The Sports Xchange
Aug 25, 2017
WASHINGTON -- Jacob deGrom gave up one run in 7 2/3 innings and Juan Lagares had two hits and drove in a run as the New York Mets overcame another injury to beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 on Friday night.
Mets starter deGrom (14-7) allowed five hits while striking out 10 and walking just one.
The Nationals broke up the shutout bid as Adrian Sanchez had an RBI single in the eighth to make it 3-1. Andrew Stevenson doubled with two outs and then scored on the hit by Sanchez, which sent deGrom to showers. Former Washington lefty Jerry Blevins then fanned Daniel Murphy to end the threat.
Lagares drove in a run with a single with two outs in the ninth to make it 4-1.
A.J. Ramos pitched the ninth for his fourth save with the Mets and 24th overall despite allowing a leadoff homer to Adam Lind to make it 4-2. Wilmer Difo (two hits) followed with a double but Ramos got the last three outs after pinch-hitter Anthony Rendon nearly hit a game-tying homer that was just foul.
Ramos fanned Stevenson with the bases loaded for the final out.
Matt Reynolds, who entered the game in the first inning for the injured Yoenis Cespedes, had an RBI single in the eighth off Matt Grace to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. Rookie Dominic Smith had an RBI sacrifice fly later in the eighth to make it 3-0.
Washington's A.J. Cole (1-4), in his 14th career start in the majors and fifth this season, matched a career-high with eight strikeouts. He gave up one run on four hits in six innings with four walks.
The first-place Nationals (76-50) started just one player who was in Opening Day lineup: former Mets second baseman Murphy. The Mets (56-71), who had lost eight of 10, are just 4-9 against Washington this year. Asdrubal Cabrera was 2-for-4 for the Mets.
Brandon Nimmo led off the game with a walk, took second on a one-out walk to Yoenis Cespedes and then scored on a single by former Nationals infielder Cabrera to give the Mets a 1-0 lead in the first.
Cespedes left the game minutes later. The Mets slugger was favoring his right leg as he rounded third on a single by Smith. Cespedes touched home and then was helped off the field by an athletic trainer. Since the batted ball by Smith hit the second base umpire, Cespedes had to go back to third base.
Reynolds went to third to run for Cespedes, who went on the disabled list April 28 with a left hamstring strain. Cespedes, who is hitting .292 with 17 homers and 42 RBIs in 291 at bats, left with a right hamstring strain.
Over the first five innings, deGrom allowed just three singles, including an infield single by Difo in the second.
NOTES: Washington RHP Max Scherzer (neck), who is on the 10-day disabled list, threw a bullpen session before Friday's game and it appears he could start Sunday night. ... Mets OF Michael Conforto (dislocated left shoulder), who was hurt Thursday, was officially placed on the disabled list Friday and RHP Jeurys Familia came off the 60-day disabled list. ... Washington RHP A.J. Cole was called up from Triple-A Syracuse to start Friday while C Pedro Severino was sent to Syracuse. ... LHP Gio Gonzalez (12-5, 2.39) will face Mets RHP Robert Gsellman (5-5, 5.65) on Saturday. ... The Nationals plane landed about 4:30 a.m. Friday in northern Virginia after a game in Houston on Thursday night.