NEW YORK — — Jose Quintana prolonged his scoreless streak to a career-high 22 2/3 innings and Brandon Nimmo’s three-run homer capped a nine-run fourth because the surging New York Mets beat the Washington Nationals 10-0 on Wednesday night time to complete a three-game sweep.
Luisangel Acuña homered again for the Mets (84-68), who've received 15 of 19. They moved a season-high 16 video games above .500 and remained tied with Arizona for the second of three NL wild playing cards — two video games forward of Atlanta for the league’s final playoff spot.
“I’m pretty much convinced now we’re not in the regular season anymore,” Nimmo stated. “We’re in playoff baseball and every win is extremely important. It decides whether we keep playing or not.”
Acuña, Mark Vientos and Starling Marte every drove in two runs because the Mets adopted a 10-1 victory Tuesday night with one other blowout of Washington. New York completed 11-2 towards the Nationals this season, its finest file towards one opponent since going 10-1 versus the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988.
“We’re close to the finish of the season and we’re in good position,” Quintana stated. “We feel really strong.”
Quintana (10-9) allowed two hits, walked two and struck out 4 in seven innings to finish his season-long dominance of the Nationals. He blanked Washington for 21 innings over three begins — essentially the most innings a Mets pitcher has thrown in a single season towards an opponent with out permitting a run.
“He doesn’t throw many balls right over the heart of the plate,” Nationals supervisor Dave Martinez stated. “He nibbles a lot, but you’ve got to get up there and be ready to hit when it does come over the plate.”
Quintana hasn’t allowed a run because the third inning towards the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 31. His earlier career-best scoreless streak was 20 2/3 innings in 2014.
The veteran left-hander has received 4 straight outings and permitted one earned run in 32 innings over his final 5 begins for a 0.28 ERA throughout that span.
“He’s been in the league for a long time and there’s a reason why,” Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza stated. “He knows that you’re going to go through stretches where it’s hard. And he’ll continue to find a way. It’s just basically trusting his pitches, his repertoire, in the strike zone.”
The Mets despatched 12 batters to the plate towards DJ Herz (4-8) and Jacob Barnes within the fourth, once they had their greatest inning since a nine-run fourth towards Toronto on Sept. 11, 2020. Tyrone Taylor opened the scoring with an RBI double and Vientos — mired in 0-for-15 and 3-for-39 slumps — laced a two-run single earlier than Acuña and Marte had run-scoring hits.
Nimmo adopted Marte by hitting his second homer since Aug. 20, a 419-foot drive into the Nationals’ bullpen in right-center area. The outfielder had three potential homers sail simply foul of the right-field pole within the Mets’ earlier 4 house video games.
“It was humorous, Steve Cohen really informed me, ‘Hey, that one you finally kept fair,'” Nimmo said with a laugh, referring to the Mets’ proprietor. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, that one had no danger of being around the foul pole.’”
Acuña homered within the eighth — his second in two nights. A youthful brother of reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr., the 22-year-old infielder is 7 for 15 in his first 5 massive league video games.
CJ Abrams had two of the Nationals’ three hits. Herz allowed seven runs in 3 1/3 innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: 2B Luis García Jr. (proper wrist) didn’t play. He exited Tuesday’s sport within the fourth inning after aggravating a persistent damage. … RHP Trevor Williams (flexor pressure) is anticipated to return off the 60-day injured record and begin Friday towards the Chicago Cubs. Williams final pitched on May 30.
Mets: SS Francisco Lindor (sore again) missed his third straight sport however performed catch and ran Wednesday afternoon. … Rookie RHP Christian Scott (right elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery with an inside brace added subsequent week and can doubtless be out till 2026. Scott was 0-3 with a 4.56 ERA in 9 begins earlier than being injured in his last begin July 21. … RHP Kodai Senga (strained left calf), eligible to return off the 60-day injured record subsequent Wednesday, plans to pitch for Triple-A Syracuse this weekend and will nonetheless pitch as an opener for the Mets over the ultimate 5 days of the common season. … RHP Paul Blackburn (spinal leak in again) threw for the primary time since making a rehab begin Sept. 3 and hopes to pitch for the Mets subsequent week. … INF Brett Baty (damaged left index finger) went 0 for 4 with Syracuse in his first sport motion since Aug. 22. Mendoza stated Baty could possibly be a candidate for a recall by the Mets.
UP NEXT
Nationals: Continue their last highway journey Thursday, when LHP Patrick Corbin (6-13, 5.45 ERA) opens a four-game collection towards RHP Javier Assad (7-5, 3.27) and the Chicago Cubs.
Mets: RHP Luis Severino (10-6, 3.77 ERA) begins Thursday night time within the opener of a pivotal four-game collection towards the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies, who counter with ex-Mets RHP Taijuan Walker (3-6, 6.29).
——
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
