The Mets walked off the Washington Nationals thanks to a heroic late-game comeback, a 5-4 win on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field.
New York has won 10 of their last 13 games, including the first two games of their three-game series against their NL East division rivals this weekend.
Here are the takeaways...
-- The Mets jumped all over the Nats' right-handed starter Brad Lord. Lord recorded just two outs in the first inning before being pulled. He walked the bases loaded, and with one out in the inning, lefty first baseman Jared Young sliced a double the opposite way, the ball bouncing into the left-field corner as A.J. Ewing and Francisco Lindor came around to score. After walking the bases loaded yet again, the Nationals called upon left-handed reliever Will Dion to record the final out of the inning, escaping the jam.
-- Dion continued onward, eating crucial innings for the Nationals after Lord's start when awry. He struck out six of the first seven Mets batters he faced, allowing zero runs across 64 pitches, the most he had thrown at any point this season in both the major and minor leagues. He tallied seven total strikeouts, allowing one walk and no hits across his 4.1 innings pitched.
-- Southpaw starting pitcher Sean Manaea had an up-and-down outing. He was stellar through five innings, having allowed one run - an Andres Chaparro solo shot in the fourth - on two hits while striking out seven batters. However, Manaea unraveled in the sixth. He plunked Andrew Pinckney, walked Chaparro, and then served up a hanging breaking ball to Brady House for the righty to turn on. House's 380-foot three-run shot clanked off the foul pole in left field and turned the game on its head. Manaea eventually got out of the inning with the Mets trailing 4-2.
-- The Mets responded immediately in the bottom half of the sixth. Facing lefty sidearmer Tom Cosgrove, Benge cranked the second pitch he saw 372 feet into the right field bleachers. The rookie's 14th of the season cut the Nats' lead to 4-3.
-- Manaea was pulled in the seventh for Dedniel Nuñez after surrendering a one-out triple to Pinckney. Dylan Crews' fly ball to right field was caught by Benge, who fired a perfect throw to catcher Francisco Alvarez to beat the tagging Pinckney, a remarkable double play to end the inning. Manaea's four earned runs allowed across 93 pitches increased his 2026 ERA to 4.23.
-- Jefry Yan relieved Nuñez in the eighth, retiring both batters he faced and striking out Harry Ford looking with a low fastball to end the inning with the Mets still behind 4-3. Ford made up for it in the bottom half of the frame, pouncing on a Clayton Beeter pitch in the dirt and unleashing a barehanded throw to catch Lindor trying to steal second. Young stepped up to the plate with one out and two Mets in scoring position. During the at-bat, both runners moved up a base - to second and third - on a Beeter wild pitch, but Young struck out swinging. Marcus Semien grounded out to short to end the threat.
-- In the top of the ninth inning, Yan retired the side, punching out two Nats. Yovanny Cruz, a right-handed reliever whom the Nationals acquired at the trade deadline from the Yankees, walked Brett Baty to lead off the inning. Jorge Polanco kept the line moving by roping a single into right field. Alvarez looped the first pitch he saw, a hanging breaking ball, into left field for a double. Baty scored easily and Cristian Pache - inserted as a pinch runner for Polanco - motored around to third base. With nobody out and Mets baserunners on second and third, Ewing struck out. It was Lindor who played the hero, driving Cruz's pitch into right field to score Pache and complete the Mets' 5-4 comeback victory.
Game MVP: Francisco Lindor
This was Lindor's fourth walk-off RBI as a Met, and his first since April 18, 2025.
Highlights
Two strikeouts for Sean Manaea in a 1-2-3 first inning 🔥 pic.twitter.com/haWw6CQrbP
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 15, 2026
Stay hot, Jared Young!
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 15, 2026
He brings in two runs with a double! pic.twitter.com/4b6TnMy4GJ
Seven strikeouts in five innings for Sean Manaea 💪 pic.twitter.com/FAj67VsBov
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 15, 2026
Carson Benge launches his 14th home run of the year! 🍎 pic.twitter.com/4xAQ0cQX3k
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 15, 2026
Carson Benge shows off his strong arm again! 🚀
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 15, 2026
He throws out Andrew Pinckney at home! pic.twitter.com/XlsAiov2di
Jared Young makes the diving stop! pic.twitter.com/ICN4VsIa4c
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 15, 2026
Jefry Yan goes airborne as he strikes out Harry Ford pic.twitter.com/n5t7MfKBI9
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 15, 2026
FRANCISCO ALVAREZ TIES THE GAME! pic.twitter.com/1DxH2I9ctX
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 15, 2026
FRANCISCO LINDOR WALKS IT OFF!
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 15, 2026
METS WIN 5-4! pic.twitter.com/v3itEfDu5J
What's next
The Mets will go for the sweep of the Nationals on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch set for 1:40 p.m.
For the Mets, Christian Scott (3.45 ERA, 1.30 WHIP in 78.1 IP) will toe the slab.
Jake Irvin (5.79 ERA, 1.32 WHIP in 65.1 IP) will take the mound for Washington.