NEW YORK (AP) — Jose Quintana permitted one hit over seven shutout innings, Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor both homered and drove in three runs, and the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 7-5 on Tuesday night.
Harrison Bader had three hits and scored twice from the bottom of the batting order for the Mets, who moved back to .500 at 45-45. Lindor also had three hits and scored two runs in the leadoff spot.
“I was going to get hot at some point,” Lindor said.
Pinch-hitter Ildemaro Vargas put the Nationals on the board with a two-run homer in the eighth against reliever Adam Ottavino, booed off the mound by the Citi Field crowd of 31,243. It was Vargas’ first home run since Aug. 11 last year.
Keibert Ruiz added a two-run homer off Reed Garrett in the ninth. Jacob Young then scored from second base on a wild pitch by Edwin Díaz before the closer struck out All-Star CJ Abrams for his ninth save in 14 opportunities.
“We were getting close. Our at-bats got better. We started driving the ball,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “We went from really a dismal offensive day to putting up five runs.”
Before the game, the Mets made a move to boost their struggling bullpen, acquiring veteran reliever Phil Maton from Tampa Bay for a player to be named or cash.
“I still believe in these guys. They’re going through a rough stretch. The good thing is that we’ve been winning some games. But I’m still confident that those guys are going to bounce back. They’ve done it before. They’re going through it right now, and it’s contagious,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “They’re feeling it. We’ve been riding these guys pretty hard.”
Jake Irvin (7-7) held the Mets to one hit over eight innings for a 1-0 win last week in Washington, but this time they got to him early.
“I just think it speaks to the will to be adjustable,” Nimmo said.
With two outs in the second, the right-hander walked slumping Jeff McNeil and gave up a single to Bader. Lindor lashed an RBI single, and Nimmo’s high fly to left field on a humid evening kept carrying over the wall for a three-run shot.
“I think it just kind of got in the jet stream a little bit, and I needed every bit of it,” Nimmo said with a smile. “Yeah, I would say that’s more of a hitter’s ballpark home run, so I’ll take it.”
Bader singled again with two outs in the sixth, and Lindor made it 6-0 with his 16th homer.
“He’s playing like the All-Star and MVP candidate that we all know and love,” Nimmo said. “The production that we’re getting from him right now is unbelievable.”
Irvin, who was 4-1 with a 1.70 ERA in his previous five games, allowed nine hits and two walks in six innings.
“His breaking ball wasn’t as sharp,” Martinez said. “But all in all, he gave us some innings that we needed.”
Quintana (4-5) kept the young Nationals off balance all night, setting down his final 13 batters to win his third straight decision. The veteran lefty struck out five and walked one, yielding just a leadoff single to Luis García Jr. in the third.
Washington loaded the bases with two outs, but touted rookie James Wood was retired on a nice play by Lindor at shortstop.
Quintana is 3-0 with a 0.89 ERA in his past five starts. He also fired seven scoreless innings last Thursday in Washington, taking a no-decision in his duel with Irvin.
“He’s a true professional,” Lindor said.
The previous Mets pitcher with consecutive starts of seven shutout innings was Jacob deGrom with three straight in September 2019.
“Facing guys a second time around, it can be really tough,” Nimmo said. “It shows you what locating can really do.”
Tyrone Taylor tripled leading off the eighth for New York and scored on McNeil’s double.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: LHP Jose A. Ferrer (lat strain) retired all five batters he faced in a rehab outing with Double-A Harrisburg. … 1B Joey Gallo (left hamstring strain) is with the team and doing very light baseball activity. “He still can’t fully run yet, but he’s getting better,” Martinez said. … The team hopes to send RHP Cade Cavalli (Tommy John surgery) to Florida next week to begin throwing again.
Mets: RHP Kodai Senga tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings of two-hit ball for Triple-A Syracuse in his second minor league rehab start. Sidelined all season by a shoulder injury, the right-hander threw 52 pitches against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, a New York Yankees affiliate. He struck out three and walked two. Senga made his first rehab start last Wednesday with High-A Brooklyn, throwing 35 pitches in 2 2/3 hitless innings. … RF Starling Marte (right knee bone bruise) is scheduled for more imaging during his next checkup Thursday. … RHP Sean Reid-Foley (shoulder impingement) played catch from 120 feet and hopes to throw a bullpen in the next two or three days.
UP NEXT
Nationals LHP Patrick Corbin (1-8, 5.49 ERA) starts the middle game of the series Wednesday night against RHP Luis Severino (5-3, 3.83).
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