Mets score nine runs in eighth inning to stun Nationals

The tables have turned for the New York Mets on Wednesday night. Just two days after being stumped by a late Nationals comeback, the team produced a massive rally of its own to take the series finale by a score of 11-5. After being beaten by the Nationals in the past two games at home, this was an important victory that will hopefully get the Mets back on track as they travel to Atlanta.

Things quickly went sour early in the game, as Mets fell behind 3-0 after the fourth batter of the game, Ryan Zimmerman, hit a three-run home run off of Steven Matz to put the Nats ahead. Those were the only runs surrendered by Matz in his abbreviated start. He allowed only one more batter to reach base over the next three innings—and was pinch hit for in the bottom of the fourth inning by Brandon Nimmo.

The star of the Mets’ pitching staff tonight was the sporadically-used Paul Sewald. Put into the game after the departure of Matz, he put together three impressive innings in which he only allowed one run and one hit while striking out five Nationals hitters.

After a busy top of the first inning, things stayed mostly quiet until the Mets’ half of the fourth. Asrubal Cabrera doubled and Todd Frazier walked to set the table for Adrian Gonzalez, who drove in a run on a single. Jose Lobaton followed Gonzalez and drove in a run of his own on an error by Ryan Zimmerman at first base to make the score 3-2. Nimmo, pinch hitting for Matz, was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Amed Rosario grounded into a double play to end the Mets’ threat.

What followed was another few offensively lacking innings as the two teams didn’t reach base in either of the next two innings. In the seventh, Washington struck again, scoring another run on a Moises Sierra sacrifice fly after Ryan Zimmerman tripled.

The Mets didn’t respond in the seventh, but the offense came to life in the eighth as nine runs crossed the plate for the Amazin’s. Following singles by Michael Conforto, Yoenis Cespedes, and Asdrubal Cabrera, Todd Frazier tied the game up at four apiece with his two-run single. Three batters later, pinch hitter Juan Lagares doubled in two more runs to give the Mets the lead. After walks to Amed Rosario and Michael Conforto, the latter driving in a run, Yoenis Cespedes came up with the bases loaded and whacked a big dinger into the left field seats to drive in four more. Asdrubal Cabrera grounded out to end the inning, but the damage was done. A 4-2 deficit quickly became an 11-5 advantage for the awoken Mets.

Seth Lugo came in to close out the game and ran into the same problem that most of the other Met pitchers faced in the game, Ryan Zimmerman. But, Zimmerman’s home run was the only blemish on Lugo’s record as he closed out the game and secured the Mets’ 13th victory of the season, and the fourth against Washington.

The Mets hope to carry their good mojo into the four-game series against the Braves, starting tomorrow in Atlanta. Matt Harvey will take the mound for the Mets against the Atlanta starting pitcher, who is yet to be named, at 7:35 tomorrow night.

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Win Probability Added

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What’s WPA?

Big winners: Todd Frazier, +44% WPA, Juan Lagares, +31.4% WPA, Asdrubal Cabrera, +19.8% WPA
Big losers: Jay Bruce, -25.4% WPA, Amed Rosario -23.6% WPA, Steven Matz, -16.7% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Todd Frazier’s two-run single in the eighth inning, +41.5%
Teh sux0rest play: Amed Rosario’s fourth inning double play, -20.1%
Total pitcher WPA: 13.1% WPA-
Total batter WPA: 63.1% WPA+
GWRBI!: Juan Lagares