“The speech I gave, I won’t be selling any CDs,” Manuel said.

With Perez sharp on the mound, the Nationals’ lone run was enough to hold off the Mets.

With two outs, Perez hit a soft liner to left. Tatis dove for the ball and missed, allowing Perez to reach second with a double as the ball rolled past. Tatis remained on the ground in pain, eventually walking off with a separated right shoulder. He was replaced by Nick Evans.

After Harris walked, Cristian Guzman drove in Perez with a ground-rule double into the Mets’ bullpen.

Harris probably saved the game with his glove in the top of the sixth.

With two outs and two on, Wright hit a ball to left field that looked as though it would score at least one run. But Harris made a leaping catch with his back to the plate, ending the inning.

“It was a great play,” Wright said. “But we needed to do a better job of putting more pressure on them in more innings, not just having one opportunity and have that make or break the game.”

It was the third time in just more than a year that Harris’ defense has stymied the Mets. On May 15, he helped preserve another 1-0 Washington win against Pelfrey with a spectacular catch in the ninth inning. Last August, playing with the Braves, he made a leaping catch to rob Delgado of a potential tying homer in the ninth inning of a 7-6 Atlanta victory.

“I’m aware of it,” Harris said. “It’s not any different than playing any other team. It just so happens I was able to make a few plays against those guys. I really don’t know what to say about it. It’s just part of my game, and it’s what my pitchers expect out of me.”

If the Mets want to erase the comparisons to last year, they have two more games in Washington to try and turn things around. This time, they don’t have the benefit of a seven-game lead, but the players say there is confidence in the locker room.

“There’s no doubt,” Reyes said. “We’re still in position, but we just have to start again. It’s getting tougher and tougher every day.”

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