Today marked another afternoon of poor pitching for the Mets as they surrendered double-digit runs for the third straight game (Box Score). This was also the second time in three days that the Washington Nationals were responsible for this after crushing them 11-3 on Friday.

Pitching

It was an outing to forget for Mets pitcher Hector Santiago, who didn’t make it out of the first inning giving up six runs on seven straight hits. After recording the first out, Kurt Suzuki would single and Juan Soto would then go deep for a two-run home run.

Matt Adams, Jake Noll, and Andrew Stevenson would all single following Soto’s blast to load the bases. Wilmer Difo would then step to the plate to drive in all three base runners with a bases-clearing double, which made the score 5-0.  Adrian Sanchez singled to left to add another run making it 6-0. Santiago would finish off his afternoon by hitting Victor Robles, as the Nats batted around the order in the first.

Following Santiago’s debacle, Casey Coleman and Ryan O’Rourke would keep the game close. The two relievers would combine for 4.1 shutout innings in relief, while striking out four. Mets bullpen hopeful, Tyler Bashlor also contributed two innings giving up one run on four hits.

Although the Mets would inch to within a two-run deficit, Ryley Gilliam would come on to pitch the eighth inning surrendering three runs. Gillliam also gave up a two-run homer to pinch hitter Tyler Goeddel, to extend the Nats’ lead to 10-5 (final score).

Mets pitchers gave up a total of 10 runs on 18 hits in an ugly all around game. The club has now surrendered 21 runs to the Nats in their last combined two meetings.

Offense

It started off as a quiet day for Met bats as they went up against ace pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who held them hitless until the fourth inning. The offense would then wake up by collecting six hits to add three-runs in his final two innings of work.

Michael Conforto went 1-2 with a two-run home run off Strasburg to put the Mets on the board in the fourth. Brandon Nimmo would follow up in the fifth inning by driving in Devin Mesoraco with an RBI single to cut the Nats lead to 6-3.

After allowing Robinson Cano to single and Conforto to walk to lead off the sixth inning, Strasburg would then be pulled for reliever Wander Suero. Suero came in and got out of trouble with runners on second and third by getting Amed Rosario to fly out to center.

In the top of the seventh, Pete Alonso would get the best of former Marlin Henderson Alvarez by sending a two-run shot over the opposite field fence to make the score 7-5.

While the game became close towards the end, the Mets offense would ultimately be done scoring for the day following Alonso’s homer.

Once again, the Mets did not produce enough runs and left four runners on base in the fifth and sixth innings. The offense recorded nine hits, but Cano (2-2 with a run scored) was the only batter, who had a multi-hit game.

On Deck

The team will travel back home to First Data field to play the Nats for the third time in four days. Game time is at 1:10 p.m. and will be televised on SNY. Kyle Dowdy is expected to make the start and will face off against Nationals’ pitcher Joe Ross.