NATIONAL GUARD
Familia seals Amazin’s 6-1 start with five-out save
Entering the game in the eighth inning with the slimmest of leads and a man on base, Mets closer Jeurys Familia did what closers are supposed to do: He closed the game. Familia retired all five batters he faced to secure a 3-2 win over the Nationals, as the Mets improved to 6-1.
METS 3 NATIONALS 2
WASHINGTON — Others are emerging as valuable bullpen pieces, but plain and simple, Jeurys Familia still carries the weight of getting the Mets’ most important outs.
On Saturday the righthander was thrust into his biggest spot since surgery last May to remove a blood clot from his shoulder, and ensured the Mets would leave Nationals Park with a series win this weekend.
Familia recorded the final five outs in a 3-2 victory over the Nationals in which manager Mickey Callaway’s bullpen was pushed to the limit.
Callaway summoned Familia in the eighth after lefty Jerry Blevins walked Bryce Harper, who stole second to put the tying run in scoring position. Familia got the final two outs in the inning before working a perfect ninth for his fourth save in as many chances this season.
“I think this is one of the biggest saves I’ve had in the last couple of years, and I feel good,” Familia said.
“Everybody is happy with the way [Callaway] is using the bullpen. That’s the good thing. Everybody is doing the job every time they get the opportunity to go out there.”
Overall, Mets relievers — who entered with a combined 1.13 ERA — worked four innings and allowed one run. Familia, who has not surrendered a run in his five appearances this season, also worked more than one inning for a save the previous Saturday when he got the final four outs against the Cardinals.
This time, Familia retired Ryan Zimmerman and Howie Kendrick to end the eighth before going 1-2-3 in the ninth against Michael A. Taylor, Brian Goodwin and Matt Adams.
“There was no second thoughts,” Callaway said, referring to using Familia for more than an inning. “Those were the batters he was supposed to face. We were going to win or lose the ninth with him.”
Callaway indicated he may avoid using Familia on Sunday, when the Mets will attempt to complete a three-game sweep with Matt Harvey on the mound. Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo are both rested, and one could be used in the closer’s role.
And the manager said he is not concerned about the extended usage of Familia.
“As long as we make sure we take care of him the day after,” Callaway said. “If he needs a day, if it looks like he is going to need a day, to win a game, we will take that every time, because we have other guys in our bullpen that can get the job done.”
The Mets (6-1) scratched for two runs in the seventh to take a 3-2 lead after Harper had tagged Hansel Robles for a homer the previous inning. Asdrubal Cabrera’s RBI double tied it — Amed Rosario’s speed, racing first-to-home was on full display — before Todd Frazier plated the go-ahead run with an RBI ground out. Michael Conforto was running on the play from first base, helping the Mets avoid a possible double play.
Frazier’s double in the sixth helped the Mets score their first run. A half-inning earlier, the veteran third baseman’s throwing error led to an unearned run against Steven Matz.
“I got a good run back and felt bet- ter about the game after that,” Frazier said.
Robles, who had struck out six batters over two innings without allowing a run since returning to the Mets from the minors, surrendered an opposite-field blast to Harper leading off the sixth that gave the Nationals a 2-1 lead. The homer was Harper’s fifth this season and gave him 10 RBIs.
Matz rebounded from a sluggish start against the Cardinals to allow one unearned run on three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over five innings. The lefty was strong early, striking out five straight batters in the first and second innings.
Plate umpire Marty Foster’s liberal strike zone led to Anthony Rendon’s ejection to conclude the third. Rendon, unhappy with a called third strike, flipped his bat in disgust and was ejected. Manager Dave Martinez was also ejected after arguing for the cause, and punctuated his departure with a throwback tantrum that included throwing his cap and kicking dirt on home plate.