After a five-run first inning Sunday, the Mets looked like they would win easy; instead, they suffered their most frustrating loss of the young season.
The Washington Nationals answered with a five-run frame of their own in late innings as the Mets bullpen blew a six-run lead, losing 8-7 in walk-off fashion on Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park.
The Mets’ bullpen, which had been dominant to start the season, completely crumbled and allowed the Nats to claw their way back into the contest. Closer Ryne Stanek surrendered a game-tying single to CJ Abrams in the bottom of the ninth inning, then walked James Wood to put the winning run in scoring position.
The righty induced a grounder to first base off the bat of Luis Garcia Jr., but Pete Alonso overthrew the bag and Abrams trotted home on a walk-off error. It was the second time in three games that Stanek lost a Mets lead and the contest.
“To be there 7-1 and let that go away, it’s a tough one,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza after the contest. “Turn the page and get ready for tomorrow.”
The Mets (19-9) wasted a masterful start from right-handed starter, Tyler Megill, who hurled a season-high 105 pitches with nine strikeouts, giving up just three hits and a walk for three earned runs over 6.1 frames.
Nationals starter Mitchell Parker entered Sunday’s contest having not allowed a first-inning run all season – not anymore. Shortstop Francisco Lindor legged out a chopper to third base to lead off the contest, triggering an offensive onslaught that yielded a swift, five-run lead.
The lefty hurler labored over 40 pitches in the frame as the Mets worked four walks and batted around the order. Lindor and Juan Soto both scored on sacrifice flies from Mark Vientos and Brandon Nimmo, respectively. Luis Torrens singled home Pete Alonso, and a throwing error from centerfielder Dylan Crews plated Starling Marte.
Luisangel Acuna punctuated the frame with a single to right field that brought home Torrens.
Soto led off the following frame with his sixth double of the season, tagging to third on a leaping grab from second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. The All-Star – who reached base four times with two hits and a pair of walks – then scored for the second time after Marte grounded into a fielder’s choice.
Torrens notched another RBI in the top of five with his second hit of the afternoon, ripping a double down the right field line that plated Marte for a 7-1 lead in the fifth inning.
Megill was untouchable through six and held the Nats to just one run on a second-inning solo-shot from Crews. After surrendering a leadoff double and RBI single to Josh Bell to open up the seventh inning, he handed the ball over to the bullpen – and that’s when things took a turn for the worse.
Right-handed reliever Jose Butto struck out the first batter he faced before allowing back-to-back singles that brought home Bell. He then gave up a three-run bomb to Riley Adams that made it a 7-6 ballgame.
New York found themselves in even more trouble in the bottom of the eighth, when right-hander Huascar Brazoban loaded the bases from a leadoff double, walk, and hit-by-pitch. But the veteran reliever was able to skirt any damage after inducing a Jose Tena lineout to third base.
The Mets had an opportunity to add some insurance in the top of the ninth inning after Soto and Alonso reached second and third with nobody out. However, the club extinguished all their momentum by hitting into three straight groundouts that stranded both runners in scoring position.
The Mets will play one more in Washington DC, hoping to split the four-game series against the Nationals on Monday afternoon.
