Javier Báez went 4 for 4 with a home run, Kevin Pillar hit a grand slam that capped a game-sealing, six-run ninth inning, and the New York Mets withstood another rally from the Washington Nationals to earn a 13-6 victory Sunday.
Francisco Lindor and Jonathan Villar also homered for the Mets, who squandered an early four-run lead but got 4 2/3 shutout innings from their bullpen to win for the seventh time in eight games.
Lane Thomas and Josh Bell homered for Washington, which has lost eight of nine and 24 and its last 31.
With the score 6-all, Andres Machado (1-2) allowed three consecutive singles to open the eighth before Patrick Mazeika’s sacrifice fly to a diving Thomas in center put the Mets ahead.
Lindor greeted Austin Voth in the ninth with a first-pitch drive for his 13th homer. Voth allowed three more hits and a walk before Pillar sent a shot into the seats in left-center for his 14th homer of the year and third career grand slam.
Aaron Loup (5-0) worked a scoreless seventh. It was the 42nd victory by Mets relievers this season, the most in the National League.
Washington starter Josiah Gray’s three-inning outing was the shortest of his brief career. He allowed six runs on seven hits while striking out two. After allowing a four-run first, Gray yielded leadoff homers to Villar in the second and Báez in the third.
Báez hit his 28th homer this season and scored three runs.
New York’s Taijuan Walker remained winless in his last 10 starts, allowing six runs in 4 1/3 innings. Walker surrendered Thomas’ leadoff shot and Bell’s two-run homer in the first, then Juan Soto’s two-run single in the fifth before permitting the tying run to score on a wild pitch.
It was the third time in as many days New York wasted a lead before regrouping to beat the Nationals.
Closer Edwin Díaz blew a two-run advantage in the ninth on Friday, only for the Mets to rally for a 6-2 victory. In the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader, New York scored the first nine runs, gave up the next nine and prevailed 11-9 in nine innings.
Trainer’s room: Washington placed OF Gerardo Parra (right knee inflammation) on the 10-day injured list and recalled LHP Josh Rogers from Triple-A Rochester.
The Nationals send lefty Patrick Corbin (7-14, 6.26), who is 0-5 with a 9.11 ERA in five home starts since July 1, to the mound Monday as the five-game series concludes.
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