The New York Mets returned home on Friday night against the Washington Nationals after a nine-game road trip and kicked things off with a 4-1 win over their division rivals.

Things didn’t start well for the Mets’ offense. However, they woke up later in the game thanks to home runs from Francisco Lindor and Jared Young. Robert Stock got the start, but the Mets’ young bullpen was the story on the pitching side. Jonathan Pintaro would notch his first big league win. The Mets are now 54-69 on the season.

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Mets Offense Comes Alive Late

The Mets’ offense was left with just one hit through the first five innings of this game against Andrew Alvarez. The one hit was by Luis Torrens in the third inning. The only other baserunner was courtesy of a Francisco Alvarez walk. The Mets were down 1-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, until Lindor, making up for an error in the top of the third inning, launched a home run to tie the game.

After Bo Bichette reached base on a wild pitch, Jake Bird came in to replace Alvarez, and the Mets’ offense took advantage of a struggling Nationals bullpen. Luis Robert Jr. and Carson Benge notched back-to-back singles, with Benge’s hit scoring Bichette to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Young hit his eighth homer of the year to extend the Mets’ lead to 3-1. Bichette drove in another run later in the inning off former Met Max Kranick that scored Torrens.

After being shut out with just one hit in the first five innings, the Mets’ offense got six hits, including two home runs, and four runs the rest of the way.

Mets Bullpen Excels Again

After the Mets traded most of their bullpen at the deadline, a lot of unknowns and guys looking for a chance took over. On Friday, they held up well against a strong Nationals offense. Stock started the game and went 4 1/3 innings with five strikeouts and three walks. Stock walked CJ Abrams and later hit Brady House in the bottom of the fifth inning before Nate Lavender came into the game. Lavender got two fly outs to get out of the jam and kept the Mets at a one-run deficit.

Pintaro threw two shutout innings and logged two strikeouts en route to what would be his first major league win. Daniel Duarte continued his strong season with a scoreless eighth. That set the stage for Kodai Senga in the ninth inning. Senga, looking for his second career save, got the first two outs fairly easily before getting into his first jam as a closer. With two outs, he allowed a single to Jacob Young and a hit-by-pitch to Abrams that brought Abimelec Ortiz to the plate as the tying run. On a 2-2 count, Senga trusted his forkball and got Ortiz to go down swinging in order to seal the win. 

Player of the Game: Francisco Lindor

With Juan Soto on the injured list, Lindor has stepped up as of late. His game-tying home run started the Mets’ rally on Friday. 

On Deck

On Saturday, the Mets will start Sean Manaea. The Nationals have yet to name a starter. The game will start at 4:10pm EST and be televised locally on SNY and broadcast on WHSQ 880AM.