It was a pitcher’s duel at National’s Park in Washington on Friday night between the Mets’ and Nationals’ pitching staffs. The two teams were scoreless through eight and a half innings before the Nationals would win in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI single by Yan Gomes to defeat the Mets 1-0 in the opening game of the series.

It was Joey Lucchesi on the mound for the Mets to start the game against Erick Fedde for the Nationals. Both pitchers would pitch outstandingly on Friday night. For Lucchesi, this was a good breakthrough night that he needed on the mound.

The Mets offense went down in order quickly in the top of the first with a one-pitch groundout by Jonathan Villar, followed by a groundout of Francisco Lindor and a fly out by Dominic Smith in an inning that would start a very quiet night for the Mets offense besides some walks throughout the game.

Joey Lucchesi would have a very successful bottom of the first with two strikeouts of Kyle Schwarber and Juan Soto for his first two strikeouts of the night and a lineout by Trea Turner to retire the Nationals’ first three batters in order.

Fedde gave up a lead-off walk to Pete Alonso to open the top of the second, but would then force Billy McKinney to ground out into a force out followed by strikeouts of Luis Guillorme and Tomas Nido for his first two strikeouts of the game.

Lucchesi would continue to roll for the Mets in the bottom half of the second, striking out Ryan Zimmerman and Gomes to bring his strikeout count to four followed by a fly out of Josh Harrison.

Fedde would give up his second lead-off walk of the day to Mason Williams in the top of the third, but would ground out Lucchesi and strikeout Villar to end the inning and bring his strikeout count to three on the day.

The Nationals would try to get things started in the bottom half of the third. Lucchesi gave up a lead-off single to Jordy Merces, before forcing Victor Robles in a ground out for the first out. Fedde would then reach on a fielder’s choice before Lucchesi gave up his first walk of the day to Schwarber. He would then get out of trouble by forcing Turner to ground into a double play to end the inning.

Fedde continued to pitch strong for the Nationals in the fourth. After a groundout by Lindor, Smith singled, but Alonso would fly out and McKinney grounded out to end the inning.

Lucchesi continued to answer in the fourth. He forced Soto to pop out, gave up a single to Zimmerman, but then forced Gomes into a double play to end the inning.

Luis Guillorme led-off the top half of the fifth for the Mets with a lead-off single, but was then caught stealing at second. Fedde then struck out Nido and Williams to end the inning. He would have five strikeouts on the night.

Luchessi would come back out for the fifth for the Mets as he had found his groove against the Nationals. He got two quick outs of Harrison (fly out) and Mercer (pop out). He then allowed a two-out single to Robles in the fifth before forcing Fedde into a ground out to end the inning.

The Mets continued to struggle offensively in the sixth. Lucchesi grounded out to open the inning, Fedde would strikeout VIllar and ground out Lindor to end the inning.

Lucchesi found himself in a bit of a hole in the bottom of the sixth. He opened the inning with a strikeout of Schwarber before giving up a one-out single to Turner and a walk to Soto. That would end Lucchesi’s day as Miguel Castro came in to replace Lucchesi on the mound for the Mets in the sixth.

Castro came in and got the job done in the sixth, grounding Zimmerman into a double play to end the inning and keep the Mets out of trouble.

Overall tonight, however, Lucchesi looked strong and solid against the Nationals in 5.1 innings pitched.

Lucchesi’s Final Line:

5.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO, 0 HR, 4.46 ERA

As the game headed to the top half of the seventh, Fedde also began to struggle slightly for the Nationals. He would give up a lead-off walk (his third lead-off walk of the night) to Smith (who had then reached base for the second time Friday night) before getting Alonso to fly out and McKinney to ground out. An intentional walk to Guillorme to put two on brought up Nido who grounded out to end the inning for the Nationals.

Castro had a strong relief appearance in the seventh, retiring the Nationals in order with a strikeout of Gomes, a line out to Harrison, and a groundout by Mercer.

Fedde’s night would end after seven strong innings pitched as the Nationals would go to their bullpen in the eighth. It was Kyle Finnegan who replaced Fedde on the mound for the Nationals.

He made quick work of the Mets, retiring them in order with a groundout of Williams, fly out to Brandon Drury who was pinch hitting for Castro, and a strikeout of Villar to end the inning.

Aaron Loupe would come on to replace Castro on the mound for the Mets in the bottom half of the eighth inning.

He started his outing with a bunt groundout of Robles and a strikeout to pinch-hitter Starlin Castro (who was batting for Finnegan). Loupe gave up a two-out single to Schwarber and was then replaced on the mound by Seth Luugo who struck out Turner to end the inning.

Castro’s Final Line:

1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 2.89 ERA

Loup’s Final Line:

0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 1.86 ERA

The game remained tied through eight innings in Washington in what was a game of the pitching staffs.

Brad Hand came in to replace Finnnegan on the mound for the Nationals in the ninth looking to keep the Mets at bay and their bats quiet as they had been all night. He did just that retiring the offensive-struggling Mets lineup in order with a fly out of Lindor, strikeout of Smith a a line out of Alonso.

Needing to keep the Nationals from scoring in the ninth, the Mets went to their closer Edwin Diaz to try to take the game to extra innings, however Diaz struggled.

Lugo’s Final Line:

0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 1.13 ERA

Diaz gave up a lead-off walk to Soto and a single to Zimmerman that advanced Soto to third.

Having been hitless all night, Diaz then gave up an RBI single on a line drive to Yan Gomes that would score Soto to end the game as the Nationals would win in walk-off fashion, defeating the Mets by a dreary score of 1-0 to take the series opener from the Mets.

It was the Nationals’ closer, Hand (4-2, 2.86 ERA) who got the win and Diaz (1-2, 3.00), the Mets closer taking the loss after an outing in which he struggled.

Diaz’s (L, 1-2) Final Line:

0.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 3.00 ERA

The Mets and Nationals will continue their series on Saturday. The two clubs will play a doubleheader with game 1 at 1:05 PM ET and Game 2 at approximately 6:05 PM ET. It will be David Peterson for the Mets against Joe Ross for Nationals in game 1. Jon Lester will get the ball for the Nationals in Game 2 and it is to be determined who will take the mound in game 2 for the Mets.