Mets takeaways from Sunday's 5-2 win over Nationals, including Justin Verlander's strong close to a bounce-back July
The Mets avoided a third-straight series loss and took three out of four games against the Washington Nationals, capped by a 5-2 win at Citi Field.
Four things to know from Sunday's game
1. Justin Verlander was solid in, potentially, his final Mets start. He allowed one run on five hits while striking out five and walking one in 5 1/3 IP.
Verlander, who threw 74 strikes on 103 pitches, improves to 6-5 with a 3.15 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. He has hit his stride over the past six starts -- Verlander entered Sunday with a 1.69 ERA in the previous five outings, dating back to July 1, a 4-1 win over the San Francisco Giants.
2. A three-run third inning broke open the Mets' eventual win. Jeff McNeil's RBI triple down the right-field line off former Met Trevor Williams scored Francisco Lindor from second base and put New York up 2-1. Pete Alonso followed with a sacrifice fly to right that scored McNeil -- Alonso's 75th RBI this season -- and doubled the Mets' lead at two, 3-1.
For good measure, with two outs and the bases loaded moments later, Omar Narvaez lofted a sacrifice fly to center that scored Daniel Vogelbach from third base and padded the Mets' 4-1 cushion.
3. Lindor's 21st home run of the season, a one-out solo shot to right in the fourth inning, polished off the Mets' five-run day. Lindor is up to 65 RBI on the season.
4. LHP David Peterson, RHP Adam Ottavino and LHP Brooks Raley closed the door out of the bullpen. Peterson relieved Verlander with one out and one on in the sixth inning, grounding Luis Garcia into a 5-4-3 double play that kept the Mets up 5-1.
Highlights
What's next
The Mets (50-55) take Monday off before returning to action with a six-game road trip.
New York begins a pair of three-game series against the Royals and Baltimore Orioles with Tuesday's 8:10 p.m. opener at Kansas City.
Mets LHP Jose Quintana (0-2, 3.27 ERA) and Royals RHP Zack Greinke (1-11, 5.49 ERA) are in line to start.
