The New York Mets and Washington Nationals closed out their 5-game series on Monday afternoon in Washington. The Mets led the series 3-1 and were looking to make it a 4-1 series conclusion. Trevor Williams (4-2, 4.23 ERA) took the mound for the Mets for the series finale against Patrick Corbin (7—14, 6.14 ERA).

Monday’s game featured 25 hits between the two teams, but only 7 combined runs. Eight different Mets collected at least one hit, but as so often happens in the past, hits with RISP largely eluded New York as they fell, 4-3 to the Nationals as Washington scored two in the ninth to win it. The Mets were one-for-ten with RISP and left eight on base.

Both teams’ offenses started quickly with the Mets striking in the top of the first. Francisco Lindor got the offense started for the Mets with a one-out double to left field. Two batters later, with one on and two outs, Pete Alonso hit an RBI single to right field that scored Lindor from third to put the Mets ahead 1-0. Javier Baez then singled, but Baez and Alonso were left stranded as Corbin struck out Kevin Pillar to end the inning.

The Nationals answered right back in the bottom of the first. Alcides Escobar started the Nationals’ offense with a one-out triple to right field. Juan Soto then grounded out to second, scoring Escobar from third for the RBI to tie the game 1-1 in the bottom half of the inning. Williams then walked Josh Bell, followed by a double to Yadiel Hernandez to left field that moved Bell to third. With two on and two out, Williams struck out Kieboom to end the inning as the Nats stranded two in the first.

The offensive back-and-forth continued in the second. Jeff McNeil singled to center field in the top of the second and advanced to second on a fielding error by Lane Thomas. McNeil was left stranded though as Corbin retired the next three batters and collected his second strike out of the day.

The Nationals also acquired base runners in the bottom of the second. Alex Avila started the Nationals’ offense off in the bottom of the second, hitting a lead-off double to right field. Williams retired the next two batters he faced and then gave up a two-out single to Thomas that moved Corbin to second. The Nationals stranded two as Escobar flew out to end the inning.

The Mets’ offense kick-started the fourth inning with  back-to-back singles by Baez and Pillar to put two on with no outs. Baez advanced to third on Pillar’s singles. McNeil then grounded into a double play, but Baez scored as McNeil collected the go-ahead RBI that put the Mets up 2-1 in the fourth. Jeff McCann then grounded out to end the inning.

Washington answered right back in the bottom of the fourth. Williams gave up three consecutive singles to Luis Garcia, Corbin, and Thomas. Thomas’ single was an RBI single that scored Garcia to tie the game 2-2. After a mound visit, Williams struck out the next three batters he faced to end the inning and avoid the Nationals from taking the lead..

The game was tied 2-2 through five innings, but once again the Mets retook the lead in the sixth. Their go-ahead run was a lead-off solo home run by Alonso to put the Mets on top 3-2. Two batters later Pillar singled to put another runner on for the Mets. Pillar was then picked off and McNeil grounded out to end the inning.

Williams’ day was done after five innings. Jeurys Familia replaced Williams on the mound for the Mets in the sixth.

Williams’ final line:

5.0 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR, 4.23 ERA

Familia’s first inning of relief was a strong one as he retired the Nationals in order in the sixth.

The Mets went to their bullpen again in the seventh, with Brad Hand coming on in relief for Familia in the seventh. He also retired the Nationals in order, making it two straight innings that the Nationals did not produce any base runners. The Mets’ lead was still in-tact 3-2 heading into the eighth inning.

The Nationals made the following defensive changes in the top of the eighth inning:

  • Bell moved from first base to left field
  • Ryan Zimmerman stayed in to play first base, replacing Corbin in the lineup
  • Kyle Finnegan replaced Corbin on the mound for the Nationals, batting fifth, replacing left fielder Hernandez.

Finnegan had a solid inning of work, only allowing two-out walk to Pillar, but retiring the other three batters he faced.

Seth Lugo replaced Hand on the mound for the Mets in the bottom of the eighth.

The Nationals tried to get some offense started as Garcia made contact with two outs, hitting a triple to right field. Zimmerman was then walked, but the Nationals left both runners stranded as the Mets kept a 3-2 lead into the ninth.

McCann led off the ninth with a lead-off single for the Mets off of Finnegan. It was the Mets’ 12th hit of the afternoon. Dominic Smith pinch-hit for Lugo, then struck out for the first out of the inning. Jonathan Villar then flew out for the second out. Finnegan struck out Lindor to end the inning.

Edwin Diaz replaced Lugo on the mound for the Mets in the ninth. He quickly put the lead-off runner on with a lead-off walk to Escobar. McNeil then made a phenomenal leaping catch in foul territory for the Mets to fly out Soto for the first out of the inning.

Diaz then walked Bell, his second walk of the inning to put the tying runner on second base and the winning-run on first base. Diaz then gave-up an RBI-single to pinch-hitter Andrew Stevenson that scored Escobar to tie the game 3-3, moving Bell to third to put the winning run 90 feet away with just one out in the ninth with the dangerous Kieboom coming to the plate.

Kieboom then hit a single up the middle. The ball was deflected by Lindor and allowed Bell to score the winning run of the game as the Nationals defeated the Mets 4-3 . The Mets walked away with a 3-2 series win, but a gut-wrenching loss ended the series.

Finnegan (5-6, 2.73 ERA) got the win for the Nationals. Diaz (5-5, 3.93) blew yet another save and took another loss for the Mets.

The Mets will now head to Florida to open a three-game series against the Miami Marlins before heading home on Friday to open a three-game series against the New York Yankees in what will be a touching 9-11 memorial series between both New York teams on the 20th anniversary of the attacks of 9-11.

Player of the Game

Starting with today’s recap, Metsmerized’s  writers are picking a “player of the game” to focus on in each recap. Monday’s player of the game was Pete Alonso. Alonso was 2-4, with one run scored, two RBI’s, and hit a solo home-run in the top of the sixth inning off of Corbin to give the Mets a 3-2 lead over the Nationals that Diaz then ended up losing in the bottom of the ninth. Alonso’s sixth-inning home run was his 30th of the season. Pete is the first Met in franchise history to have 30 or more homers in two of his first three seasons as a member of the Amazins.’