After securing Jacob deGrom‘s first victory of the 2020 campaign, the Mets looked to continue their winning ways as they began a quick two-game series against the defending World Series champion Washington Nationals. Although starting pitcher Steven Matz did not have his best stuff, and the offense was short-handed with the red hot Robinson Cano heading to the disabled list and Amed Rosario and Jeff McNeil listed as day-to-day, the team battled.

Washington struck early with five runs in the first two innings off Matz. The southpaw struggled mightily to get control of his fastball, which Nationals hitters took advantage of. The Nationals, who are playing their first game since the Marlins’ COVID-19 outbreak cancelled their last series, have been waiting to get going But after Matz’s three innings of work, the bullpen shut the Nationals offense down, extending their scoreless inning streak to eight.

The offense could not really get going, finishing the night at 1-for-6 with RISP, and leaving nine runners stranded. Andres Gimenez continued to impress, tallying two hits and bringing his average up to .333 on the year.

Offense

After a quiet first two frames, which featured strikeouts from both Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso, the Mets registered their first hit of the game in the top of the third inning when Tomás Nido ripped a line drive off of third baseman Carter Kieboom. The Mets finally get on the board in the fourth inning as Michael Conforto followed a Wilson Ramos single with an opposite field home run, cutting the Nationals’ lead to just three. Conforto has been one of the most consistent hitters the Mets have had this season, reaching safely each of the first 12 games of the season.

Andres Gimenez led off the fifth inning with a strikeout on a crisp slider from Patrick Corbin, who then got Nido to strike out swinging on the same pitch. Brandon Nimmo reached base with a two out single, who then advanced to third on a throwing error from Kieboom, while Davis reached on the same play, which was ruled a single. With runners on the corners, Alonso shot a line drive to right field to drive in Nimmo, breaking out of an 0-for-13 skid.

Brian Dozier has continued to struggle in a Mets uniform, as he struck out in the sixth after a Conforto groundout. Ryan Cordell recorded his first hit as a Met, a two out single through the left side of the infield. Andres Gimenez continued to impress as he ripped a single to keep the sixth alive. Corbin was replaced by Ryne Harper, who got Nido to ground out and end the top half of the sixth.

After Harper walked Nimmo and Davis, Tanner Rainey was brought in to face Pete Alonso who struck out on a fastball right down the middle. Ramos was able to work the count to 2-0, but swung at a pitch a bit inside, and popped out to Robles. After Conforto flew out to Harrison in left, the Mets strand another two runners on base, a chance to continue scratching away at the lead, wasted.

After a rain delay that lasted an hour and seven minutes, the Mets started the top of the eighth inning facing Javy Guerra. Brian Dozier was the second Met of the game to record his first hit in a Met uniform. Dominic Smith pinch-hit for Cordell, but would strike out on three pitches. Dozier tried to advance on a pitch in the dirt to Gimenez, but would be called out after the Nationals challenged the call. Andres Gimenez would ultimately single off Guerra.

Daniel Hudson came in to secure his second save of the season. He was tasked with facing the top of the order in the top of the ninth. The Nationals closer was able to get Nimmo looking on three pitches, though the last one was decently outside. JD Davis went down swinging on two inside fastballs. Pete Alonso was the last hope for the Mets, and worked a four pitch walk. Hudson barely missed on a few pitches, one that home plate umpire missed blatantly. Hudson would get Ramos to flyout to center field to end the game, stranding a total of 10 men on base.

Pitching

Steven Matz made his third start of the 2020 campaign on Tuesday. He gave up five runs over just three innings of work, while striking out only three.

In the first few innings, the long ball hurt him. In the opening frame, Matz gave up a towering home run to Howie Kendrick, giving them the 1-o lead after one full inning.

After a quiet top of the second from the offense, Josh Harrison registered his first hit as a member of the Nationals, a homer to deep center field. Working around two errors from Brian Dozier, one of which would have been an inning ending double play, the southpaw was able to limit the damage, heading into the top of the third trailing 2-0.

Howie Kendrick recorded his second hit in as many trips off of Matz with one out single in the third inning. Kendrick had been slumping coming into this series. Former Met Asdrubal Cabrera followed Kendrick with an opposite field double, putting Matz in a second and third with no out jam. Starlin Castro extended the Nationals’ lead to three with the third opposite field hit of the inning, ultimately plating Kendrick.

Josh Harrison continued the scoring, driving in Cabrera on a sacrifice fly. Carter Kieboom then drove in Starlin Castro on the fourth opposite field hit of the inning. The Nationals ended up plating three, giving them a 5-0 lead.

Paul Sewald replaced Matz and pitched a scoreless fourth, retiring Victor Robles, Trea Turner, and Adam Eaton in order thanks to two impressive defensive plays from Andres Gimenez.

Kendrick continued his success against the Mets with his third hit in as many at-bats, leading off the sixth with a single up the middle off of Sewald.

After working himself into some trouble, Luis Rojas made the decision to pull Sewald and bring in Jeurys Familia with the bases loaded and two outs. Familia struck out Yan Gomes on three pitches leaving the bases full, and stayed in to start the sixth. After getting Robles to ground out and after walking Turner, Nido caught him trying to steal second base. On the next pitch, Eaton flew out.

Dellin Betances came in to start the bottom of the seventh, and gave up Howie Kendrick’s fourth hit of the game to lead off the inning, but was able to induce a grounder from Asdrubal Cabrera, which resulted in a double play. Starlin Castro then flew out to end the seventh inning.

Edwin Diaz came in to pitch the top of the ninth inning, and made Harrison look foolish getting him to ground out. Diaz then came back with multiple sliders to get Kieboom swinging, a pitch he has struggled with but seemed to be working this outing. Gomes also fell victim to the slider to end the inning. The struggling pitcher had two solid outings, a positive sign for the right hander looking to get back on track.

On Deck

The Mets have the final game of this quick two game series to play before heading back to Queens to host the Miami Marlins. In the last game of the series tomorrow, Rick Porcello (0-1, 13.50 ERA) will face off with Max Scherzer (0-1 2.84), a pitching match up that leans favorably to the defending champions.

Rick Porcello will look to have his first solid start in a Mets uniform. In two starts as a member of the Mets, the New Jersey native has thrown a total of six innings giving up nine earned runs while only striking out six. Although Porcello is not known as a strikeout pitcher, he is known for logging a solid amount of innings, and with just a handful of innings under his belt early in the 2020 season, he looks to lower that 13.50 ERA.

Scherzer, on the other hand, has picked up where he left off. Although his record is not in his favor, Scherzer has looked sharp, with 21 strikeouts in just 12.2 innings pitched. The three time Cy Young award winner looks to continue to be a thorn in the side of the Mets as he toes the rubber tomorrow night.

First pitch for tomorrow nights match up has been moved up an hour, from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on SNY, and on the radio waves on WCBS 880-AM.