The Sports Xchange
Jul 3, 2017
WASHINGTON -- Ryan Raburn had hit an RBI single with two outs in the last of the ninth off Fernando Salas as the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets 3-2 Monday.
The hit to shallow left scored Matt Wieters, who led off the ninth with a walk, took second on a walk by pinch hitter Stephen Drew and went to third on a flyout by pinch hitter Adam Lind.
The winning pitcher was Matt Albers (4-1), who gave up two runs in the ninth, while Paul Sewald (0-3) was hit with the loss as he allowed the walk to Wieters.
New York's Curtis Granderson hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer on a 0-2 count with two outs in the top of the ninth off Albers to tie the game at 2.
Michael A. Taylor smashed a two-run homer in the eighth to give the Nationals a 2-0 lead. It was the 12th homer of the season for Taylor and the sixth in his past 19 games.
Washington starter Stephen Strasburg, who did not figure in the decision, went seven scoreless innings and allowed two singles and three walks with six strikeouts. He was replaced in the top of the eighth by lefty Matt Grace, who gave up a leadoff infield single by Brandon Nimmo.
Nimmo went to second on a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Steven Matz but was thrown out at home by left fielder Brian Goodwin following a single by Jose Reyes. The call stood after a challenge by the Mets.
Grace walked Asdrubal Cabrera. The Nationals then brought on Joe Blanton, who retired Yoenis Cespedes on a fielder's choice to end the top of the eighth.
Matz, who also didn't get a decision, allowed four hits and two walks in seven scoreless innings.
Cespedes almost caught the hit by Raburn but came up limping in the last of the ninth.
The first-place Nationals (49-34) are eight games ahead of the second-place Atlanta Braves (40-41) and 10 1/2 games ahead of the third-place Mets (38-44) in the National League East.
Reyes had two hits for the Mets.
NOTES: The Nationals held a moment of silence before the game for David Vincent, who died Sunday at the age of 67 due to stomach cancer. Vincent was the official scorer for the first home game in Nationals history at RFK Stadium in 2005, and he worked his last game at Nationals Park on June 12. ... Mets LHP Seth Lugo (3-1, 3.55) will face Washington RHP Joe Ross (4-3, 5.12) on Tuesday at 11:05 a.m. ET. ... Mets OF Curtis Granderson (hip) did not start Monday, but he entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning. ... Washington RHP Max Scherzer was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for June. He had a 0.99 ERA in June. ... The Mets are 3-8 against the Nationals this year.