Mets win fifth in row as bats explode for 10 runs in shutout of Nationals
The Mets believed they had tacked on another two-out run in the third inning when a Patrick Corbin sinker bore in on Luis Guillorme, appearing to strike his hand with the bases loaded. But upon the Nationals’ challenge, the call was overturned: The ball had drilled the handle of the bat.
And so on the next pitch, Guillorme calmly slapped a two-run single through the left side.
In a season in which the Mets have lost Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer for a significant chunk of time only for other pitchers to step up in their absences, even things that go wrong have ended up going right.
Behind yet another offensive explosion filled with timely hits and yet another step-up from an unexpected pitching source, the Mets continued to play the hammer to the nails in their division with a 10-0 destruction of the Nationals at Citi Field in front of 25,263 on Tuesday night for their season-high fifth straight victory.
The Mets (34-17) are a season-best 17 games over .500 and 18-7 against the NL East before Wednesday’s matinee finale with Washington, whom the Mets have outscored 23-5 in this series. The Mets then head west as their competition level gets cranked up against the Dodgers, Padres and Angels.
“I hope [the hitters] keep approaching the way they are, putting the ball [in play],” Buck Showalter said of an offense that clicked for 17 hits. “Having Lady Luck shine on them sometimes.”
Starling Marte gave the Mets a 2-0 lead two batters into the bottom of the first with his sixth home run of the season, and they never looked back. Mark Canha led the way in going 4-for-5, but there were standout performances up and down the Mets’ lineup. Each starter had a hit by the end of the fifth inning.
They blew the game open in a four-run fifth, when they loaded the bases for Canha, whose fourth hit was a two-run double down the right-field line.
Two batters later, Francisco Lindor’s liner was perfectly placed and found a hole in right field against the shift for a two-run single, and the rout was on. The shortstop has tallied an RBI in nine straight games, tied for the third-longest streak in franchise history.
“We preach in our meetings to not try to do too much and try to chip away and have good at-bats,” said Canha, who registered the second four-hit game of his career. “Don’t try to go up there and hit homers all day. Let it come naturally. That’s really impressive, not just to talk about it but to go out there and do it.”
Of course, homers are nice, too. Eduardo Escobar added a two-run shot, his third of the year, in the sixth inning to make it an even 10 runs.
On a night the organization paid tribute to Johan Santana’s 134-pitch no-hitter 10 years ago, the Mets’ depleted staff also got it done.
Trevor Williams, filling in because of the injuries to deGrom, Scherzer and Tylor Megill, pitched five scoreless innings in which he allowed just three hits (all singles) and two walks. Despite a couple misplays behind him, Williams was excellent and lowered his ERA to 3.58.
“I’m happy to be able to contribute and help the team out,” said Williams, who has started four games and come out of the bullpen five times. “We’re playing really good baseball right now. For us to get a series win coming off a series sweep, this is huge for us.”
Three relievers followed Williams, including Drew Smith for the first time since dislocating his pinky Sunday. The righty pitched 1 ²/₃ scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out four. He looked “encouraging,” Showalter said, but he did not throw his sinker. Before the game, the manager signaled Smith was staying away from one pitch because of the grip it required.
The lone issue that cropped up for the Mets did not hurt them.
Pete Alonso — whose defense will be given a spotlight after the Mets optioned Dominic Smith — picked a poor time for his first two errors of the season.
In the second inning, Tomas Nido picked off Dee Strange-Gordon at first, but Alonso threw wildly to second base, allowing Strange-Gordon to wind up at third. An inning later, Alonso ranged to his right to pick up a Juan Soto grounder, then threw behind a running Williams, who was trying to cover first.
Of course, this being the King Midas Mets, both runners were stranded.
Against the dregs of the division, the Mets can do no wrong. With one out in the third, Strange-Gordon crushed what appeared to be at least a single past Alonso, but it drilled base-runner Maikel Franco, who was a few steps off first and thus ruled out.
Even things that appear to harm the 2022 Mets have found ways to help them.
