The Mets blew another five-run lead as they were defeated by the Washington Nationals, 7-5, on Wednesday night at Nationals Park.
– Christian Scott started the day efficient in his return to the big-league level, as he held the Nationals hitless over the first 3.2 innings before Jesse Winker lined a two-out double in the fourth. The young righty showed signs of fatigue from there, though, as Washington struck for a run in the fifth and then one bad pitch in the sixth resulted in a Luis Garcia three-run homer. Scott was handed another no-decision after allowing four runs on six hits while walking two and striking out two across 5.2 innings of work.
– Adam Ottavino tossed a scoreless inning, but with a lefty coming up with two outs in the seventh, Carlos Mendoza turned to Jake Diekman. The southpaw failed to get the job done, though, as he walked CJ Abrams on 10 pitches and then allowed back-to-back hits to Lane Thomas and top prospect James Wood to put Washington in front for good. They added an insurance run in the eighth on Garcia’s second homer of the night against Ty Adcock.
– Mark Vientos recently told SNY’s Steve Gelbs that he would like to take part in the Home Run Derby in just a few weeks in Texas and he continues making an extremely strong case. The young slugger demolished a two-run homer 435-feet to the Nationals Park batters-eye in dead center in the top of the fourth. He has now gone deep six times over his last 12 games and is already up to 11 long balls in 143 at-bats this season.
– Francisco Lindor crushed the Mets’ third home run of the game in the top of the fifth. Even with his tremendously slow start to the season, the superstar shortstop became the first player in franchise history to put up 25+ doubles, 15+ homers, and 15+ stolen bases during the first-half.
– Following Lindor’s homer, Washington pitching retired the next nine hitters in a row before Brandon Nimmo drew a two-out walk in the top of the eighth, but J.D. Martinez struck out looking to end the threat.
Wood was bumped up to the third spot in the order in just his third big-league game and he responded by reaching base three times with two hits and a walk.
The youngster has been very impressive at the plate, reaching safely in all three games this series, and his first career RBI proved to be the difference in this one.
The Mets will look to secure the series victory in the early morning Fourth of July finale on Thursday at 11:05 a.m. on SNY.
Jose Quintana (3-5, 4.57 ERA) takes the mound against 27-year-old breakout right-hander Jake Irvin (6-6, 3.03 ERA).