Francisco Lindor crushes homer in Mets’ comeback win over Nationals

For 5 1/2 innings, everything went right for the Washington Nationals. All it took was one 1/2 inning to go right for the Mets. Francisco Lindor hit a game-tying homer with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, and the Mets were able to take advantage of sloppy play by the Nats to pull ahead. They went on to win 4-1 in the first game of a three-game series on Friday night at Citi Field. Their first home game in nearly two weeks, and their first since the Aug. 3 trade deadline, the team looked different and played differently. The playoffs may not be in reach, but the Mets are playing with a new energy, and the fans who have been waiting to see something good all season are finally benefiting. An error by Lindor cost the Mets in the third inning when the Nationals scored an unearned run. The shortstop botched what should have been an inning-ending double play, but later made up for it when he drove a 2-1 slider 409 feet over the left field fence off left-hander Andrew Alvarez (2-4) to tie the game at 1-1. The inning should have been over after Bo Bichette swung on a bouncing pitch that went back to the backstop, but Washington catcher Keibert Ruiz threw the ball past first base, and Bichette was safe. The Nats then brought in left-hander Jake Bird to take over for the starter, who gave up back-to-back singles to Luis Robert Jr. and Carson Benge. Bichette went to third on Robert’s, and scored on Benge’s to put the Mets on top, 2-1. The true test for the Mets in this NL East tilt was whether or not the replacement bullpen arms could hold slim leads. The Mets had already gone to the ‘pen by the time they managed to take a lead, using left-hander Nate Lavender to get starter Robert Stock out of a jam in the top of the fifth, and right-hander Jonathan Pintaro pitched the top of the sixth. Stock went 4 1/3 innings, giving up only one unearned run on three hits, and struck out five. Pintaro (1-0) came back out for a second inning of work in the top of the seventh, retiring the side in order. Jared Young gave the Amazins’ an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh, and the Mets rallied to force Bird out of the game. Washington brought in right-hander Max Kranick, a former Mets reliever, with two outs and runners on first and second. Bichette lined one up the middle for another run. Daniel Duarte handled the eighth with ease, setting up Kodai Senga for his second career save. The right-hander worked around traffic in the ninth, marking the start of a new era in Queens. It may not involve the playoffs, but the more the Mets can build toward next season, the better their chances will be in 2027. Maybe in this new era, more things will go right than wrong for the Mets.