Martinez and Iglesias score 6 runs in 10th and Mets hold off Nationals 9-7 to spoil Wood’s debut

WASHINGTON – JD Martinez and Jose Iglesias scored a six-run tenth inning, and the New York Mets defeated the Washington Nationals 9-7 on Monday night to spoil the major league debut of award-winning infielder James Wood.

Francisco Alvarez had three RBIs and two extra-base hits for the Mets (41-41), who snapped a two-game skid and improved to 17-6 in their last 23 games.

In the opener of a four-game series between NL East opponents, Harrison Bader was hit by the pitch in the top of the 10th and put two runners on. Martinez followed with his 10th home run, a drive to center field off Hunter Harvey (2-4).

Tyrone Taylor doubled and scored on Alvarez’s first career triple, which hit well off the right field wall. Iglesias made it 9-3 when he sent a two-run shot to center for his first big league home run since July 13, 2022, with Colorado.

Washington scored four goals in the bottom half before Reed Garrett picked off Luis García Jr. with two goals on his fourth save.

Tyler Jay allowed an RBI double to Jesse Winker and a two-run double to Ildemaro Vargas. Garrett came up and gave up an RBI single to Keibert Ruiz before fanning Garcia.

Jake Diekman (2-2) pitched a no-hitter ninth for the win, helped by a Taylor catch in right field.

Immediately following a two-out error by CJ Abrams at shortstop, Alvarez hit a two-run double in the sixth that gave New York a 3-2 lead.

The Nationals tied it at 3 in the eighth. Winker came full circle from the start when a bloop hit to right by Joey Meneses got past Taylor for an RBI double.

Meneses had two hits and two RBIs for Washington, which has lost six of seven.

Washington’s top prospect, the 21-year-old Wood, was called up from Triple-A Rochester earlier in the day. He scored in his first plate appearance and then committed an error, finishing 1-for-4 with a walk. A native of nearby Olney, Maryland, Wood was acquired in the August 2022 blockbuster trade that sent Juan Soto to San Diego.

After receiving a standing ovation from the crowd of 26,719 at the end of the second, Wood fell behind 1-2, worked the count full and then lined out an opposite fielder in left center. He struck out in the fourth, was out in the seventh and picked off Diekman’s two-base throwing error in the ninth.

One of baseball’s highest-rated prospects, the 6-foot-4, 234-pound Wood was hitting .353 with 10 home runs, 37 RBIs and a 1.058 OPS in the minors.

The Nationals were up 2–0 in the third on RBI singles by Harold Ramírez and Meneses.

With two outs in the sixth, Derek Law faced Mark Vientos, who singled for Bader. Taylor then hit a grounder that went between Abrams’ legs, and Alvarez followed with a two-run double to left center.

New York starter David Peterson allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Washington lefty MacKenzie Gore allowed one run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked one.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: OF Brandon Nimmo sat out after cutting his forehead when he passed out and fell in his hotel room during the night. New York coach Carlos Mendoza said Nimmo did not suffer a concussion and could return Tuesday. … RHP Kodai Senga (right shoulder) will begin his rehab assignment Wednesday at Class A Brooklyn and is scheduled to throw up to 40 pitches.

NEXT

Mets LHP Sean Manaea (5-3, 3.89 ERA) opposes Nationals LHP DJ Herz (1-2, 5.48) on Tuesday.

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