The New York Mets (58-72) fell to the Washington Nationals (65-66) to the score of 15-0 on Sunday afternoon. The game was closer than the final score dictated as both teams were scoreless through the first five innings but the Nationals were able to rake against the Mets bullpen.

Pitching

Steven Matz was able to keep the Nationals off the scoreboard for the first five innings of play and did so with relative ease. In the fourth inning, Ryan Zimmerman led off with a double. Matz worked around the Nat in scoring position with no out as he got Juan Soto to ground out, Michael A. Taylor to strike out, and Wilmer Difo to fly out.

In the sixth inning, Trea Turner hit a line drive that hit the top of the left field wall as Turner made it with ease to second. The Nats had the play reviewed as they believed the ball could have hit above the orange line but the umpire’s ruling was upheld. Next batter Anthony Rendon singled to center but was hit hard enough to where Turner was only able to advance to third and not score. Zimmerman struck out but Juan Sotohit a chopper up the first base side for the out at first allowing Turner to score and give the Nats a 1-0 lead. Matz would strike out Taylor to end the inning.  Matz pitched a quick seventh to end his afternoon. Matz finished the day with a 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO. He tossed 97 pitches with 65 of them for strikes.

Paul Sewald came in to pitch the eighth and gave up a lead-off single to Eaton, who stole second, and a walk to Turner. Next batter Rendon hit a pop single to left which loaded the bases. Sewald struck out Zimmerman for the first out. Sewald walked Soto to force in a run and extending the Nats lead to 2-0. Pinch-hitter Bryce Harper blew the game open with a three-run double making the score 5-0. The double was the final blow to Sewald’s day as he was pulled from the game for Tyler Bashlor. 

Bashlor surrendered a two-run home run to Difo giving the Nats a 7-0 lead. Bashlor struck out Spencer Kieboom looking but walked pinch-hitter Mark Reynolds. Eaton, who led-off the inning earlier, smacked a two-run homer to right as the Mets trail the Nats 9-0. The inning mercifully ended when Bashlor struck out Turner.

Corey Oswalt came in to pitch the ninth and loaded the bases with one out. Difo singled to right scoring Rendon then the next batter Kieboom walked which scored Soto. Oswalt then gave up a grand slam to Reynolds furthering the Nats lead to 15-0. Oswalt got pitcher Justin Miller to ground into a double play to end the inning.

The Mets bullpen pitched to a combined 2 IP, 11 H, 14 R, 14, ER, 3 BB, 3 SO stat line this afternoon.

Hitting

The New York Mets were only able to muster up three hits this afternoon. One of the hits came off the bat of Jeff McNeil who now has an eleven game hit streak. Consequently, McNeil was pulled from the game after the sixth inning due to an apparent leg injury and was replaced by Jose Reyes. The Mets did walk five times but were unable to get anything going against Nationals starter Jefry Rodriguez or the Nats bullpen.

On Deck

The New York Mets hit the road as they travel to Chicago to face the Cubs tomorrow in the first game of a three-game series. The Mets will send Noah Syndergaard (9-3, 3.38 ERA) to the hill as the Cubs will counter with Jon Lester (14-5, 3.64 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 PM ET. The game will be televised on SNY and can be heard on WOR.