wright walk, scored on Anderson's broken bat, slow-rolling infield single up the third base line.

Castro then singled to left to plate Floyd and Wright for a 4-3 lead. Castro, however, was thrown out on the play after getting caught too far off first.

Washington threatened in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with two outs. However, Heilman came on for Glavine and got Jose Guillen to ground out to second to end the inning.

"It was the kind of game that you know wasn't easy," said Glavine. "You're trying to battle, make pitches and keep the team in the game."

New York added an insurance run in the eighth when Anderson's sacrifice fly scored Beltran.

"The thing I liked about tonight was when (Hernandez) got into a groove we didn't let him stay in it," said New York manager Willie Randolph.

Brad Wilkerson ended 2-for-4 with two RBI for Washington, which has lost just three of its last 13 games. The Nationals, who didn't have a hit after a Jose Vidro bunt single in the fourth, will go for the series split on Thursday in the finale.

Cameron staked the Mets to a 1-0 lead in the first inning with his eighth home run of the season.

The Nationals, who blew a bases-loaded chance in the third, responded in the fourth. With runners on first and third and one out, Jamey Carroll singled home Vinny Castilla to tie the game. Following a Hernandez sacrifice bunt that put runners on second and third, Wilkerson came through with a two-run base hit to give Washington a 3-1 edge.

Vidro followed with a bunt single, but that was it for Washington. When the club loaded the bases in the sixth, Carroll reached on an error, and Wilkerson and Vidro were each walked.