Washington Nationals at New York Mets

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
WSH	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	0	0	4	7	0
NYM	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	5	8	0

Sean Manaea (4-5, 4.02 ERA) carried real momentum into this one — his last time out he punched out 11 Pirates over 7 innings while allowing just a single run — and the Mets needed every bit of it against a Nationals club missing its best power bat. Brad Lord (5-2, 4.04 ERA) got the ball for Washington off a shorter turn, a 2.2-inning outing against Cincinnati where he still struck out 4 without a walk.

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FINAL

Spread

ML

Total

Nationals(60-64)

LWLLW

4

+1.5-167+127o8.5+127

Mets(54-69)

WLLWW

5

-1.5+163-130u8.5-125

Best BetMets -136

Postgame

Right on the side, wrong on the comfort level. Manaea's recent form was real, but Washington's thin roster had no trouble scratching out a 3-run 6th to grab a 4-3 lead — it was the Nationals' shaky bullpen, not a comfortable Mets lead, that decided it. New York escapes as moneyline winners, exactly as called, just the hard way.

Pregame

Manaea's been the best version of himself lately, and that matters more than usual with Washington missing James Wood in the middle of the order. The Mets have already banked a win in this exact matchup, and the Nationals' offense without their best bat is a lesser version of the group that dropped that game. New York's overall record is ugly, but this particular pitching matchup favors the home side.

Neither lineup showed up at full strength. Juan Soto (calf) and Mark Vientos (hand) stayed on the injured list for New York, while James Wood — Washington's best power threat — is still working back from an oblique strain that's kept him out since early August. The board had the Mets favored at home, and the number had moved toward New York well before first pitch.

Brad Lord

(5-2)·3.88 ERA

Aug 9 vs Reds

ND

2.2IP

1ER

4K

0BB

51P

08/15 Lineup

Sean Manaea

(4-5)·4.31 ERA

Aug 9 @ Pirates

W

7.0IP

1ER

11K

0BB

91P

08/15 Lineup

The game more than lived up to that uncertainty. New York jumped out 2-0 in the 1st behind Manaea, but Washington answered with a three-run 6th that turned a two-run hole into a 4-3 lead and set up a late-game swing nobody had fully priced in.

Washington's bullpen — already stretched thin with Richard Lovelady, PJ Poulin and Ken Waldichuk all on the 60-day injured list — couldn't hold that one-run edge. New York scored twice in the bottom of the 9th to walk it off, 5-4, salvaging a game that looked lost as late as the 8th inning.

Washington Nationals

(9)

• 10-Day-ILJames Wood (RF) — Manager Blake Butera said Tuesday that Wood (oblique) is not expected to be activated from the injured list when eligible later this week, Danielle Allentuck of The Washington Post reports.08/11
• 10-Day-ILDrew Millas (C) — Milias went 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored in Wednesday's win over the Red Sox.07/15
• 15-Day-ILConnelly Early (SP) — Early (elbow) will not be sent for an MRI after he felt some minor forearm tightness during a live batting practice session Tuesday, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.08/07
• 60-Day-ILRichard Lovelady (RP) — Lovelady (triceps) threw a light bullpen session Friday, MLB.com reports.08/08
• 60-Day-ILJosiah Gray (SP) — Gray (elbow) completed a bullpen session at the Nationals' spring training facility in Florida on Tuesday, MLB.com reports.08/08
• 60-Day-ILDJ Herz (SP) — Herz (elbow) will resume his rehab assignment with Single-A Fredericksburg on Saturday, Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic reports.08/06
• 60-Day-ILPJ Poulin (RP) — The Nationals transferred Poulin (forearm) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.08/02
• 60-Day-ILMitchell Parker (RP) — Parker underwent elbow ligament repair surgery with an internal brace Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.07/30
• 60-Day-ILKen Waldichuk (RP) — Waldichuk (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure April 21 and is hopeful to return to game action at some point early in the 2027 season, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.06/11

New York Mets

(8)

• 10-Day-ILJuan Soto (LF) — Soto (calf) did wind sprints on the field prior to Friday's game, and the superstar outfielder intends to play again this season, Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports.08/15
• 10-Day-ILMark Vientos (1B) — Mets interim manager Andy Green said Friday that Vientos (hand) has begun baseball activities, Laura Albanese of Newsday reports.08/14
• 15-Day-ILDevin Williams (RP) — The Mets placed Williams on the 15-day injured list Monday due to a right shoulder strain.08/10
• 15-Day-ILCionel Perez (RP) — The Mets placed Perez on the 15-day injured list Friday with a left forearm strain.07/31
• 15-Day-ILAustin Warren (RP)
• 60-Day-ILJustin Hagenman (RP) — The Mets announced June 1 that Hagenman (rib) has yet to resume a throwing program, MLB.com reports.07/13
• 60-Day-ILReed Garrett (RP) — The Mets placed Garrett (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
• 60-Day-ILTylor Megill (SP) — The Mets placed Megill (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.05/08

Both clubs are floating outside the playoff picture in mid-August, and this game had the feel of it — sloppy in stretches, decided late. Washington's rotation is down four arms to injury and leaning hard on rookies like Lord to eat innings, while the Mets are trying to win games without two middle-of-the-order bats.

Washington Nationals

(60-64)

Aug 14L@ Mets1-4

Aug 13Wvs Cubs7-0

Aug 12Lvs Cubs6-12

Aug 11Lvs Cubs6-8

Aug 9Wvs Reds7-1

New York Mets

(54-69)

Aug 14Wvs Nationals4-1

Aug 12L@ Braves3-6

Aug 11L@ Braves0-4

Aug 10W@ Braves8-5

Aug 9W@ Pirates11-1

It wasn't pretty, but a walk-off win is a walk-off win. New York banks the series opener and gets to see if Soto and Vientos can work their way back before the calendar turns to September, while Washington heads home still searching for length out of its rotation.