Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a tiebreaking, pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning off Jonathan Papelbon, and the resilient New York Mets rallied from a six-run deficit to beat the Washington Nationals 8-7 Tuesday night after Matt Harvey struggled on the mound.
The Mets’ second straight comeback win over Washington extended their lead in the NL East to six games. New York will seek to complete a sweep on Wednesday.
Perhaps making one of his final starts of the regular season, Harvey gave up a career high-tying seven runs on eight hits in 5 1-3 innings and left with New York trailing 7-1.
The Mets erased the deficit with a six-run seventh inning fueled by six walks and a wild pitch. The big blow was a three-run double by Yoenis Cespedes, who one inning earlier committed an error that allowed three runs to score.
Nieuwenhuis gave New York its first lead with a drive to right off Papelbon (3-2), obtained before the July 31 trade deadline to help Washington’s drive to the postseason. It was Nieuwenhuis’ fourth home run; the other three came in one game against Arizona on July 12.
“We’re playing like we don’t have anything to lose, and that’s what we need to do,” Nieuwenhuis said. “I’m just going to enjoy the ride.”
Addison Reed (3-2) worked the seventh and Jeurys Familia got three outs for his 38th save. With two runners on, Familia got Yunel Escobar to ground into a game-ending double play.
Harvey has thrown 171 2-3 innings this year, his first season since undergoing elbow ligament-replacement surgery in October 2013. He and the Mets want to keep his innings count at around 180-185 for the regular season, so it is possible this was Harvey’s last start until early October or in the postseason.
Until that time, the right-hander will have this game to ponder. He came in with a 0.99 ERA against the Nationals, and the seven runs he allowed were one more than in his previous six starts combined.
New York manager Terry Collins spoke before the game as if Harvey has one outing left - to be used when most needed.
“If the last series of the season means us getting in or out and Matt Harvey needs to pitch, he’s pitching,” Collins said. “That’ll be his playoff.”
It was 3-1 in the sixth when the Nationals used a single, a walk and a bunt to load the bases. Wilson Ramos struck out before Michael Taylor lined an RBI single to center, and three more runs came home when the ball got past Cespedes and rolled to the wall.
That ended Harvey’s night, but the Mets’ comeback prevented him from falling to 12-8.
Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman was out of the starting lineup with a sore left oblique, an injury that occurred as he took a swing Monday.
“We’re trying to calm that down as much as we can,” manager Matt Williams said.
The hope is that Zimmerman can return Wednesday to extend a hitting streak that’s reached 11 games.
Nationals rookie Joe Ross (5-5, 3.79 ERA) was moved to the bullpen because he is near his maximum innings count this season.
“He’s a little fatigued, so to ask him to go out every fifth day and pitch six innings would be unfair,” Williams said.
Ross will be replaced in the starting rotation by Tanner Roark.
Jacob deGrom (12-7, 2.40 ERA) pitches Wednesday night for the Mets in the series finale. The right-hander is 9-3 with a 2.05 ERA over his last 19 starts.
The Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg (8-6, 4.35 ERA) returns after missing a start with upper back tightness.
“There will be no pitch limitations. We think he’s going to pitch admirably,” general manager Mike Rizzo said.
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