Mets defeat Nationals and maintain their position in the NL wildcard race

According to the schedule, the Mets still have ten games of the regular season left.

According to Brandon Nimmo, this is not the case.

“I'm pretty convinced we're not in the regular season now,” Nimmo said after the Mets completed a three-game sweep of the Nationals with a 10-0 win on Wednesday. “We're in playoff baseball. Every win is extremely important. It determines whether we keep playing or not.”

The Mets won the game by nine runs in the fourth inning, starting with a two-run single by Mark Vientos and capped by Nimmo's three-run homer.

Written off by most others at various points in the season, the Mets' recent resurgence has now set up a crucial four-game series in Queens that begins Thursday against the first-place Phillies, followed by a final road trip to Atlanta and then Milwaukee.

They enter this final, crucial stretch of the season two games ahead of the Braves for the third and final NL wild card and tied with Arizona for the second. They also have a 16-game season record above .500 (84-68) – although Francisco Lindor's status is still uncertain due to his back pain.

Nevertheless, they have not yet got going: The Mets have won nine of their last ten home games – and are hoping for more.

“The energy was great tonight, but this weekend we want even more,” Nimmo said. “We want the place to be packed.”

Games like Wednesday's will help, as they also gave them seven scoreless innings from Jose Quintana, who has not allowed a run in 22 ²/₃ consecutive innings and has allowed just a single earned run in his last five 32-inning starts.

Since September 1, the Mets rotation has an ERA of 1.77.

Nimmo began the decisive inning with a leadoff walk, followed by a single to left by Pete Alonso.

Tyrone Taylor then hit a double to right center field, his fourth in the last six games.

Nimmo was just short of throwing and gave the Mets the lead.

With runners on second and third base, the struggling Vientos – who had not had a hit in his previous 15 at-bats – hit a two-run single into center to make it 3-0.

Vientos scored on a base hit by rookie Luisangel Acuna through the left side of the infield.

A flare single down the right field line by Jose Iglesias filled the bases and ended DJ Herz's night.

Starling Marte hit a bullseye to right to score two more runs, and Nimmo then hit his 20th home run of the season to complete the attack.

Quintana had an easy game the rest of the way, allowing only two hits and two walks.

Acuna scored the Mets' final run with a solo home run in the eighth inning. It was the shortstop's second home run in as many nights, partially making up for the loss of Lindor.

All in all, it was another night for the Mets to dream big, as they continue to be the best team in the Major Leagues since late May.

“We haven't done anything,” said Carlos Mendoza. “We have to keep playing well and I know we will.”

This test may be the toughest yet.

“We will be ready,” Mendoza said. “We will be ready. We have shown that for quite some time.”

And that's why the manager wouldn't say that the upcoming series in Queens against the Phillies is their last of the year.

“I'm not ready to call it our last home game,” Mendoza said. “It's for the regular season. I don't think anyone here is ready to call it that… I hope there are many more baseball games in this stadium this year.”