WASHINGTON — The Mets are back on a winning track.
There were no theatrics and no blown calls Saturday at Nationals Park. There was plenty of rain in the afternoon, which delayed the second game of a four-game series twice. Once the skies cleared, Clay Holmes resumed his shutout performance and Francisco Alvarez hit his first home run of the season to lead the Mets to a 2-0 win over the Washington Nationals.
It was a test for Holmes, who was converted to a starter this season after spending the last six seasons pitching out of the bullpen. With on and off rain coming in the area, the Nationals delayed the game for 26 minutes before it even started, and were forced to delay it again after a sudden downpour in the bottom of the first. Holmes threw 13 pitches to two hitters before being forced to come off the mound for a 46-minute delay.
When he came back out, he was dominant, throwing five scoreless innings. Holmes quickly retired Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell to strand the runner he allowed before the delay. After giving up a leadoff single in the second, he got a double play.
The Nats might be in the middle of a rebuild, but their lineup is aggressive early in counts and fast on the basepaths. The player development staff has the hitters on the same page with their approach, and budding young stars like James Wood and Dylan Crews have power and speed.
But against Holmes’s sinker, they could do little except hit the ball over the top. Holmes (3-1) recorded 10 of his 15 outs on the ground, limiting the Nationals to four hits over five innings, and striking out two. It was an efficient outing with Holmes using only 70 to get through five. If it hadn’t been for the rain delay, the Mets likely would have given Holmes two more innings.
In the top of the second, Alvarez put the Mets ahead 2-0, with a two-run homer off right-hander Brad Lord, taking an 0-1 slider and sending it into the home bullpen beyond right field. Lord was also limited after the delay, going only four innings and giving up five hits while striking out three in the loss (0-3).
The Washington bullpen was just as good as the New York ‘pen. Right-hander Eduardo Salazar struck out the side in the top of the sixth in relief of Lord, and Danny Young gave up a hit to leadoff hitter C.J. Abrams in the bottom of the inning before striking out the next three. Right-hander Reed Garrett pitched a scoreless seventh to extend his streak to 11 2/3 innings without an earned run.
Left-hander A.J. Minter got Abrams looking for the first out in the eighth, but then left the game with triceps tightness after going 3-1 on Wood. Right-hander Max Kranick came in, replacing an injured pitcher for the second time in as many appearances, and held the two-run lead.
Edwin Diaz posted the save (seven), pitching around a one-out walk.
Friday night was eventful, but the Mets didn’t get down after a blown call, a comeback, and ultimately a loss, with the Nats (12-15) walking off. They picked right back up, winning for the eighth time in nine games to remain atop the standings (19-8).
