Mets survive another near collapse in the ninth inning against the Nationals

MLB

By Mike Puma

WASHINGTON — Jake Diekman focused on simple math as the bullpen door opened in the ninth inning Monday night with a Mets victory on the line.

The left-hander had missed the save the day before against the Diamondbacks on Ketel Marte's two-run homer in the ninth inning in a heartbreaking loss to the Mets.

Diekman had cleared that memory and was now tasked with cleaning up Adam Ottavino's mess.

“Try to get two outs before they score two,” Diekman said of his mindset.

Diekman got both outs and Washington scored just one in a dominating 8-7 win for the Mets at Nationals Park.

Diekman struck out Drew Millas with the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at first to end it, as the Mets (who lead the major leagues with 10 losses while leading after seven innings) avoided almost another disaster.

Struggling Ottavino, carrying an 8-5 lead, recorded just one out in the ninth and allowed one run before leaving with the bases loaded.

Diekman fell behind 3-0 in the count against Joey Meneses before striking out on a sacrifice fly.

It took Diekman just three pitches – all four-seam fastballs – to strike out Millas.

“[Diekman] “He's been in this game a long time and he's been able to slow the game down and think small, one pitch at a time,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He came back in the count and got the sacrifice fly there and got back on track for the last out of the game. A hell of a job, especially after the release he made [Sunday].”

Ottavino's disastrous ninth undercut what had been a good night of work from the Mets bullpen.

The Mets have won just four times in their last 14 games, but in three of those wins, Adrian Houser left an imprint as a reliever.

That night, he pitched 2 ¹/₃ scoreless innings in relief before Drew Smith, in his first appearance on the injured list, made the final out in the eighth.

As a starter, Houser had an 8.55 ERA in seven appearances this season.

In his five relief outings, he was a completely different pitcher, owning a 1.42 ERA.

Houser also had multi-inning relief appearances against the Giants and Diamondbacks in the final homestand in which he pitched well and the Mets won.

Tylor Megill struggled in his third start on the injured list, allowing five runs, one unearned, on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts in five innings.

Megill's chances of working deeper evaporated during a fifth inning in which he faced seven batters but gave up just one run.

“It’s just one of those starts where the command isn’t there and you’re trying to get out of there and make quality throws,” Megill said.

Starling Marte and Mark Vientos walked in succession to start the second, allowing the Mets to take a 1-0 lead on Harrison Bader's sacrifice fly after a wild pitch.

The Mets loaded the bases in the inning, but Pete Alonso was grounded out on a deep fly to left to end the threat.

Bader dropped Nick Senzel's ball to deep right center in the top of the second for a two-base error that led the Nationals to tie it 1-1 on Jesse Winker's RBI single.

Vientos homered off MacKenzie Gore to start the fourth.

The blast, which put the Mets ahead 2-1, was Vientos' fifth of the season — three of which came against lefties.

Francisco Lindor delivered an RBI single in the inning after Jose Iglesias singled and stole second.

Joey Gallo hit a three-run homer in the fourth to give the Nationals a 4-3 lead.

Senzel and Winker each singled before the Nationals saw a call overturned at first base, allowing Ildemaro Vargas to reach and extend the inning.

Vargas was initially thrown out on what would have been a grounding double play in the bottom of the inning.

The Mets loaded the bases in the fifth before Bader's second sacrifice fly of the night tied it 4-4.

Iglesias' third hit of the game, an RBI single, gave the Mets the lead before Luis Torrens extended the lead to 7-4 with a two-run double.

But Megill barely survived the fifth, allowing one run on two singles and two walks to bring the Nationals within 7-5. Megill escaped with the bases loaded by retiring Vargas for the final out.

Jacob Barnes' throwing error gave the Mets a run in the sixth.

Starling Marte singled and JD Martinez raced to third, the throw to right field hitting him.

Barnes caught the ball and tried to pin Marte, who had taken a wide turn first, and threw it away.