Luis Severino, Mets complete sweep of Nationals ahead of London Series
The Mets insist they still have a run in them. If they’re going to go on one, they have to beat certain teams, with the rebuilding Washington Nationals being one of them.
They took care of business Wednesday at Nationals Park with a 9-1 win to complete a three-game series sweep. It was their fifth win in the seven games since they held a players-only meeting.
Luis Severino gave the Mets some much-needed length with eight innings of one-run baseball. A beleaguered bullpen didn’t have to worry about a save situation or any tense late-game pitching performances with the Mets beating up on left-hander Patrick Corbin and right-hander Jordan Weems, taking all nine runs off of the two Washington hurlers, including a six-run sixth inning that sunk the Nats (27-34).
“We won three games in a row and we got a chance to win four,” Severino told reporters after the game. “When we combine hitting and pitching at the same time, it’s huge for us. We have this mentality now that we have to go out there and give 100 percent every time.”
Luis Torrens homered twice and Francisco Lindor hit his 10th of the season, with the two going back-to-back to lead off the sixth inning. Every member of the Mets' starting lineup recorded a hit. The Mets received contributions from just about everyone through three games in Washington this week.
Torrens, the catcher acquired last week from the Yankees, took Corbin (1-7) deep with two outs in the third to open the scoring. Tyrone Taylor and Harrison Bader put the Mets up, 2-0, in the fifth, when Taylor tripled to right field and Bader drove him home with a fly ball to right.
Torrens led off the sixth with his second homer of the day, connecting on a sinker just at the outside corner of the zone. He drove it to straightaway center field, just over the reach of a leaping Jacob Young.
Then the floodgates opened. Lindor homered on the first pitch he saw from Corbin and Pete Alonso doubled to center. Corbin struck out Brandon Nimmo for the first out before J.D. Martinez chased him from the game with a single that extended his hitting streak to 10 games. The Nats then went to the bullpen for righty Weems to counter Vientos, who hits left-handers better than right-handers. But Vientos came through with an RBI single to give the Mets a 5-0 lead.
With two outs, Bader hit a two-run double off Weems and Jose Iglesias sent him home with a single to right.
The Mets took an 8-0 lead. The bullpen wasn’t a factor with the way Severino was pitching. Washington took seven hits off the right-hander but his command was excellent throughout. Severino (4-2) worked quickly and efficiently, striking out four, walking none and using only 92 pitches.
The Washington run came in the eighth when Severino gave up three straight singles and a sacrifice fly. Severino got Young to roll over on a sinker to ground into a 5-4-3 inning-ending double play.
Throughout an abysmal month of May, the Mets (27-35) maintained belief in themselves and continually promised that they could and would play better baseball. They’re starting to make good on that promise as they head to London for two games against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Notes
Right-hander Jorge Lopez and catcher Omar Narvaez were released … Right-hander Shintaro Fujinami (shoulder) was moved to the 60-day injured list. In a corresponding transaction, catcher Joe Hudson was selected to the major league roster and optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets are mulling whether to use Hudson or third baseman Brett Baty as the 27th man in London.
Right fielder Starling Marte was scratched from the lineup late with right knee soreness. Manager Carlos Mendoza said the concern is “low.”
Closer Edwin Diaz will pitch one inning with High-A Brooklyn Thursday in a rehab start while catcher Francisco Alvarez will continue his rehab assignment this weekend with Triple-A Syracuse. Alvarez is scheduled to catch nine innings and Saturday and finish the weekend in the lineup as a DH. He could rejoin the Mets as soon as next week against Miami.
