Mets 10-1 Nationals (September 17, 2024) Game Summary

NEW YORK — Pete Alonso hit a home run and drove in five runs, Luisangel Acuña capped a big night at bat with his first major league home run and the New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 10-1 on Tuesday to improve their chances in the tight race for the National League playoffs.

Tylor Megill (4-5) delivered another great performance in place of injured starter Paul Blackburn, and Francisco Alvarez also contributed a home run as the Mets improved their record against Washington to 10-2 this year.

New York is tied with Arizona for the second of three NL wildcards and, with eleven games remaining, is two games ahead of rival Atlanta in the battle for the league's last postseason spot.

“I'm just really excited about the situation we've put ourselves in,” Alonso said, explaining his passionate speech to his teammates during a meeting on Monday after Francisco Lindor's injury last weekend. “We control our own destiny.”

A cheer went up from the crowd of 24,932 at Citi Field when the away scoreboard showed Cincinnati had won a 6-5 comeback victory over the Braves.

“I didn't know,” Alonso said. “Someone told me that was why they were cheering, but I thought someone was just getting loud and drinking beer or something like that. I mean, that's what people do.”

Jose Iglesias had three of New York's 14 hits and scored two runs, batting first as Lindor was out with back pain. The 22-year-old Acuña, filling in for the MVP contender at shortstop, missed the cycle by a triple and scored three runs from the No. 9 position in his fourth major league game and second start.

“He’s been a real professional so far and it’s great to see that,” said Alonso.

Acuña, the younger brother of Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr., scored the first run for New York with a double and his first extra-base hit of his career. He hit a solo home run in the eighth inning and finished the game with his first two RBIs.

“I got this confidence from my brother,” the younger Acuña said through a translator.

He received a congratulatory text from his big brother and plans to display the commemorative ball from his first home run in a trophy case in the new house he is building.

“Excited. Proud of myself,” said Acuña. “I think I deserve this.”

Alonso also came up a triple short of the cycle. He hit a two-run single against shaky starter Mitchell Parker (7-10) with the bases loaded in the four-run third inning and then hit a three-run homer in the sixth.

Iglesias has a batting average of .425 during his 11-game hitting streak.

Acuña's first career error helped the Nationals score an unearned run in the third inning, but Megill recovered, allowing just two hits in six innings and retiring his final 10 batters – after throwing nine strikeouts in six innings with one hit in the last game in Toronto on Sept. 9.

“We just couldn't catch a fastball,” said Nationals manager Dave Martinez. “The guy was throwing fastballs and we were too late. Bad combination.”

Celebrated newcomer Dylan Crews was responsible for three of Washington's four hits.

TRAINING ROOM

Nationals: All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams (left shoulder) was back at bat after missing four games. … 2B Luis García Jr. exited in the fourth inning with right wrist soreness. … RHP Trevor Williams (muscle strain) threw a bullpen and could return from his minor league rehab assignment to face the Cubs this weekend in Chicago. … OF Alex Call (partial plantar fascia tear) caught fly balls at Citi Field. “If all goes well, we may send him to a short rehab,” Martinez said. “I know we're running out of time here, but I'd like to get him back and use him in some games.”

Mets: Lindor was feeling better, manager Carlos Mendoza said, and he still hopes to be back this week. … RHP Kodai Senga (left calf strain) threw another bullpen and completed some fielding drills. The team will wait to see how he feels Wednesday before announcing whether Senga's next step will be live batting practice, a minor league rehab game or another bullpen session. Senga hopes to come off the 60-day injured list next week — he will become eligible again on Sept. 25 — to play at least a few innings before the regular season ends. … OF Brandon Nimmo was rested against the left-hander.

Next

Mets LHP Jose Quintana (9-9, 3.91 ERA) will make his 30th start of the season when he faces left-hander DJ Herz (4-7, 3.70) in the series finale on Wednesday night.

Quintana has allowed just one earned run in 25 innings in his last four starts, winning the last three. He threw 14 scoreless innings in back-to-back starts against Washington in early July.

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