Mets Lose a Heartbreaker 5-3 to Nationals in 11 Innings With Lack of Clutch Hitting and Poor Defense

 

Mets RF Juan Soto (Photo Credits to SNY.TV)

The New York Mets lost to the Washington Nationals 5-3 in 11 innings at Citi Field this afternoon and dropped their record to 80-75.

RHP Nolan McLean gave up a lead-off walk to LF James Wood in the top of the first and two batters later, gave up a single to 1B James Wood.

McLean then gave up a RBI ground-out to DH Daylen Lile.

In the top of the second, McLean gave up a lead-off single to RF Dylan Crews and then gave up bloop single to the following hitter catcher Riley Adams, but RF Juan Soto tried to play the single on a bounce and the ball went under his glove which allowed Adams to advance to third.

McLean then was let down by his defense once again after 1B Pete Alonso made a throwing error to him covering first which allowed the following hitter 3B Brady House to reach first.

McLean came back to strike out the next two hitters, but then threw a wild pitch to allow another run to score.

McLean was able to settle down after that with scoreless innings in the top of the third, fourth and fifth and was taken out after that.

His final line was five innings, four hits, three runs, (one earned run), two walks and six strikeouts.

RHP Huascar Brazoban followed with 1.2 scoreless innings.

LHP Richard Lovelady came in next and threw 1.1 scoreless innings.

RHP Ryan Helsley threw a scoreless top of the ninth.

RHP Edwin Diaz threw a scoreless top of the tenth.

In the top of the eleventh, RHP Tyler Rogers came on and retired the first hitter he faced and then gave up a two-run inside the park homer to Lile.

The Met offense was held scoreless for the first seven innings wasting scoring opportunities in the bottom of the third and fifth, but then came alive in the bottom of the eighth.

In the bottom of the eighth, 1B Pete Alonso was hit by a pitch with one out and two batters later, DH Starling Marte doubled.

Pinch-hitter Mark Vinetos then drove in Alonso and Marte with a two-run double, but catcher Francisco Alvarez struck out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, pinch-hitter Luis Torrens led off with a single and was replaced by pinch-hitter Jose Siri. CF Cedric Mullins followed with a sacrifice bunt to advance Siri to second and SS Francisco Lindor followed with a hit by pitch.

RF Juan Soto followed with a RBI single to tie the game and then Soto and Lindor pulled off a double steal to advance to second and third and Alonso was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out.

LF Brandon Nimmo came up next and had a chance to deliver the walk-off, but struck out and Marte struck out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the tenth, 2B Luisangel Acuana reached on a bunt single to lead off the inning, but then Alvarez grounded into a double play and 3B Ronny Mauricio lined out to left to end the inning.

In the bottom of the eleventh, Mullins led off with a foul out, Lindor lined out to left and Soto struck out for the final out.

The Met offense struggled all game with men on base and was unable to come up with a timely hit going 3-16 with runners in scoring position leaving 13 runners on base.

The Mets next game is tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, September 21 at home against the Nationals at 1:40 p.m.