Mets win first series in nearly a month with 6-3 victory over Nationals
Carlos Mendoza promised a culture of accountability when he took over as the manager of the Mets last winter. So far, he has made good on that promise.
Mendoza made a much-buzzed-about move before the Mets defeated the Washington Nationals, 6-3, on Tuesday night to take the series, their first series win since defeating the St. Louis Cardinals on May 6-7. The skipper benched second baseman Jeff McNeil, the 2022 NL batting champ who hasn’t been hitting like a batting champ, for the second game in a row, using Jose Iglesias at second instead.
This comes after Adrian Houser was moved to the bullpen after a poor start to the season, after Edwin Diaz was briefly taken out of the closer role and after and Jorge Lopez was designated for assignment for being untruthful and unremorseful in controversial postgame remarks last week.
The Mets (26-35) have made it clear that they want to uphold certain standards off the field. They’re hoping it leads to a certain standard on the field, but there is still work to do in that respect.
Tuesday’s win at Nationals Park was a good step in that direction. However, the bullpen still didn’t inspire a ton of confidence.
The Mets held a 6-2 lead coming into the bottom of the ninth, and right-hander Reed Garrett got the ball with Adam Ottavino and Jake Diekman both unavailable. Jesse Winker walked to lead off the inning and Garrett then struck out Keibert Ruiz and Joey Gallo. Winker then took second on defensive indifference, allowing him to score on Jacob Young’s single.
Young then took second as well and Garrett walked C.J. Abrams to put two on.
The ninth inning is always an adventure for the Mets and this one was no different, but Garrett got the job done, getting Lane Thomas to pop up to right field to end the inning.
David Peterson earned his first win of the season and gave the Mets much-needed length. The left-hander held Washington (27-33) to two earned runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two, handing the ball over to right-hander Dedniel Nuñez for the final out in the seventh. With two on and two out and the Mets on top 5-1, Nuñez struck out Lane Thomas to strand the runners.
In only his second start since returning from offseason hip labrum surgery, Peterson worked quickly and efficiently throughout. He received good defense behind him and good run support, with Harrison Bader and Pete Alonso each homering and Starling Marte hitting a two-run triple.
Left-hander DJ Herz made his MLB debut for the Nationals, making a last-minute start in place of former Mets swingman Trevor Williams, who was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a strained flexor muscle in his right elbow.
The Mets took four runs on seven hits over more than four innings off Herz, knocking him out of the game in the fifth. Herz entered the inning with Washington down 2-0 before giving up back-to-back singles to Alonso and Brandon Nimmo. He was then replaced by right-hander Derek Law.
J.D. Martinez struck out for the first out but Marte cleared the bases with a triple. A sacrifice fly by Mark Vientos gave the Mets a 5-1 lead.
Alonso homered off closer Kyle Finnegan in the top of the ninth, giving the Mets an important insurance run. Every run counts with the way the bullpen has struggled to hold leads.
The Mets have a chance to go for the sweep Wednesday afternoon. The team will then head to London for two games against the Philadelphia Phillies.