John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
The Mets (20-22) split a four-game series against the Nationals (18-23) with a 10-3 loss on Monday afternoon in Washington D.C. The blowout lacked clutch hitting, and the club’s pitching staff was clobbered by a Nationals offense that ranks among the bottom five teams in Major League Baseball in OPS. David Peterson and Tommy Hunter struggled in the loss, giving up ten runs on 15 hits including a homer, five doubles, and a triple. With the loss, the Mets fall to fourth in the National League East.
Peterson took the loss for New York on Monday evening. The left-hander tossed five innings, allowing six runs on nine hits with a pair of walks and five strikeouts. His ERA is now up to 8.08 through eight starts this season — the highest in MLB for a starter with at least 30 innings pitched.
The Nats got on the board in the first inning after Peterson allowed a leadoff double to Lane Thomas, and a two-out double to Joey Meneses to drive in the outfielder and make it 1-0, Washington. The Mets have been outscored 37-9 in the first inning this year, and are now 8-for-19 when the other team scores first.
New York tied it up, 1-1 in the second. Starling Marte knocked a two-out base hit, stole second base, and advanced to third on a throwing error. Jeff McNeil followed with a base hit to drive in Marte. The Mets loaded the bases with an Eduardo Escobar single and Francisco Alvarez walk, but Alvarez was picked off by the catcher to end the inning.
Washington took a 3-1 lead in the third after a pair of one-out singles from Thomas and Luis Garcia put runners on first and second, and Meneses knocked an RBI double. The second run of the frame came on a sacrifice fly.
Peterson continued to struggle, and the Nats tacked on two more in the fourth, and a run in the sixth to take a 6-1 lead.
New York picked up another run in the sixth. Francisco Lindor doubled, Pete Alonso singled, and Tommy Pham sent a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in the short stop and make it 6-2 Mets. 20 of Lindor’s 36 hits this season have been for extra bases, including 14 doubles.
Tommy Hunter entered in relief for New York in the the sixth inning, and tossed three innings, allowing four runs on six hits with two strikeouts.
In the sixth, the Nationals tacked on two more including a solo home run to CJ Abrams. Jeimer Candelario knocked a one-out triple in the seventh, and scored via a sacrifice fly to make it 9-2. In the eighth, the Nats picked up their final run scored on a CJ Abrams single, and Meneses double.
In a crying rally, New York loaded the bases in the top of the ninth inning on a pair of singles from McNeil and Escobar, and an Alvarez base on balls. Brandon Nimmo grounded into a force out to drive in McNeil and make it 10-3 Nats. With two outs, Guillorme hit a fly ball to right field to end the game.
Player Spotlight: Starling Marte
Starling Marte went 2-for-4 at the plate, scored a run, and added a stolen base for his 11th of the year.
On Deck:
The Mets kick off a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citi Field on Tuesday evening.
Justin Verlander (1-1, 2.25 ERA) will take the mound for New York. In his last outing against the Reds, he tossed seven innings and allowed one run on two hits, with a pair of walks and seven strikeouts. Jalen Beeks (1-2, 5.40 ERA) will get the start for Tampa Bay. In the left-hander’s last time out against the Yankees, he threw two scoreless frames and allowed one hit, with three strikeouts.
Fans can catch the action at Citi Field on SNY and WCBS 880.
