Mets @ Nationals: 09/04 1:05 PM ET; YT; WCBS, ESPN, WJFK

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GAME 139, ROAD GAME 75

Wednesday, 4th September
1:05 PM ET
Nationals Park




METS -- STANDINGS -- NATIONALS



METS -- LEADERS -- NATIONALS



METS -- BATTING -- NATIONALS



METS -- PITCHING -- NATIONALS



METS -- TRANSACTIONS - INJURIES



NATIONALS -- TRANSACTIONS - INJURIES



GAME START WEATHER



METS -- LINEUPS -- NATIONALS

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Mets Try to Recover After Historic Collapse vs. Nats



WASHINGTON -- After pulling off an improbable win on Tuesday night, the Washington Nationals will try to take the rubber match of their three-game series against the New York Mets on Wednesday in the nation's capital.

Kurt Suzuki capped a seven-run ninth inning with a three-run walk-off homer as the Nationals victimized the Mets bullpen for their 20th win in 26 games. It was the largest ninth-inning comeback in franchise history.

Washington leads the National League wild-card race by 3 1/2 games.

"It's been a crazy year," said Ryan Zimmerman, who contributed a two-run pinch double in the ninth. "That's the only way to sum it up. For me, for the team, for everyone. It kind of fits into the narrative, I guess."

The Mets will try to rebound as they send right-hander Zack Wheeler (9-7, 4.41 ERA) out for the series finale.

Wheeler is coming off a no-decision in an 11-5 Mets win over the Phillies. He went six innings, allowing a run on seven hits while striking out four and walking three. It was his first quality start since Aug. 6 and helped New York snap a six-game losing streak.

"Losing six in a row, you need to get back on the right track, and that's all I was trying to do tonight -- put up zeroes and try to give us a chance to win," Wheeler told reporters of his start at the time.

He's 4-10 with a 5.17 ERA in 17 career starts against Washington.

This season Wheeler is 0-2 with a 7.94 ERA in four starts versus the Nationals. The last time he faced them, on May 21, he allowed three runs on four hits, striking out six with two walks in a no-decision.

Washington right-hander Anibal Sanchez (8-6, 3.80) hasn't lost a decision since May 10. Last time out he allowed two runs on three hits over five innings of a no-decision against the Marlins, with four walks and six strikeouts helping drive his pitch count to 94.

Sanchez has two no-decisions and a 4.26 ERA this season against the Mets. For his career, he's 5-5 with a 4.14 ERA in 16 starts against them.

After a five-run ninth inning that gave them a 10-4 lead, the Mets appeared on the verge of their second straight win in Washington on Tuesday. However, three Mets relievers combined for one out with Edwin Diaz surrendering the fatal blow from Suzuki.

"When I came in here, I didn't really know what just happened," Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo told the media after the game. "It kind of just seemed like a bad dream. I don't know. That's hard to do even in a Little League game I feel like, come back from (six) runs down in the bottom of the ninth against guys throwing 99 miles an hour. I don't really have words for it."

The Mets have suffered other bad losses this season, but Tuesday's defeat may cripple their wild-card hopes as they fell five games behind the Cubs, holders of the NL's second wild-card spot.

"This might be the toughest (loss) of the season," Jeff McNeil said. "We had it. Quick turnaround (Wednesday). Day game. So, we've got to flush it and we've got to win (Wednesday)."

New York lost on a night they got home runs from McNeil, Nimmo, Pete Alonso and Joe Panik.

Juan Soto hit a two-run shot off Jacob deGrom in eighth. Suzuki's homer was his 16th and his 58 RBIs are his most since he collected 61 in 2014.

"He gets up there and takes a hack," manager Dave Martinez said. "He gets in a good position to hit, and he got a ball he can hit."

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Top of 1:
Mets first. McNeil grounded out, first baseman Zimmerman unassisted. Alonso flied out to center fielder Robles. Conforto struck out.
Runs: 0, Hits: 0

Bottom of 1:
Nationals first. Turner flied out to center fielder Lagares. A.Cabrera lined out to right fielder Conforto. Rendon singled to right. Soto walked on a full count, Rendon to second. Zimmerman lined out to right fielder Conforto.
Runs: 0, Hits: 1

Top of 2:
Mets second. Ramos walked on a full count. Canó singled to center, Ramos to second. Davis grounded into a double play, third baseman Rendon to second baseman A.Cabrera to first baseman Zimmerman, Ramos to third, Canó out. Rosario flied out to center fielder Robles.
Runs: 0, Hits: 1

Bottom of 2:
Nationals second. Suzuki grounded out, third baseman McNeil to first baseman Alonso. Robles struck out. Parra singled to right. A.Sánchez singled to center, Parra to third. Turner singled to right, Parra scored, A.Sánchez to second. A.Cabrera walked on a full count, A.Sánchez to third, Turner to second. Rendon flied out to left fielder Davis.
Runs: 1, Hits: 3

Top of 3:
Mets third. Lagares homered to center on a 1-0 count. Wheeler grounded out, pitcher A.Sánchez to first baseman Zimmerman. McNeil grounded out, first baseman Zimmerman unassisted. Alonso fouled out to right fielder Parra.
Runs: 1, Hits: 1

Bottom of 3:
Nationals third. Soto singled to right. Zimmerman singled to left, Soto to second. Suzuki struck out. Robles lined out to left fielder Davis. Parra fouled out to left fielder Davis.
Runs: 0, Hits: 2

Top of 4:
Mets fourth. Conforto doubled to left. Ramos grounded out, second baseman A.Cabrera to first baseman Zimmerman, Conforto to third. Canó homered to left on the first pitch, Conforto scored. Davis singled to center. Rosario grounded out, second baseman A.Cabrera to first baseman Zimmerman, Davis to second. Lagares was intentionally walked. Wheeler flied out to center fielder Robles.
Runs: 2, Hits: 3

Bottom of 4:
Nationals fourth. A.Sánchez struck out. Turner singled to left. A.Cabrera lined out to right fielder Conforto. Rendon grounded out, shortstop Rosario to first baseman Alonso.
Runs: 0, Hits: 1

Top of 5:
Mets fifth. McNeil grounded out, first baseman Zimmerman unassisted. Alonso homered to left on the first pitch. Conforto struck out. Ramos grounded out, shortstop Turner to first baseman Zimmerman.
Runs: 1, Hits: 1

Bottom of 5:
Nationals fifth. Soto was out bunting, pitcher Wheeler to first baseman Alonso. Zimmerman grounded out, second baseman Canó to first baseman Alonso. Suzuki flied out to right fielder Conforto.
Runs: 0, Hits: 0

Top of 6:
Mets sixth. Canó walked on a full count. Davis doubled to left, Canó to third. Rosario singled to center, Canó scored, Davis to third. On center fielder Robles' fielding error, Davis scored, Rosario to second. Strickland pitching. Lagares lined out to center fielder Robles. Nimmo pinch-hitting for Wheeler. Nimmo walked on four pitches. McNeil singled to center, Rosario scored, Nimmo to second. Alonso fouled out to first baseman Zimmerman. Conforto flied out to left fielder Soto.
Runs: 3, Hits: 3

Bottom of 6:
Nationals sixth. Familia pitching. Nimmo in as left fielder. Robles grounded out, first baseman Alonso unassisted. Parra walked. Stevenson pinch-hitting for Strickland. Stevenson walked on a full count, Parra to second. Turner struck out. A.Cabrera singled to right, Parra scored, Stevenson to second. Rendon doubled to center, Stevenson scored, A.Cabrera scored. Avilán pitching. Soto struck out.
Runs: 3, Hits: 2

Top of 7:
Mets seventh. Suero pitching. Ramos grounded out, third baseman Rendon to first baseman Zimmerman. Canó singled to center. Panik pinch-hitting for Avilán. Panik grounded into a double play, shortstop Turner to first baseman Zimmerman, Canó out.
Runs: 0, Hits: 1

Bottom of 7:
Nationals seventh. Lugo pitching. Panik in as second baseman. Zimmerman struck out. Suzuki lined out to left fielder Nimmo. Robles doubled to right. Parra grounded out, second baseman Panik to first baseman Alonso.
Runs: 0, Hits: 1

Top of 8:
Mets eighth. Rodney pitching. Rosario singled to left. Lagares grounded out, pitcher Rodney to first baseman Zimmerman, Rosario to second. Nimmo walked. Rosario stole third. McNeil singled to right, Rosario scored, Nimmo to second. Nimmo was out advancing, right fielder Parra to third baseman Rendon, Nimmo out. On Rodney's wild pitch, McNeil to second. Alonso grounded out, shortstop Turner to first baseman Zimmerman.
Runs: 1, Hits: 2

Bottom of 8:
Nationals eighth. Kendrick pinch-hitting for Rodney. Kendrick singled to center. Turner flied out to right fielder Conforto. A.Cabrera fouled out to left fielder Nimmo. Rendon popped out to second baseman Panik.
Runs: 0, Hits: 1

Top of 9:
Mets ninth. Doolittle pitching. Kendrick in as second baseman. Conforto flied out to left fielder Soto. Ramos grounded out, second baseman Kendrick to first baseman Zimmerman. Frazier pinch-hitting for Lugo. Frazier walked. Haggerty pinch-running for Frazier. Panik singled to center, Haggerty to third. Rosario grounded out, second baseman Kendrick to first baseman Zimmerman.
Runs: 0, Hits: 1

Bottom of 9:
Nationals ninth. Davis in as right fielder. J.Wilson pitching. Soto grounded out, pitcher J.Wilson to first baseman Alonso. Zimmerman lined out to right fielder Davis. Suzuki walked on a full count. Robles grounded into fielder's choice, shortstop Rosario unassisted, Suzuki out.
Runs: 0, Hits: 0

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Mets Bullpen Bounces Back, Alonso 45th HR to Beat Nats 8-4



WASHINGTON -- A night after a brutal loss, the New York Mets got back to doing what they have since the All-Star break: Winning another series.

Justin Wilson and the bullpen held on this time, rookie Pete Alonso hit his major league-leading 45th home run and the Mets rebounded to stop the Washington Nationals 8-4 Wednesday.

A day after a trio of Mets relievers was tagged for seven runs in the bottom of the ninth inning in an 11-10 loss to the Nationals, three pitchers combined to close with 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

"That was a tough loss last night," manager Mickey Callaway said. "They bounced back well. They came out swinging the bats. We did the job on the mound. That was a good win."

After Wilson issued a two-out walk to Kurt Suzuki - whose three-run homer won it Tuesday night - Victor Robles followed with an easy grounder to Amed Rosario. The shortstop tagged second base for the last out, then zipped a relay to first, as if to make sure the Mets really nailed it down.

The Nationals' lead atop the NL wild-card race was cut to three games over the idle Chicago Cubs. The Mets trail the Cubs by 4 1/2 games.

New York's Wilson Ramos went 0 for 4, ending a 26-game hitting streak that tied for the second longest in club history. The slow-footed catcher was barely thrown out by second baseman Howie Kendrick on a grounder in the ninth.

"I went as hard as I can to get that single," Ramos said. "That was a great play by Kendrick. I'm excited and proud of what I did."

New York has won 12 of 16 series since the All-Star break. Washington dropped a series for the first time since Aug. 9-11 against the Mets. New York took eight of its last 10 against the Nationals and won the season series 12-7.

"It was just one of those things," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "I think they scored six or seven or eight more runs than us during the course of the (season) series. Their pitching's good. Our pitching's good. I think we match up well. They got the better hand on us but, hey, we move on."

The Mets went 4-2 on their road trip, taking two of three from both Philadelphia and Washington.

"This was a really awesome road trip for us," said Alonso, who connected for the second straight day and broke a tie with Mike Trout of the Angels and Cody Bellinger for the big league homer lead. "Taking two series on the road against really tough, in-division teams, it says a lot about this club. We're going to keep on pushing forward."

Robinson Cano hit a two-run shot in his first game in a month after being sidelined by a torn left hamstring. Juan Lagares also homered for the Mets, who took a 7-1 lead in the sixth.

Zack Wheeler (10-7) earned his first victory since Aug. 6. He needed 101 pitches to complete five innings, but allowed just one run.

The Nationals scored three off reliever Jeurys Familia in the sixth to close within 7-4, with Anthony Rendon hitting a two-run double. Luis Avilan, who was part of the ninth-inning collapse the previous night, finished the sixth, Seth Lugo pitched two scoreless innings and Wilson handled the ninth.

The Mets tagged Anibal Sanchez for seven runs in five-plus innings. Sanchez (8-7) lost for the first time since May 10, a span of 17 starts.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mets: 2B Jed Lowrie (left knee capsule sprain) will join Class A Brooklyn to continue his rehab assignment Thursday.

Nationals: OF Juan Soto was scheduled to get X-rays after getting hit on his elbow with a pitch Tuesday. Soto, who stayed in the game and later hit a home run while wearing an elbow protector, was in Wednesday's lineup and went 1 for 4. ... RHP Austen Williams (sprained AC joint) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

BARRETT'S BACK

Washington selected the contract of RHP Aaron Barrett from Double-A Harrisburg, completing the reliever's comeback from Tommy John surgery in 2015 and a fractured right arm in 2016. Barrett did not pitch in the minors in 2016 or 2017, then made 20 appearance for Class A Auburn last year. He was 0-2 with a 2.75 ERA and 31 saves for Harrisburg this season.

"I just found it within myself to keep pushing forward," said Barrett, who last pitched in the majors on Aug. 5, 2015. "I said it all along: When I make it back, it's going to be a hell of a comeback story. I'm pretty overwhelmed that I'm here, to be honest with you. It's crazy."

UP NEXT

Mets: New York has Thursday off before starting a 10-game homestand. LHP Steven Matz (9-8, 4.04 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game series against Philadelphia on Friday.

Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (16-5, 3.47) gets the nod as Washington begins a four-game series at NL East leader Atlanta. Strasburg is 4-1 with a 3.21 ERA in five career starts at SunTrust Park.

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