After dropping the first two games against Washington (6-8), the Mets (8-11) got one back with a well-rounded 11-6 triumph over the defending World Series champs.
In a battle of the bullpens, New York prevailed with six relievers combining to allow just three runs on six hits with a walk and 10 strikeouts. Familia earned the win with a commanding two-inning shutout performance, adding four K’s.
The offense had 11 runs on 13 hits with five walks. (Box Score)
PITCHING
With New York down three expected 2020 starters in Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, and Michael Wacha, first-year manager Luis Rojas announced this afternoon that he is opting to move Robert Gsellman into the rotation with plans to keep him in the role.
Making his first big league start since 2017 and just his second appearance of the season after being sidelined with tricep tendonitis, Gsellman dealt with early difficulty allowing three first-inning runs. After Trea Turner knocked a leadoff double, Adam Eaton beat out a quick strike from J.D. Davis at third and reached on an infield single to break out of an 0-for-4 slump this series. With one out, Gsellman gave up a homer to Juan Soto to put the Nats in front early. He then let up a one-out single from Howie Kendrick but got out of the frame without allowing further damage.
Starting fresh in the second, the right-hander settled down and tossed a 1-2-3 inning. Kurt Suzuki made a bid for the tying home-run with a long fly ball to center but Nimmo robbed the catcher to preserve the Mets’ 4-3 lead.
Chasen Shreve took over for Gsellman in the third. The starter, on a limited pitch count, threw 33 and allowed three runs on four hits with a strikeout through two.
Shreve tossed a clean third. He gave up a one-out base hit to Starlin Castro, but got out of the frame with a 4-6-3 double play.
Jeurys Familia took the bump in the fourth. Howie Kendrick led off the inning with a single but the Mets’ defense turned its second double-play of the evening as former-Met Asdrubal Cabrera lined out to second to clear the bases. Familia got his third out with three pitches, striking out Eric Thames swinging with a sweet 98mph fastball.
Familia hit Victor Robles with one out in the next frame, then walked Eaton with two to put the tying runs on base. He stranded the pair by striking out Castro for his third K of the inning.
Justin Wilson relieved Familia in the sixth, who ended his night after tossing two shutout innings with a walk and four strikeouts. The lefty gave up a leadoff, solo homer to Juan Soto but put away his next three in order.
Dellin Betances threw a shutout seventh and struck out the side.
Drew Smith, the sixth Met pitcher of the evening, gave up a one-out solo homer to Starlin Castro and allowed a base-hit to the pesky Juan Soto. Despite the shaky start the 26-year-old got out of the inning allowing just the pair of hits with Castro’s run, adding a strikeout.
In his season debut, Brad Brach closed the night out. He let up a one-out homer to Suzuki but put the next two away with a groundout and a strikeout to solidify the dub for the Amazins’.
OFFENSE
The Mets struck back from a 3-0 deficit in the home half of the first frame with four hits to take a 4-3 lead. Brandon Nimmo got New York on the board with a leadoff homer for his second of the series and third of the season. Then with two outs, Michael Conforto was hit by a pitch and a pair of doubles from Pete Alonso and Dom Smith tied it up. The club grabbed the lead when stand-out rookie Andres Gimenez lined a changeup from the veteran Anibal Sanchez over short for an RBI base hit, his first with a runner in scoring position. He stole for second, his fourth of the year, and Wilson Ramos grounded out to end the inning.
Luis Guillorme led off the second with a base hit, but was left stranded. The Metsies tacked on another run with an RBI single off the bat of Ramos after a pair of walks to Alonso and Smith, and New York sent the Nats to their pen. Washington’s Sam Freeman came in with two on and Guillorme worked a full count to walk and load the bases. Nimmo subsequently grounded out, but the club left the frame with a 5-3 lead.
Kyle Finnegan came in for the Nats in the fifth and walked Conforto.
New York broke the game open with a five spot off of the Nats’ Ryne Harper in the sixth. Guillorme got it going with a leadoff, four-pitch walk, as Nimmo subsequently laid a perfectly executed bunt single down the left field line for first and second with no outs.
The Mets then sparked another two-out rally, led by an RBI double from Conforto and capped off with a pair of bombs from Alonso and Smith-turning a 5-4 lead into a 10-4 advantage. It was the first time the club has hit back-to-back home runs this season.
Nimmo knocked his third hit of the evening with a two-out single in the seventh.
The offensive prowess was relentless, as Conforto singled in the eighth and a ground-rule double from Alonso once again put runners in scoring position with one out. Smith drove in Conforto with a groundout to tack on the club’s final run.
Alonso was 3-for-4 with a walk, two doubles, and a homer. Dom Smith went 2-for-4 with a walk, double, and homer. Conforto hit 2-for-3 with a walk and a double. Nimmo was 3-for-5, added his second home run of the series, and has now reached safely in 33 straight games dating back to last season.
ON DECK
The Mets look to even it out with the last of the four-game series against the Nationals tomorrow afternoon. David Peterson (2-1, 3.78 ERA) will face off with Austin Voth (0-1, 1.80 ERA).
Peterson got the win in his last start against Miami. He gave up two runs on five hits through five innings and walked three and with three strikeouts. The Mets’ 2017 first-round draft pick has had a solid start to the 2020 season with a 3.78 ERA through 16.2 frames pitched.
Voth’s last outing against the Orioles resulted in a no decision. The right-hander threw five shutout innings with just two hits allowed, a walk and five strikeouts.
First pitch in Queens will be at 1:10 PM on August 13. The game will be televised by SNY and broadcast on WCBS 880-AM.
