Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Coming off of an extra-inning juggernaut in Game 1, the Mets sent Tylor Megill to the mound on Saturday night to try to sweep the doubleheader and lead them to their eighth straight win. This is Megill’s second straight start against Washington after going five innings and giving up two earned runs on August 29. 

The Mets offense gave Megill a 1-0 lead before he even stepped on the mound thanks to a Michael Conforto RBI single. That lead would diminish with the first batter Megill faced as he gave up a leadoff solo home run to Lane Thomas.

The next batter for the Nationals was Alcides Escobar, and he promptly singled to right field. Megill then faced Juan Soto who flew out to left fielder Jeff McNeil for the first out of the game, but Josh Bell then singled to right field, giving the Nats runners at the corners with one out. In the next at-bat, Megill surrendered the lead as Carter Kieboom singled sharply to Conforto which let Escobar score from third.

Megill got some help from the second baseman Luis Guillorme later on as he made a tremendous play on an Andrew Stevenson ground ball to get the force out at second. Megill finally got out of the first as a Riley Adams ground ball led to another forceout. It took Megill 25 pitches to get through the first while giving up four hits and two earned runs. 

Megill went back out for the second and got Luis Garcia to pop out to third baseman J.D. Davis as he dove in foul territory. Then Megill got both Josh Rogers and Thomas to strike out swinging for the second and third outs of the inning. After a shaky first inning, Megill got what he needed in the second with a 1-2-3 inning. 

Escobar struck out swinging to start the third for Megill’s third consecutive strikeout, and Soto then followed by flying out center fielder Kevin Pillar. For the third out, Megill got Bell to strike out swinging for his fourth strikeout. Since the Kieboom single in the first, Megill retired eight straight Nationals to get his night back on track. 

To start the top of the fourth, Megill got Kieboom to strike out looking for the first out. Then Stevenson singled to Pillar for the Nats’ first hit since the first. That hit would not matter because the next batter, Adams, grounded into a double play started by shortstop Jonathan Villar to end the inning for Megill. 

Things started to turn again from Megill in the fifth as Garcia started the inning with a well-struck double to left field. Rogers successfully sacrificed Garcia  to third with one out, and the next batter, Lane Thomas, struck out swinging for the second time.

But with two outs in the inning, and Megill almost escaping another jam, Escobar took Megill deep for a two-run home run, which gave the Nats a 4-1 lead in a seven-inning game. Soto walked in the next at-bat, which prompted a mound visit for Megill. After the visit, Megill picked off Soto at first base to end the fifth. 

The Mets sent Megill out for the top of the sixth, too, and got both Bell and Kieboom to strike out to start the frame, much to the dismay of Kieboom who was ejected following the strikeout. For the final out of the sixth and of Megill’s outing, Stevenson flew out to center field.

Tylor Megill’s final line: 6 IP, 4 ER, 1 BB, 8K, 2 HR

Megill turned in a quality outing for the Mets, despite the two home runs given up in the first and fifth innings. With the tying run on second in the ninth, Pete Alonso struck out and the Mets lost 4-3.

He was the only pitcher to throw in the second game for the Mets after they needed five bullpen pieces to get through nine innings in Game 1. The Mets playoff hopes have jump-started during this recent stretch, and although Megill’s outing wasn’t perfect, it gave the bullpen a rest which ultimately benefits the team going forward.