Mets emerge with 8-7 win over Nationals

Starling Marte and Jose Iglesias each had three hits as the visiting New York Mets held off the Washington Nationals 8-7 on Monday night.

Mark Vientos homered, singled and walked twice for New York.

The Nationals rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth before Jake Diekman struck out Drew Millas with runners at first and third for his second save.

New York starter Tylor Megill (1-2) struggled but completed five innings while giving up five runs — four earned — on seven hits. He walked three and struck out four. Adrian Houser pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to help the Mets end a two-game skid.

Joey Gallo homered while Jesse Winker logged three hits and three RBIs for the Nationals, who have lost three of their past four games.

Washington starter MacKenzie Gore (4-5) allowed six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. He issued four walks and fanned two.

The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Marte led off with a single, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Harrison Bader’s sacrifice fly.

Nick Senzel reached second base on center fielder Bader’s error in the bottom half and scored on Winker’s single.

Vientos led off the fourth with a homer to center to make it 2-1. Iglesias singled with one out, stole second and scored on Francisco Lindor’s single to right.

The Nationals moved in front in the fourth. Senzel singled with one out went to third on Winker’s single. Ildemaro Vargas grounded into an apparent double play, but Washington challenged, and the call at first base was overturned with Senzel scoring the tying run. Gallo followed with a homer, and the Nationals led 4-3.

New York’s J.D. Martinez walked with one out in the fifth and Marte singled. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and Vientos walked, ending Gore’s night. Bader hit a sacrifice fly to score Martinez with the tying run. Iglesias singled home Marte, and Luis Torrens doubled home Vientos and Iglesias to make it 7-4.

The Nationals loaded the bases against Megill in the bottom of the fifth with two singles and a walk before Winker walked to force in a run.

The Mets made it 8-5 in the sixth when Martinez scored on a throwing error by reliever Jacob Burnes after Marte’s single.

In the ninth, Winker hit a two-run single off Adam Ottavino, and Vargas subsequently singled to load the bases. Diekman replaced Ottavino and allowed a sacrifice fly from Joey Meneses as Washington cut the deficit to one. Diekman then caught Millas looking at an 0-2 fastball.

–Field Level Media