Quintana Quiets Nats, Mets Hang On for 7-5 Win

The snubs played like studs.

Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor each homered and drove in three as the Mets beat the Washington Nationals 7-5 Tuesday at Citi Field to start a six-game homestand that will complete the first half. The Mets (45-45) have won three out of four.

Jose Quintana (4-5) tossed seven scoreless innings, giving up one hit and one walk while striking out five and retiring the last 13 hitters he faced. The lefty has hurled 15 consecutive scoreless innings and in his last five starts his ERA is 0.89.

He was helped by Lindor, who saved at least one run when he speared a 108 mph one-hopper off the bat of James Wood with the bases loaded and two outs in the third inning and threw the rookie out at first.

Jeff McNeil walked with two outs and no one on base in the second inning to start a four-run rally that opened the scoring. Harrison Bader singled him to second. Lindor drove in McNeil with a single and then Nimmo lifted a high fly to left that carried over the wall for a three-run homer, his 15th of the year. Nimmo has a team-leading 58 RBIs.

Lindor added his 16th home run, a two-out, two-run shot in the sixth to make it 6-0. The Mets scored six of their runs with two outs, bringing their total of runs with two outs to 88 since June 1, the most in the majors, per SNY. Bader was 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

Nimmo and Lindor were both passed over for the All-Star Game, which takes place in one week in Arlington, Texas. Pete Alonso was the only Met selected to the team.

Quintana faced Jake Irvin (7-7) in a rematch of last Thursday’s game in Washington that the Mets lost, 1-0. Quintana went seven scoreless innings in that game and Irvin hurled eight scoreless innings of one-hit ball. But Irvin was not sharp for the Nationals (42-50) Tuesday, giving up six runs on nine hits and two walks in six innings.

Adam Ottavino came on in the eighth and could only get one out. He gave up a double, an Ildemaro Vargas two-run homer and hit CJ Abrams. Dedniel Núñez relieved Ottavino and got out of the inning, retiring Mets nemesis Jesse Winker on a ground out to third with two outs and two on and the score 6-2.

McNeil doubled in a run in the eighth to make it 7-2. Reed Garrett gave up a two-run homer to Keibert Ruiz in the ninth and manager Carlos Mendoza pulled him with two outs after he walked Jacob Young. An Edwin Díaz wild pitch allowed Young to score from second when Francisco Alvarez couldn’t find the ball. But Díaz recovered to strike out Abrams swinging to end the game.

The bullpen didn’t make it easy—again—but the Mets are back at .500.

Stat of the Game

Entering the game, Quintana’s ERA when pitching to Francisco Alvarez was 2.08 (seven starts, 39 innings) and 5.92 when pitching to other catchers (10 starts, 50 2/3 innings). Alvarez started Tuesday.

A bonus stat: Quintana is the first Mets pitcher in history to toss back-to-back scoreless outings of seven innings or more against the same opponent, according to the SNY broadcast.

Player of the Game

Quintana matched a season-high with 103 pitches (60 strikes) and kept the Nats off balance while lowering his ERA to 3.91. His ERA was 5.29 on June 9.

On Deck

Luis Severino (5-3, 3.83 ERA) will look to rebound from his worst start of the season. He gave up seven earned runs last Friday in Pittsburgh. He faces lefty Patrick Corbin (1-8, 5.49 ERA), who entered Tuesday with the highest ERA in the majors of 73 qualified starters. Game time is 7:10 p.m. ET. It will air on SNY.

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