David Peterson struck out a season-high 10 batters over eight innings and Mark Vientos belted a two-run homer to highlight a five-run third, fueling the New York Mets to an 8-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.
Peterson (8-5) permitted one run on four hits and one walk while improving to 7-1 vs. the Nationals in his career. On June 11, he tossed his first career complete game in a 5-0 victory over Washington.
New York’s Jeff McNeil hit a two-run double in the third inning and belted a solo homer in the ninth to cap a three-hit performance.
Brett Baty went deep to lead off the sixth inning and Juan Soto did the same in the seventh to help the Mets win their third straight game following a 2-14 slide.
The game was the first in major league history to feature two Venezuelan-born managers squaring off: New York’s Carlos Mendoza and Washington interim skipper Miguel Cairo.
New York’s Francisco Lindor, the reigning National League Player of the Week, doubled with one out in the third inning before Soto walked. Lindor came around to score the game’s first run on Brandon Nimmo’s single to left-center field.
McNeil plated a pair of runs with a two-out double to right field before Vientos gave New York a 5-0 lead by depositing a 0-2 curveball from Jake Irvin (8-8) over the wall in left-center field. The homer was Vientos’ ninth of the season and second in as many games.
Baty sent a first-pitch fastball from Irvin over the wall in right-center field in the sixth, and Soto rudely greeted reliever Konnor Pilkington by clearing the wall in left.
Washington’s Dylan Crews tripled to lead off the eighth inning. Andres Chaparro walked, and Crews scored when Peterson induced Brady House to ground into 5-4-3 double play. Peterson struck out Jacob Young to end the inning and his outing.
Irvin fell to 0-3 in four starts this month after permitting six runs on eight hits in six innings. He fanned three and walked three.
–Field Level Media
