There were loud “MVP” chants again Monday afternoon at Nationals Park, but this time they were not for Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon.
The New York Mets and a contingent of some of their most inspired fans invaded Nationals Park on a partly cloudy Labor Day afternoon and posted a dominating 7-3 victory over the Nationals, who have won just six of 17 this year against the New Yorkers.
The Nationals, 77-59 after Monday’s loss and a weekend sweep of the lowly Marlins, have still won 16 of their last 20 and began the day in control of the top wild-card spot — and just 51/2 games back of first-place Atlanta in the National League East — thanks in large part to the MVP-like surge of the hot-hitting Rendon.
But an influx of Mets fans made their preference known, chanting “MVP” when rookie slugger Pete Alonso — he of the 43 homers — came to the plate. Alonso was held to one single in five at-bats, but Nationals manager Dave Martinez and starting pitcher Joe Ross couldn’t miss the visiting team’s fans.
“We hear them; we notice,” Martinez said. “We still have to play. It’s our stadium.”
Ross, who lasted just 32/3 innings, said he doesn’t let the fans bother him.
“I don’t think it matters; they usually travel well,” Ross said. “You really can’t let the crowd affect you.”
The usually productive Nationals hitters were blanked for seven innings against Mets starter and winner Noah Syndergaard. The big right-hander struck out 10 and did not walk anyone while allowing just three hits.
Nationals right fielder Adam Eaton (.288) made his first start since Wednesday but had to leave after just two innings. Eaton was hit by a pitch in the back of the knee last week against the Orioles and Martinez admitted he is concerned for Eaton, who was slated to get an MRI exam.
Eaton lined out in his only trip to the plate before Gerardo Parra (.224) took over in right field in the top of the third.
“It got tighter and tighter,” Martinez said of Eaton’s hamstrings. “I didn’t want to take any chances.”
Another problem could be Ross, who was hit on the shin by a batted ball Aug. 19 in Pittsburgh and was taken out in the fourth inning that night.
He pitched 41/3 innings in his next start, on Aug. 24, at Chicago.
“It’s a little sore but it is not really an excuse,” he said.
After allowing three runs in his last five outings, he was torched for eight hits and seven runs Monday against the Mets.
“I really wasn’t executing today. Obviously, they made me pay,” Ross said.
Rendon, who has 32 homers, had a huge weekend against the Marlins. He was held to one double in three trips to the plate Monday.
After Trea Turner singled in the first, the New York right-hander retired 16 batters in a row before pinch-hitter Andrew Stevenson dumped a single into left in the last of the sixth.
The Mets (70-67) had lost seven of their previous 10 games but Syndergaard, with a hard sinker in the high 90s, handled a Washington team that had scored at least seven runs 17 times since Aug. 1.
“The other guy was really good,” Martinez said of Syndergaard.
New York broke through for five runs in the top of the fourth off Ross (3-4).
The second of the three-game series is set for Tuesday at 7:05 p.m., and features a matchup between previous winners of the Cy Young Award in the National League. Washington’s Max Scherzer (9-5, 2.46) who won the award in 2017, will face 2018 winner Jacob deGrom (8-8, 2.66) of the Mets.
It will be the third start for Scherzer since he came off the injured list.
“We will see where he is at,” Martinez said of Scherzer, who left the clubhouse quickly after Monday’s game. “He had a good week. He said he feels good.”
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