From David to Devin, Mets Pitching Earns D.C. Split

Mets 2 Nationals 1 (Nationals Park, Washington D.C.)

Mets record: 22-28

Mets streak: Won 1

WP-David Peterson (3-4)

LP-Cade Cavali (2-3)

S-Devin Williams (7)

Seat on the Korner: David Peterson

We select a Star of the Game and virtually invite him to take his Seat on the Korner — just as Ralph Kiner did on WOR-TV Channel 9 during the early days of the New York Mets.

Continuing the tradition of Rheingold Beer sponsoring Kiner’s Korner, this season every seat is proudly presented by The Main Event Restaurant & Sports Bar.

With locations in Plainview and Farmingdale, The Main Event features 80+ HD TVs, fresh daily seafood, and Black Angus certified steaks—so you never have to choose between great food and the big game.

May has already been much better to David Peterson than March or April were. Coming into today's game, the current player who has been a Met the longest had made 3 relief appearances this month, giving up just 4 earned runs in 13 innings pitched (a 2.77 ERA). Today, he made his first start since a disastrous game against the Nationals on April 29th, when Peterson gave up 7 earned runs in 3.2 innings in Queens. This start went much better. It almost didn't though. After quickly retiring the first two batters, Peterson ran, or rather walked, into trouble. He put three Nationals on base before striking out Daylen Lile to get out of the jam.

Peterson's early command issues and high pitch count was a cause for concern that the Mets might have to turn to their bullpen early. Those concerns were soon alleviated, as Peterson retired the Nationals on 15 pitches in the second, and 13 in the third. The only rough patch Peterson ran into was in the bottom of the 5th, when Keibert Ruiz led off with a single and James Wood followed with a double. Peterson struck out Curtis Mead, and then retired Andres Chaparro on a run-scoring groundout. C.J. Abrams then nearly tied the game but a spectacular play by Vientos saved the day (more about that below). In all, Peterson went 5 innings, giving up 4 hits, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts and 1 run, to earn his third win of the season and his first as a starter.

Need to Know

• Nationals starter Cade Cavali hit MJ Melendez with a pitch twice. They were Cavali's league-leading 9th and 10th HBPs.

• The Mets have won seven of their last ten.

• Today was the first non-comeback win out of those seven.

• With today's win, the Mets split the 4-game series against the Nationals.

• The Mets are now 12-7 in May with a 3.34 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 172.2 innings.

• Juan Soto's 8th-inning stolen base was his 5th of the season and 100th of his career. He is the fastest player in MLB history to reach 250 home runs, 100 stolen bases, and 900 walks.

• Brett Baty got 2 more hits today, and now has hits in 10 of his last 11 games with an at-bat. During that span, he is batting .333 (14-42) during that span.

• The Nationals mounted something of a rally in the bottom of the second, but with two outs and runners on first and second, Luis Torrens gunned down Keibert Ruiz on the backend of a double steal attempt.

• Thet Mets now travel to Miami to face the Marlins in a 3-game weekend series on Friday night. Tobias Myers will start for the Mets. Eury Perez will start for the Marlins.

Turning Point

Maybe it was the wind. Maybe it was the all-too-familiar look of the struggling offense. Maybe it was both. Whatever it was, by the time the Nationals mounted their 5th inning rally, it was apparent that runs would be at a premium today. So, as C.J. Abrams stepped to the plate with the potential tying run on third and two outs, it was easy to tell that it was a make-or-break moment. Beyond that, Mets starter David Peterson was starting show signs of wear, as he had thrown more pitches to this point than he had in over a month.

And then Abrams, last night's Nationals hero, did what he's done all year against the Mets (and most of the National League); he got a good pitch to hit, and he hit it...hard. And that's when the unfamiliar occurred...

Vientos' diving stop ended the Nationals rally, and the Mets bullpen did the rest.

Three Keys

THIS PEN IS NO BULL

One of the few positives from the Mets back-to-back losses on Tuesday and Wednesday was that they didn't have to use their high leverage relievers in either game. This left Huascar Brazoban, Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver, and Devin Williams available and fresh for today. And, considering David Peterson was starting for the first time all month, it seemed likely they'd be needed. They were. Peterson pitched 5 very good innings and then handed the ball over the one of the Mets strengths so far this season. Brazoban pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning, followed by Raley who did the same (with 2 Ks to boot) in the seventh. Luke Weaver followed in the 8th and pitched around a walk, and now has 8-straight scoreless innings. Over his last 13 games, Weaver is 1-1 with a 1.23 ERA (2 ER/14.2 innings). In that span, he has given up 10 hits, walked 5, and struck out 18. Williams entered in the ninth to try to close the game out. He gave up a win-aided double to Daylen Lile to lead things off. Luis Garcia Jr. then followed with a grounder up the middle that was enough to move Lile to third while making the first out. Jose Tena then worked a 3-1 count before Williams countered with 2 straight changeups out of the strike zone. Tena swung and missed at both of them. Keibert Ruiz followed with a first-pitch routine ground out to end the game. Williams now has ten straight scoreless appearances.

BO BALL

While it may seem that every time Bo Bichette has a good game, it's treated as if his season-long slump is over, this time it might actually be true. Bichette's bases loaded single in the third inning provided the Mets only 2 runs this game. Fortunately for them, it was enough.

Bichette batted .389 for the series, with 3 home runs and 9 RBIs. He now has a modest 5 game hitting streak (gotta start somewhere), batting .348 with a double, 3 home runs, 9 RBIs, and 5 runs scored.

BENGE CONTINUES TO COME AROUND

Speaking of streaks, Carson Benge's 3rd-inning single extended his hitting streak to 6 games. Over those 6 games, Benge is batting .414, with 2 doubles, 4 RBIs, and 8 runs scored. Going a little further out, Benge has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games, and 15 of his last 17 games. Even further out...Benge is batting .347 in his last 25 games, dating back to April 23. Over that stretch, Benge has scored 19 runs, with six doubles, two home runs, 14 RBIs, five walks, and two stolen bases.