The New York Mets (39-55) were defeated by the Washington Nationals (48-48) by a score of 6-1 at Citi Field despite a strong start from rookie right-hander Corey Oswalt.

Pitching

Corey Oswalt‘s third start of the season got off to a quick start, retiring the first two batters on four pitches, and then Juan Soto with a pop up behind the first base bag where Wilmer Flores camped under it, helping Oswalt retire the side on ten pitches.

After Anthony Rendon and Matt Adams both singled to start the second, Michael Taylor grounded into a fielders choice that drove Rendon in, giving Washington the game’s first run. Oswalt got the struggling Matt Wieters to ground into a 1-6-3 double play to escape more potential trouble and retire the side.

After the Adams single that dropped in front of Jose Bautista, Oswalt retired five in a row. The right-hander, much like Wheeler, got through his first three innings easily and kept his pitch count low.

Oswalt stuck Soto out in the fourth on a 3-2 two-seamer low and away, the second out of his one-two-three fourth.

The 24-year old got Taylor to pop up to end the fifth inning, and he had retired eleven in a row, hitting his stride in the middle innings.

After the best start of his young career, Oswalt was followed by Seth Lugo in the sixth. Lugo started off his appearance by committing a cardinal sin of baseball and giving up an infield single to Jeremy Hellickson, the opposing pitcher. The hit wouldn’t cost the Mets anything, as Lugo got Wilmer Difo, Adam Eaton, and Trae Turner all to fly out, even after Lugo threw a pick-off throw to an unoccupied base, resulting in a balk.

Anthony Swarzak got the seventh inning, and walked Juan Soto drew a walk on six pitches to lead off. Soto then took off early for second, but Swarzak couldn’t get a throw on target to Asdrubal Cabrera and Soto reached safely. Swarzak then walked Anthony Rendon and that ended his day.

As Mickey Callaway went to pull Swarzak in favor for rookie Tim Peterson, Brian Chicklo went out to examine Cabrera, who tried to barehand Swarzak’s errant throw.

Peterson’s second pitch was knocked into right field by Adams, which loaded the bases for pinch-hitting Daniel Murphy. Peterson, who entered the game with lefties hitting .304 against him, gave up a two-run single to Murphy, scoring Rendon and Soto.

Dave Martinez then called on Matt Wieters to bunt Murphy and Adams over, which he successfully did, which set up a second-and-third situation for pinch-hitter Brian Goodwin with one out, who popped up to Brandon Nimmo in shallow center field.

Peterson’s day ended after recording two outs in the seventh and Jerry Blevins entered.

Blevins came in to face the switch-hitting Difo, and hit him with a 1-2 curveball that ran too far low and inside. After getting ahead 1-2, Blevins lost a fastball and drilled Eaton in the elbow guard, forcing in a run to make it 4-1 Washington.

Blevins then gave up a two-run single to Turner, putting the game on ice for the Nationals. Trae Turner took off and tried to steal second, but ran out of the baseline trying to avoid Amed Rosario‘s tag, ending the inning.

Tyler Bashlor‘s ninth inning left much to be desired for, as he walked one and gave up a pair of singles. Bashlor worked out of a bases-loaded jam with two flyouts to Conforto in left by Eaton and Turner.

Offense

After a quick 1-2-3 first, Michael Conforto led-off with a walk and  Devin Mesoraco singled up the middle, on which Michael Conforto slipped rounding third forcing him to hold at third.

A Jose Reyes fielders choice where Trea Turner and Wilmer Difo both did their best acrobatic stunts as Turner slipped on the infield dirt forcing an errant throw, costing Washington a double play as Reyes beat out the throw as Conforto crossed the plate.

After Mesoraco singled, Hellickson retired eight in a row, taking him through four one-run innings. After ten in a row being retired, a Jose Reyes double over Adam Eaton‘s head and a wild pitch that moved him to third, Dominic Smith pinch hit for Corey Oswalt, ending his night after five innings and only 59 pitches.

Smith was hit by a two-strike curveball, but Brandon Nimmo flew out to center field, ending the Mets threat.

Asdrubal Cabrera opened up the sixth with a walk, taking two curveballs in a row to get himself on base. Conforto then proceded to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Asdrubal Cabrera was pulled between the seventh and eighth, most likely for injury precaution after appearing to have hurt multiple fingers on his right hand in the seventh. Ty Kelly replaced him.

The Mets went down in order in the seventh. Brandon Nimmo walked with two outs in the eighth, but was stranded after Ty Kelly grounded out to Wilmer Difo.

Jose Bautista lead off the ninth against Kelvin Herrera with a single into left, was followed by a warning track flyout by Conforto and an infield single by Wilmer Flores. Devin Mesoraco flied out to center and Jose Reyes singled to left, his second hit of the game, and loaded the bases for the Amed Rosario, who promptly popped up to Adams in foul ground to end the game; a score of 6-1.

On Deck

The second half of the Mets season begins on Friday as they head to the Bronx to face the second-place Yankees. The Mets will look to win their first series in well over a month, and will send Noah Syndergaard to the mound to make his second start following his return from the DL. The Yankees will start Domingo German, who was solid against the Mets at Citi Field back in June, allowing three runs through six innings and struck out nine.