Mets 3, Nationals 1: R.A. Dickey scattered four hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings to become the majors' first nine-game winner as visiting New York halted a three-game losing skid.

Dickey (9-1) was dominant yet again, striking out at least one hitter in each of the first six innings to win his seventh consecutive decision. The 37-year-old knuckleballer finished with eight strikeouts and two walks while extending his scoreless streak to 24 2/3 innings.

Bobby Parnell worked out of a two-on, two-out jam in the eighth and Frank Francisco shook off a leadoff home run from Ryan Zimmerman in the ninth to post his 15th save.

Lucas Duda swatted a two-run homer and Daniel Murphy added a run-scoring single for the Mets, who moved to within a game and a half of the Nationals atop the NL East.

After missing out on a pair of early scoring chances, the Mets finally broke the deadlock in the fifth. With one out and Kirk Nieuwenhuis on second base following a single and a steal, Duda drilled a 2-1 slider from Chien-Ming Wang (1-2) just over the wall in right-center field for his 10th homer of the season.

The veteran outfielder has five home runs and 12 RBIs over his last eight games.

Murphy gave the Mets some insurance in the seventh inning, driving home David Wright after the third baseman reached on a single and stole second.

Wang was charged with two runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings in his second start of the season. He walked three and struck out one.

New York loaded the bases in the second and third innings but came up empty handed both times. Wang induced Dickey to ground out to end the threat in the second, then got Murphy to hit into a 1-2-3 double play to snuff out the Mets' third-inning rally.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Mets LF Jason Bay was a late scratch due to flu-like symptoms. Bay has been sidelined since April 23 with a fractured rib. ... Duda came into the game hitting just 1-for-16 all-time against the Nationals. ... Wright finished with a pair of hits to raise his average to .362. ... Nationals CF Bryce Harper went 0-for-4, failing to record a hit for just the second time in the last 15 games.