NEW YORK (AP) — Starling Marte lined a game-ending single in the 10th inning that lifted the New York Mets to a critical 2-1 win over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.
New York moved a game ahead of rival Atlanta for the final National League wild card when the Braves were blown out 9-0 at home by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Playing again without Francisco Lindor, who will be sidelined for a few days due to a sore back, the Mets got just two runners beyond first base in the first seven innings. But then Jose Iglesias, replacing Lindor at shortstop and atop the lineup, hit an RBI infield single off the glove of reliever Derek Law with two outs in the eighth.
In the 10th, automatic runner Harrison Bader advanced from second base to third on a flyout to deep right field by Francisco Alvarez.
Marte, who sat out Sunday’s game in Philadelphia after being hit in the left forearm by a pitch, ripped a one-out single off Jacob Barnes (8-3) down the line in left field, where James Wood barely budged as Bader trotted home.
It was the 11th walk-off victory for the Mets this year, tied for most in the majors. New York (82-68) also clinched a winning season on Marte’s 11th career game-ending RBI, his first this season.
