Offense falls flat as Washington Nationals fall to New York Mets

Sep 3, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Tanner Roark (57) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Tanner Roark (57) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tanner Roark didn’t make it past the fifth inning and the offense struggled, as the Washington Nationals fell to the New York Mets, 3-1.

The Washington Nationals were hoping to secure a series win over the Mets and further stretch their already impressive lead in the NL East. Unfortunately for the Nationals, the offense just wasn’t there and the Mets came away with a win in Game 2.

Things started off well for the Nationals, after a sacrifice fly off the bat of Anthony Rendon gave them a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. But the lead was short lived, and the Mets came right back in the bottom of the third inning.

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Nats starter Tanner Roark got two quick outs in the third, before walking Jose Reyes to put a runner on first with one out. Reyes then advanced to third after a double by former Nat Asdrubal Cabrera put two runners in scoring position. Both runners scored later in the inning on an RBI double off the bat of Curtis Grandson, giving New York a 2-1 lead.

It was a rare inefficient game for Roark, who threw 96 pitches over just five innings of work. On the night, he gave up two runs on four hits while walking four batters and striking out three.

While Roark kept the Nationals in the game, his offense didn’t give him much help. Despite notching seven hits on the night, the Nationals only managed to score that one run in the first inning. They stranded a whopping nine runners, giving the Mets a 3-1 victory.

Even with the loss, the Nationals remain a commanding 9.5 games over the Mets in the NL East.

Next Up: The Nationals look to win the series against the Mets tomorrow night in primetime. Reynaldo Lopez gets the start for the Nats, while Seth Lugo takes the mound for the Mets. First pitch is set for 8:08 p.m. ET.