When the calendar changed to July, the Mets began the month with an extra-inning win over the Nationals 9-7 on Monday night in Washington.
Here are the conclusions…
-Tied 3-3 after nine, the Mets went to extra innings for the second straight game. Things were a little different as JD Martinez — who was on an 0-for-12 skid, including a strikeout in the 10th inning with a chance to win on Sunday — was picked off and fired a 420-foot, three-run shot to center that gave his team the lead.
But it didn’t end there. With two outs in the inning, Tyron Taylor It is Francisco Álvarez hit a double and triple in almost the same spot in right field to add another run. To ensure, José Iglesias fired the first pitch he saw for a two-run home run — his first as a Met and his first since 2022 — to extend the Mets’ lead to 9-3.
-It was almost not enough, as New York’s bullpen surrendered four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Tyler Jay started the inning, but only managed two outs, allowing four runs (three earned) on two hits and two walks. Reed Garrett he had to come in and after giving up a hit, he ended the game with a strikeout.
-After a rough start against the Mets on June 3 where he allowed six earned runs in 4.1 innings, Mackenzie Gore flipped the script on Monday night, holding the Mets scoreless through the first five innings. But it was in the sixth inning that New York did damage by pushing the limits and taking advantage of a crucial error by Washington.
Holding a 2-0 lead in the sixth, the lefty allowed a leadoff hit to Harrison Bader, who then stole second base as Gore struggled to contain the run game this season. Gore managed to strike out the next two batters, but with 104 pitches and Marcos Vientoswho scored a double at the beginning of the game and took Gore to the bottom of that terrible start to June, becoming head coach of the Nats David Martinez went to his bullpen to try to get the final out of the inning.
-As he has done all season since his call-up, Vientos excelled with a runner in scoring position and hit a single to reliever Derek Lei to get the Mets on the board and cut their deficit in half. Taylor followed with a hard ball straight to the shortstop CJ Abrams this should have been the last inning, however, Abrams let the ball go right through his legs to put runners on the corners for Alvarez.
On the next pitch, Alvarez jumped over Law and hit a go-ahead double to left-center field to give New York its first lead of the night.
-Despite some initial successes, David Peterson pitched well, although he allowed two runs to score in the third inning after a walk and three consecutive singles. After that, the left-hander settled in well and kept the Nats off the board, with the help of his defense who turned two double plays.
His bottom line: 6.1 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K on 86 pitches (62 strikes). He was pulled after allowing a single Keibert Ruiz and he wasn’t happy about it, throwing his glove into the dugout.
–Dedniel Nuñez He came in relieved and after finishing seventh, he returned to eighth, still trying to maintain his one-race lead. Nunez started the inning by retiring the first two batters and was in prime position to finish a perfect game by getting ahead of Jesse Winker, 0-2. The right-hander ended up losing him to a walk, and Joey Meneses followed with a hit to right field that took a funny bounce and eluded Taylor, which allowed Winker to score the tying run.
Game MVP: JD Martinez
The designated hitter came out of a minor slump at the right time and atoned for a missed opportunity in Sunday’s game.
Highlights
What is the next
The Mets and Nationals continue their four-game series on Tuesday night, with first pitch scheduled for 6:45 pm on SNY.
LHP Sean Manaea (5-3, 3.89 ERA) goes to New York, LHP opposition DJ Herz (1-2, ERA 5.48).
