Vargas dazzles, Bruce HRs as Mets blank Nats

Jason Vargas made it 2-for-2 in his Players’ Weekend gear, spinning six shutout frames in the series opener with the Nats. He struck out a season-high eight. Wilmer Flores’ first-inning single was the only damage the Mets managed against a resurgent Gio Gonzalez in seven innings, but Jay Bruce — in his first game back — launched a two-run homer off Tim Collins in the eighth to give Robert Gsellman some breathing room to close out the save.