Final Score: Mets 3, Nationals 1—Gsellman grand, Granderson grander

Robert Gsellman held the first-place Nationals in check for six innings and the Mets scraped together just enough offense to win 3-1. The Cardinals lost earlier in the day so the Mets are just one game back of the second Wild Card.

Gsellman allowed one run on six hits, striking out four and walking three. He coaxed nine ground outs to just four fly outs, a fine ratio. The Mets’ bullpen array of Jim Henderson, Josh Smoker, Addison Reed, and Jeurys Familia held the Nats at bay and off the board to preserve Gsellman’s second big league win.

On the offensive side of the ledger, the Mets got contributions from surprising sources. In the bottom of the third with the Mets trailing 1-0, Curtis Granderson swept a two-out single through the shift into right field, sending home Jose Reyes and Asdrubal Cabrera to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, Travis d’Arnaud singled and was chased home on a James Loney double to give the Mets the two-run lead they’d carry the rest of the way.

The series wraps up at 8 PM Sunday night and the Mets got a bit of good news on that front. Max Scherzer, who was originally slated to start the finale, will be passed over for extra rest. The Mets will instead face Reynaldo Lopez, who has good stuff but a 5.33 ERA in 25 innings this season and in any case is a far better draw than the oft-dominant Scherzer.

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