Nationals fall to Mets in Game 1 of split doubleheader
By Pablo Roa
Sep 24, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Baseball fans try to stay dry under umbrellas prior to the game between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. The game was eventually postponed. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Nationals fell to the New York Mets, 7-4, in Game 1 of Thursday’s split doubleheader. The Nationals came back to tie the game twice, but a late-inning rally by the Mets snapped Washington’s five-game win streak on a cool, rainy day in the nation’s capital.
Blake Treinen got the start for the Nationals and gave up four runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings. It was a rough day for the young right-hander, who was coming off a dominant performance against the Braves last week in which he gave up just three hits over five scoreless innings.
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The Mets got the scoring started in the top of the first on an RBI single by Curtis Granderson. After a sacrifice fly from Ian Desmond had tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, the Mets added three more runs an inning later on an RBI double from Daniel Murphy and another RBI single from Granderson, giving New York a 4-1 lead.
But the Nationals weren’t giving up against Mets starter Dillon Gee, scoring three runs of their own on RBI singles from Nate Schierholtz and Michael Taylor, tying the game at four in the bottom of the fifth.
Unfortunately for the Nationals, the bullpen was unable to hold off the Mets late in the game. New York scored two runs against Tyler Clippard in the eighth and added an insurance run against Ryan Mattheus in the ninth.
The Nationals had runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but Mets closer Jenrry Mejia escaped the jam to seal a 7-4 victory for New York.
With the loss, the Nationals are now 92-65 on the season and lead the Dodgers (91-68) by two games in the race for the best record in the National League and home field advantage in the playoffs. The magic number to clinch the top spot remains at two.
They’ll be back at it for Game 2 tonight at 7:05 p.m., when left-hander Gio Gonzalez (9-10, 3.74 ERA) will face off against right-hander Zack Wheeler (11-10, 3.49 ERA) and the Mets in the final meeting of the season between the division foes.