For Nats, a happy return

Even when they were winning every night and ascending to the top of the National League East, the Washington Nationals kept insisting the best was yet to come.

Just wait until everyone comes off the disabled list, they said, and watch this club realize its full potential.

So far, they’re making good on that promise.

Buoyed by the return of second baseman Jose Vidro after a two-month stay on the DL, as well as eight brilliant innings from Esteban Loaiza, the Nationals hung on to defeat the New York Mets 3-2 last night.

Oh, and did anyone mention Washington beat Pedro Martinez in the process? And staved off yet another harrowing ninth inning, in which Chad Cordero overcame a wild throw by right fielder Jose Guillen to strand the tying run at third base?

All in a night’s work at RFK Stadium, where a crowd of 35,087 celebrated another unlikely triumph.

There was plenty for the locals to cheer about in this one, beginning with the pregame announcement of the Nationals’ starting lineup. For the first time in 55 games, manager Frank Robinson was able to pencil in Vidro’s name, his rehabilitation from a torn ankle tendon at last complete.

Robinson and general manager Jim Bowden said all along that Vidro’s return was comparable to a major trade. It’s hard to imagine the Nationals acquiring a bigger impact player on the trade market than the three-time All-Star.

“What do they say: If it’s not broke, don’t fix it? That fits us well right now,” Vidro said. “When we get the full lineup out there, this club is really good, I’m telling you.”

Vidro’s presence in Washington’s lineup was felt immediately. His seventh-inning double off Martinez drove in the club’s second run of the night. Moments later, he came barreling around to score on Guillen’s third single of the game, greeted with hugs from his teammates and a loud roar from the crowd.

“That’s what he’s capable of doing, and that’s why it’s so nice to have him back,” Robinson said. “He was great this evening.”

Vidro’s return came at a most opportune time, with the Nationals facing Martinez for the first time this year and, in some cases, the first time ever.

Through the magic of scheduling and pure dumb luck, Washington didn’t get its first crack at the former Boston Red Sox ace until its eighth meeting of the season with the division rival Mets.

“None of us had really faced him before, gotten a chance to learn how he pitches and what he does in situations with guys on base,” catcher Brian Schneider said.

They learned quickly, clawing their way to a second-inning run. Vinny Castilla started things off by doubling to deep left-center, then moving to third on Matt Cepicky’s ground out to the right side. With the Mets’ infield drawn in, Schneider rapped a grounder under second baseman Marlon Anderson’s glove. Schneider was awarded a generous base hit, and the Nationals were rewarded with a 1-0 lead.

They added the two aforementioned runs off Martinez (9-3) in the seventh, which proved crucial toward ensuring this victory.

Loaiza (5-5) was brilliant from the start, holding New York hitless through four innings while keeping his pitch count low (43 at the time). When he did get into trouble, allowing back-to-back singles to open the fifth, Loaiza calmly pitched his way out of it. He got Jose Reyes to hit a fly ball to left, then struck out Chris Woodward and Martinez to end the inning.

After that, Loaiza cruised through perhaps his best start of the season. He issued just one walk, struck out eight and did not allow a runner past second base.

“What I did today was amazing,” said Loaiza, who won his third straight start to reach the .500 mark for the first time this year. “It feels good. I’ve wanted to win since the season started, and now I’m 5-5.”

With the Nationals up three runs, Robinson let Loaiza take the mound in the ninth for a shot at the club’s first complete-game shutout of the season. But after Cliff Floyd led off with a single, the manager wasted no time signaling for Cordero.

“I have to allow whoever’s going to come in an opportunity to make a mistake without costing us the ballgame,” Robinson said. “As much as I would have liked to see [Loaiza] finish … if one man had gotten on, I had to go get him.”

Loaiza, who waited for Cordero at the mound to give the 23-year-old some words of encouragement, retreated to the dugout to a standing ovation. He doffed his cap, high-fived everyone in sight and sat back and watched with a pounding heart as Cordero surrendered back-to-back singles to Anderson and David Wright.

On the latter of the two, Guillen inexplicably tried to gun down Floyd at the plate and wound up launching the ball over Schneider’s head. That allowed the runners to reach second and third and allowed Jose Reyes’ subsequent groundout to score Anderson and put the tying run on third.

Guillen refused to comment on his ill-advised throw or anything else after the game.

“He probably tried to do too much,” Schneider said. “Luckily, it didn’t cost us.”

No, it didn’t, because Cordero got pinch-hitter Brian Daubach to pop out to short, earning his league-leading 30th save and capping yet another tense — and victorious — night at RFK.