Mets Beat Nationals 5-1 Powered By Alonso

Mets 1B Pete Alonso (Photo Credits to Brad Penner-USA Today Sports)

 The New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 5-1 tonight at Citi Field for their second consecutive win and improved their record to 49-54.

The Met offense was held scoreless for the first four innings, but came alive in the bottom of the fifth.

3B Brett Baty and Catcher Francisco Alvarez started off the inning with walks, and after CF Brandon Nimmo and SS Francisco Lindor lined out, 1B Pete Alonso came through and broke the scoreless tie with a towering three-run homer off LHP MacKenzie Gore.

In the bottom of the second, Lindor singled with two outs and then Alonso capped out his fantastic night at the plate with a two-run homer, his 30th homer of the season.

RHP Max Scherzer worked out of a based loaded jam in the top of the second and then settled in after that.

Scherzer cruised through the first six innings, but in the top of the seventh gave up a solo homer to 2B Luis Garcia and was taken out after the inning.

His final line was seven innings, six hits, one run, two walks and seven strikeouts.

Scherzer had sharp command of his fastball and slider.

He picked up his ninth win and lowered his ERA to 4.01.

RHP Adam Ottavino followed with a scoreless top of the eighth.

LHP Brooks Raley closed it out with a scoreless top of the ninth.

The Mets next game is tomorrow night, Saturday, July 29 at home against the Washington Nationals at 7:10 p.m.