Francisco Lindor had the walk-off RBI single in the ninth inning Saturday as the host New York Mets edged the Washington Nationals, 5-4, in the middle game of a three-game series.
The Mets left two runners on in the eighth before surging back against Yovanny Cruz (0-1), who got just one out in the ninth. Brett Baty opened the inning with a walk and Jorge Polanco singled before Baty raced home on Francisco Alvarez’s double to left.
A.J. Ewing got ahead 3-0 before striking out, after which Lindor hit a 1-2 pitch to deep right field to score Cristian Pache, who was pinch-running for Polanco.
Jefry Yan (1-0) retired all five batters he faced as the Mets improved to 8-3 since the trade deadline. Jared Young had two hits, including a two-RBI double, and Carson Benge hit a solo homer.
Brady House put the Nationals ahead with a three-run homer in the sixth. Andres Chapparo delivered a solo shot in the fourth while Jacob Young finished with two hits for the Nationals, who fell to 5-9 this month.
Will Dion threw 4 1/3 hitless innings of relief in place of starter Brad Lord, who allowed two runs on one hit and four walks while recording just two outs, including one via strikeout.
Dion allowed just one baserunner — a walk of Marcus Semien leading off the fourth — and struck out seven, one shy of the Nationals/Montreal Expos franchise record for a reliever.
The Mets’ Sean Manaea gave up four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out seven over 6 1/3 innings.
Lord walked three of the first four batters he faced before Jared Young’s double down the left field line. Benge was thrown out trying to score on Marcus Semien’s grounder to short before Lord exited after walking Brett Baty.
Chaparro was the only Nationals player to get beyond first base before Washington took advantage of an ineffective Manaea in the sixth. Manaea plunked leadoff batter Andrew Pinckney and walked Chaparro with one out before House homered just fair down the left field line.
Benge homered leading off the sixth.
–Field Level Media
