Gut Reaction: Nationals 3, Mets 2 (7/3/17)

The Mets opened up a three-game series against the first-place Nationals with a heartbreaking 3-2 loss Monday night in Washington.

• Ryan Raburn dropped a ball just out of the reach of a sliding Yoenis Cespedes to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. Terry Collins used three relievers in the ninth and none of them distinguished themselves. The last two were brought on with the platoon advantage and failed. Josh Edgin issued a four-pitch walk and Fernando Salas surrendered the game-winning hit.
• Trailing 2-0 in the ninth inning, Curtis Granderson came off the bench to deliver a two-strike, pinch-hit homer to tie the game. It should have been a three-run homer but Lucas Duda was called out on a pitch that appeared outside.
• Steven Matz and Stephen Strasburg both put up goose eggs over seven innings. Matz had trouble in the first inning while Strasburg was on the ropes in the fourth. But both pitchers were able to escape further damage. Matz had just under 100 pitches through six and came out to pitch the seventh. He finished with 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB and 4 Ks.
• The Mets had another scoring opportunity in the eighth. Brandon Nimmo singled and went to second on a sacrifice. Jose Reyes followed with a single to left and Nimmo was thrown out at the plate. Matt Wieters successfully handled a one-hop throw and while he applied the tag high, Nimmo’s front leg was not in good sliding position and never touched the plate. Reyes took second on the throw and after a walk to Asdrubal Cabrera, Cespedes came to the plate with two on. But he grounded out to short to end the inning. He’s now 11-52 (.212) in his last 13 games.
• Jerry Blevins came on to pitch the eighth. He gave up a one-out walk and then a two-run homer to the opposite field to Michael Taylor. Blevins has now allowed 5 ER in his last 4.1 IP.
• And just so TJ Fan doesn’t get on me again, T.J. Rivera started the ninth inning rally with a hit and also had a walk. And he made two plays in the field that wouldn’t have been made with another fielder playing the position, starting a crucial DP in the first and making a nice charging play and throw on the run to end the eighth.