CONFORTO CONQUERS D.C.
WASHINGTON — Michael Conforto broke camp with the Mets one month ago, mainly because the team needed another outfielder with Juan Lagares hurting.
Now Conforto is anything but a spare part for a team in desperate need of offensive production.
“He’s worked on his swing, but he knows when he’s getting opportunities, he’s got to do some damage with them,” manager Terry Collins said after watching Conforto smash two home runs Saturday in the Mets’ 5-3 victory over the Nationals.
For starters, the Mets (10-13) have won consecutive games for the first time since April 12-13. But the Mets also are guaranteed a series victory over the Nationals, something that seemed unlikely as the club departed Citi Field on Thursday stuck in a six-game losing streak and knowing Yoenis Cespedes was headed to the disabled list with a strained left hamstring.
Conforto, now tied for the team lead with six homers — he also is batting .333 — has picked up much of the slack for a team that can complete a three-game sweep Sunday with ace Noah Syndergaard on the mound.
“We had a feeling this was com- ing,” Conforto said. “We have a lot of faith in ourselves. Things were going badly for a bit, but there is no panic in here. We have a lot of veteran guys at this level.”
Conforto hit a two-run rocket in the fifth against Stephen Strasburg that gave the Mets a 3-1 lead, but his solo blast against lefty Enny Romero in the eighth also was important, providing the Mets a tworun cushion. Jose Reyes’ homer in the ninth against Shawn Kelley negated Ryan Zimmerman’s titanic blast off Addison Reed a half-inning earlier.
Reyes is 8-for-18 (.444) after a horrid start and could return to the leadoff spot as soon as Sunday, allowing Conforto to hit in the middle of the order. Conforto has batted leadoff recently to stabilize a weak spot for the Mets.
“We’ve got to get Jose back to where he can do the most damage and get Michael back in the middle of the lineup where he can drive some runs in,” Collins said. “But he’s done a tremendous job in that leadoff spot.”
Reyes, who batted sixth Saturday, is ready for the switch.
“I feel like my swing is back,” Reyes said. “Six or seven days ago, I felt like I was getting closer. I am still not quite there where I need to be, but it’s way better than the first couple of games of the season.”
Jeurys Familia rebounded from a shaky outing Friday, when he was replaced by Josh Edgin — the lefty
got Bryce Harper to hit into a game-ending double play — by working a perfect ninth for his first save since returning from a 15-game suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy.
After Hansel Robles provided the Mets with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, lefty Jerry Blevins entered and struck out Harper with the tying run at second base. The 14 inherited runners Blevins has left stranded this season lead the major leagues.
Zack Wheeler lasted 4 2/3 innings and allowed two runs, one of which was unearned, on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts. The right-hander battled a rising pitch count after walking the leadoff hitter in three straight innings and was removed at 96 pitches.
Reyes’ fielding error in the fifth allowed the Nationals to score an unearned run and pull within 3-2. Wheeler appeared in good shape after getting Harper to hit a comebacker that became a double play, but Zimmerman’s infield single brought in the run. Wheeler then was removed.
Now the Mets will have Nationals starter Joe Ross and a potential sweep in mind.
“[Sunday] is going to turn into a big game for us,” Collins said. “If we can come out of here with another win that would be a huge stride forward.”