Francisco Lindor blasted his 300th career home run against the Washington Nationals on Sunday, a huge milestone that should have been a highlight of the day. Instead, it was just one shining moment in what turned into a brutal outing for the Mets, as they watched multiple leads slip away under the DC rain. The game, initially moved up to dodge a nor’easter, ended up delayed an hour anyway, setting the tone for a chaotic afternoon.
Mets Offense Fires Early, Nats Claw Back Relentlessly
The Mets came out swinging in the first inning. Lindor led off with a single, scooting to second on a wild pitch from Nationals pitcher DJ Herz. Carson Benge then singled him home for the game’s first run. Early lead, awesome, right? Not so fast. Manaea couldn’t hold it, giving up a two-out walk to Brady House, who then scored on a CJ Abrams triple. Tied game, just like that.
The second inning was a rollercoaster of emotions. Ronny Mauricio smashed a two-run homer, and then Lindor followed it up with his solo shot, that incredible 300th career bomb. Back-to-back dingers, Mets up! But the Nationals, man, they just wouldn’t quit. Harry Ford doubled with two outs, and Nasim Nuñez drove him in with an RBI double, cutting the lead down to two. Then Andres Chaparro led off the third with a homer, bringing the Mets’ lead down to a single run. Manaea got two outs, but Dylan Crews doubled, and Jacob Young singled him in on a bizarre deflection off Bo Bichette. Just like that, the Mets had lost their lead completely in the third inning. You gotta be kidding me.
Manaea Struggles as Nationals Take Control
After a quiet fourth, the Mets offense stayed cold in the top of the fifth. And what happened next? Andres Chaparro, again! He led off the bottom of the fifth with another home run, giving the Nationals the lead. Manaea managed to keep things somewhat under control after that, but the damage was absolutely done. Manaea’s day ended after six innings, having given up five earned runs and seven total, with a walk and only three strikeouts. Not exactly a dominant performance when you’re watching leads evaporate.
Austin Warren came in for the bottom of the seventh and, after getting one out, things immediately got hairy. A walk and a single put runners on the corners, and Brady House singled to center, driving in another run to put the Nationals up by two. Warren eventually got out of the inning, but the Mets were in a serious hole.
This game, unfortunately, showed a team that just couldn’t hold on, even with a massive individual achievement from Lindor. They’ve got a lot to clean up, especially when they can’t protect an early lead. You just hope they can learn from these kinds of tough losses going forward.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Amazin’ Avenue.
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