The New York Mets let an early lead slip away Thursday afternoon, falling 9-3 to the last-place Washington Nationals and dropping two of three in the series to begin the road trip.
Francisco Lindor got things started with a leadoff homer, his franchise-record eighth of the season, and Starling Marte followed with a solo shot in the third. Rookie catcher Hayden Senger also picked up his first career RBI on a sacrifice fly, giving the Mets a 3-0 edge through four innings.
Sean Manaea looked sharp early, striking out seven of the first 10 batters he faced while allowing only one hit. But defensive miscues and mounting traffic on the bases caught up with him in the middle innings. After a misplay by Pete Alonso extended the fifth, Manaea exited with the bases loaded. Reliever Tyler Rogers couldn’t escape the jam, surrendering a two-run single to Riley Adams that gave Washington the lead. Manaea finished with eight strikeouts but was tagged for four runs in 4.2 innings, raising his ERA to 5.15.
The Mets’ bullpen woes continued in the eighth, when Ryne Stanek was rocked for four runs, punctuated by a three-run blast from James Wood that broke the game open. Washington’s relief corps, meanwhile, shut down New York’s bats, holding them to just one hit after the fourth inning.Â
Box Score | NL Wild Card Standings
Next, the Mets (67-60) head to Atlanta to open a three-game series with the Braves (58-69). Nolan McLean will make his second big-league start in the opener on Friday at 7:15 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].