Mets at Nationals
Washington strengthened its postseason aspirations and levied a brutal blow to those of the New York Mets by recording the largest ninth-inning comeback in Nationals' history. A winner of 20 of its last 26 games, Washington bids to ride the momentum of a seven-run ninth inning into Wednesday afternoon's series finale against the visiting Mets.
Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman each drove in a pair of runs before Kurt Suzuki lowered the boom with a three-run homer in Washington's wild 11-10 win on Tuesday. Rendon is 12-for-22 with three homers, eight RBIs and 11 runs during his six-game hitting streak and 27-for-69 with 13 RBIs and 20 runs scored in the season series against New York. The Mets' meltdown accounted for the team's eighth loss in 11 contests and pushed them five games behind the Chicago Cubs for the second wild-card spot in the National League. Wilson Ramos carries a career-best 26-game hitting streak (43-for-100, 18 RBIs) into Wednesday's matinee versus right-hander Anibal Sanchez, against whom he is 8-for-20 with a pair of doubles.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, YouTube
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Zack Wheeler (9-7, 4.41 ERA) at Nationals RH Anibal Sanchez (8-6, 3.80)
Wheeler received his third straight no-decision on Friday despite tossing one-run ball over six innings at Philadelphia. The 29-year-old is 0-2 with a 7.94 ERA in four starts against the Nationals this season, although he last faced the club on May 21. Trea Turner (7-for-19) and Adam Eaton (10-for-22) have given Wheeler fits, although the hurler has flustered Juan Soto (3-for-16) and Asdrubal Cabrera (1-for-12).
Sanchez has answered an 0-6 beginning by posting an 8-0 mark with a 3.21 ERA in his last 16 starts, although he walked away with a no-decision on Friday after allowing two runs on three hits in five innings against Miami. The 35-year-old also received a pair of no-decisions in two starts versus the Mets, including a three-run, five-inning outing last month. While Ramos has given Sanchez fits, Todd Frazier (1-for-21, seven strikeouts) and Michael Conforto (1-for-11, six strikeouts) have struggled mightily versus the hurler.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York 1B Pete Alonso, who has reached base in 29 consecutive contests overall, has seen 11 of his 19 hits against Washington go for extra bases.
2. Cabrera, who is a former Met, is 6-for-16 with a homer, six RBIs and five runs scored in his last four games.
3. New York RHP Edwin Diaz has blown six save opportunities in 31 games this season after squandering four in 61 in 2018.