The New York Mets (5-1) beat the Washington Nationals (4-3) by a score of 8-2 in their first head-to-head battle with their NL East foe on Thursday afternoon at Nationals Park.

Pitching

Jacob deGrom had a rough beginning to the first inning. Adam Eaton doubled on deGrom’s first pitch and Anthony Rendon drove him home on a single to right. Jay Bruce bobbled the ball in right which made the run unearned. deGrom settled down though, he struck out Bryce Harper and got Ryan Zimmerman to ground into an inning ending double-play.

Jake looked sharp in the second inning but walked Adam Eaton with two-out in the third inning. Anthony Rendon doubled into the left field corner the next batter. Yoenis Cespedes got to the ball quickly but Jose Reyes made a bad relay throw and Kevin Plawecki had a bad attempt at the tag. The defense did not help Jacob deGrom out today.

The 1-2 hitters in the Nationals lineup reached base six times (in six chances) against deGrom. Everyone else only reached base one.

The sixth inning probably got everyone’s heart pumping. The Nationals loaded the bases with no-one out after deGrom lost the strike zone. Jake settled down to get Ryan Zimmerman to pop-up, Howie Kendrick to line-out, and Trea Turner to strikeout.

Jacob deGrom’s final line was: 6 IP, 4 H, ER, 3 BB, 5 K. It was the Mets first quality start of the season.

Jerry Blevins came into to start the seventh and got his only two hitters he faced. He got both guys he faced to strike out.

Robert Gsellman came on with two-out in the seventh to strikeout his only hitter. He has faced 14 men and struck out eight of them. He keeps looking like a dominant reliever.

Hansel Robles came on for the eighth and picked up where he left off yesterday. He struck out three guys and worked around an Anthony Rendon double. The Mets bullpen is single-handedly ruining those strikeout discounts that the Mets offer.

Seth Lugo got the ninth inning for New York. He held the Nationals scoreless after giving up a base runner on a play Amed Rosario probably makes.

Regardless, it was a great day for the pitching staff.

Offense

Jay Bruce led off the second inning with a double of the left center field wall. Kevin Plawecki walked with two-out and Jay Bruce at third base. Bruce came around to score on a balk by Stephen Strasburg, who was trying to pick-off Plawecki at first.

Yoenis Cespedes hit his third home run of the season in the fourth inning. It was his second home run in as many days after saying his timing felt off.

Does anyone remember that Michael Conforto player? He hit .279/.384/.555 in 2017 and he hit a two-run homer in his season debut coming off a shoulder injury. He is going to be a very good player for a long time.

Conforto finished 1-for-4 with the homer, two strikeouts and a walk.

In the seventh inning, Brandon Nimmo doubled as a pinch-hitter and Michael Conforto subsequently walked. After Asdrubal Cabrera struck out looking, Yoenis Cespedes walked to load the bases for Jay Bruce. Bruce deposited the ball into right center for a grand slam to give the Mets an 8-2 lead.

On Deck

The New York Mets have tomorrow off and will resume their series with the Nationals on Saturday (weather permitting). Steven Matz will face Gio Gonzalez in that one.