Mets Lose to Nationals 3-2 As Manaea and Offense Struggle

 

Mets LHP Sean Manea (Photo Credits to SNY.TV)

The New York Mets lost to the Washington Nationals 3-2 this afternoon to lose two out of three games in the series and dropped their record to 80-76.

LHP Sean Manaea had a scoreless top of the first, but had a difficult top of the second after he gave up a RBI double to catcher Jorge Alfaro and two batters later, a two-run homer to SS Nasim Nunez.

Manaea had a scoreless top of the third and was then taken out. 

His final line was three innings, four hits, three runs, 0 walks and three strikeouts.

RHP Clay Holmes followed with 3.2 scoreless innings.

LHP Brooks Raley picked up the last out in the top of the seventh.

LHP Gregory Soto threw a scoreless top of the eighth.

RHP Edwin Diaz threw a scoreless top of the ninth.

The Met offense was held scoreless for the first two innings until the bottom of the third after catcher Luis Torrens led off with a double and CF Cedric Mullins followed with a RBI single. SS Francisco Lindor then lined out into a double play and then RF Juan Soto doubled and advanced to third on a balk. LF Brandon Nimmo followed with a line-out to end the inning.

The offense did not do much for the next two innings until the bottom of the sixth after Lindor led off with a solo homer and then Soto followed with a walk. Nimmo then grounded into a fielder's choice and 1B Pete Alonso followed with a single.

However, 2B Jeff McNeil popped out and DH Mark Vientos struck out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, Alonso singled with two outs and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but McNeil grounded out to end the inning.

The Met offense was unable to deliver a clutch hit and went 1-5 with runners in scoring position leaving six runners on base.

The Mets are off tomorrow and return back to action on Tuesday, September 23 at the Chicago Cubs at 7:40 p.m.