The Mets’ lineup took advantage of its opportunities tonight at Citi Field, as the team beat the Nationals by an 8-0 score. Clay Holmes pitched well, and a big error by the Nationals helped the Mets blow the game open, but there’s nothing wrong with any of that as far as the Mets are concerned.
Bo Bichette opened the scoring with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first on the first pitch that he saw from Nationals starter Zack Littell, who entered the game with a 7.56 ERA on the season. His teammates didn’t do any further damage through the bottom of the third, but that changed in a big way in the fourth.
With the bases loaded and one out in that inning, Littell induced a ground ball off the bat of Marcus Semien that had the potential to turn into an inning-ending double play. But Nationals third baseman Jorbit Vivas misplayed it entirely, allowing the ball to end up in left field and plating the Mets’ second and third runs of the game.
That left runners on second and third, and Carson Benge single to left-center to bring both of them home and give the Mets a 5-0 lead. After a Ronny Mauricio single put runners on the corners, Bichette hit a sac fly to bring in the Mets’ sixth run, and Juan Soto followed that up with a two-run home run to left-center field. The Mets were up 8-0, which was more than enough to win the game.
As for Holmes, he threw six innings without allowing a run, struck out six, walked one, and allowed just three hits. He now has a 1.75 ERA on the season, an impressive number even if the underlying metrics don’t fully support it.
Tobias Myers took over in the top of the seventh and went on to throw two scoreless innings before Craig Kimbrel retired the Nationals in order in the ninth to finish the game.
The Mets need to do much more than win one game against the Nationals, but it is obviously a good thing that they snapped a three-game losing streak. David Peterson takes the mound tomorrow night, and he and the Mets’ lineup will try to get the team a series win.
What’s WPA?Big Mets winner: Clay Holmes, +22% WPABig Mets loser: noneMets pitchers: +23% WPAMets hitters: +27% WPATeh aw3s0mest play: Two runs score on a Jorbit Vivas error in the fourth, +13% WPATeh sux0rest play: CJ Abrams singles in the top of the fourth, -3% WPA