Photo: The Canadian Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Brandon Nimmo hit a bases-clearing double to spark a five-run fifth inning, David Peterson threw six scoreless innings and the New York Mets moved into playoff position with a 7-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday, completing a three-game sweep.
J.D. Martinez and Pete Alonso added RBI singles as the Mets moved two games over .500 for the first time since April 24. Mark Vientos and Harrison Bader had RBI singles in the eighth and New York (47-45) moved one percentage point (.511) ahead of San Diego into the NL’s third wild-card spot.
“It’s been a complete total team effort and I’m really, really proud of these guys because on a daily basis, you never know who’s going to come through,” Nimmo said.
New York also completed its seventh sweep this season and is 25-12 since being swept by the Dodgers in a doubleheader on May 29 that necessitated a players-only meeting.
“I don’t think we’re looking at the standings,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I think we’re just making sure we take care of business day in and day out. Obviously what went through the month of May and how far back we got, to be able get to this position is a good feeling.”
Peterson (4-0) allowed four hits and worked out of trouble at times while combining with four relievers on New York’s first shutout of the season. Peterson struck out five and walked three.
The Mets were held hitless until Martinez doubled in the fourth. Consecutive walks to Jeff McNeil and Francisco Lindor in the fifth loaded the bases for Nimmo, who was denied a double by rookie left fielder James Wood in the first.
No one got near his bases-clearing big hit. He lined a 96.6 fastball off Washington starter MacKenzie Gore (6-8) to the warning track in left-center field between Wood and center fielder Lane Thomas.
“Gore’s an amazing pitcher,” Nimmo said. “We have a lot of respect for him around here and we know that he can go a long ways without us putting runs on him. We have to be relentless. So the goal for us is just to keep trying to push on the dam until it finally breaks and so we were able to do that today.”
Nimmo’s double gave him a major league-best 30 RBIs since June 14 and during that span, he is batting .348.
“We have a really good player here that is performing at a high level,” Mendoza said.
Nimmo scored on a headfirst slide on Martinez’s double off Dylan Floro. The Mets took a 5-0 lead when Martinez scored before Alonso was thrown out at second attempting to stretch his hit into a double.
Gore allowed four runs and three hits in 4 2/3 innings.
The Nationals dropped their fifth straight and lost for the 16th time in 23 games to fall a season-high 10 games under .500. Washington also was blanked for the 10th time.
Washington stranded 13 and went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Before the Mets went ahead, the Nationals left two on in the first, second and fifth and also left the bases loaded in the eighth and ninth.
“We had our chances,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “We just couldn’t score any runs. The at-bats just got to get better.”
WELCOME TO NEW YORK
Phil Maton struck out two in a 1-2-3 seventh after in his debut being acquired from Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Maton did not throw a pitch over 88.8 mph and became the 30th pitcher to appear for the Mets this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: RHP Reed Garrett (elbow inflammation) will be sidelined two to four weeks after multiple doctors examined his MRI and determined there was not any ligament damage. “To get the news that we got is huge,” Garrett said. “I'm pumped and happy that nothing's wrong. really. Obviously we have some stuff that we can clean up but I'm happy that everything's OK.” ... RHP Kodai Senga (right shoulder) will throw 60 to 65 pitches in his next rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Syracuse.
UP NEXT
Nationals: Jackson Rutledge (0-0, 9.00 ERA) will make his first start of the season against RHP Freddy Peralta (6-4, 3.95) in the opener of a three-game series Friday in Milwaukee.
Mets: LHP Sean Manaea (5-3, 3.43) faces Colorado RHP Tanner Gordon (0-1, 7.11) in the opener of a three-game series Friday.
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