Nationals 4, Mets 3
WASHINGTON -- Third baseman Danny Espinosa hit a two-out double to drive in Michael A. Taylor and break a tie during a three-run eighth as the Washington Nationals came back to beat the New York Mets 4-3 on Wednesday to take the rubber gamer of the three-game set.
Center fielder Taylor had a two-run, two-out single in the eighth off reliever Bobby Parnell to the game at 3-3. Espinosa then came through with the game-winner against Parnell (1-1).
The winning pitcher was Matt Thornton (1-0), who pitched a scoreless eighth, while Drew Storen got his 29th save with a perfect ninth.
The first-place Nationals (51-42) extended their lead to three games over the Mets (49-46), who have lost four of the last five overall to Washington.
The Mets took a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth on a two-out, two-run double by left fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis and an RBI single by catcher Kevin Plawecki against Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann.
The Nationals trimmed the lead to 3-1 in the last of the fourth on an RBI single by Taylor, who had two hits, three RBIs and a run.
Mets starter Noah Syndergaard went five innings and allowed one run and five hits but walked five while throwing 98 pitches.
Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann gave up three runs and seven hits in seven innings. He still has not lost since June 17 against Tampa Bay as the rally in the eighth got him off the hook.
Washington right fielder Bryce Harper and shortstop Ian Desmond also had two hits. It was the second two-hit game in three contests for Desmond, who entered the game hitting .209. Daniel Murphy, the Mets third baseman, had two hits.
Washington third baseman Yunel Escobar left the game while he was batting in the last of the second. Escobar was shaken up after trying to check his swing and appeared to hold his left wrist. He stayed on the ground momentarily and took a few minutes before stepping back into the box.
Escobar fouled off the next pitch down the third base line and was then replaced by pinch hitter Dan Uggla with a 1-2 count. Uggla took the only pitch he saw for strike three and the first out of the inning, though the strikeout was charged to Escobar.
Uggla then went to second base in the top of the third and Espinosa, the starting second baseman, moved to third.
NOTES: The Mets will face their third first-place team in a row when they begin a series at home against the Dodgers on Thursday. RHP Bartolo Colon (9-8, 4.86 ERA) will start for the Mets against LHP Clayton Kershaw (7-6, 2.68 ERA), who fanned 14 batters in his previous start at Washington on Saturday. ... The Nationals will begin a series at Pittsburgh on Thursday and Washington RHP Doug Fister (3-5, 4.30 ERA) will face Pirates LHP Francisco Liriano (5-6, 2.98 ERA). ... Washington pitchers had allowed just 40 walks in the previous 25 games going into Wednesday. That is the best mark in the majors, and 16 fewer than the next nearest club (Seattle) in that time. ... Washington OF Bryce Harper entered Wednesday leading MLB In on-base average at .463, reaching base in 79 of the 86 games he had played this year. ... Mets RHP Bobby Parnell, who threw a scoreless eighth on Tuesday, allowed just one run in 12 1/3 innings (0.73 ERA) in 13 games since he returned from Tommy John surgery.