Conforto, McNeil hurt as Parra lifts Nats over Mets

NATIONALS 7 METS 6

WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals survived a dramatic ninth inning to secure their first series win in a month.

Gerardo Parra hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the fifth and Sean Doolittle stopped the New York Mets’ late rally by striking out Keon Broxton with the bases loaded for the final out of the Nationals’ 7-6 win Thursday.

“You want the ball in his hand,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said of Doolittle. “He goes out there, it’s his to win or lose. He knows that. He battled through it and got a big out for us.”

Brandon Nimmo walked leading off, pinch-hitter Todd Frazier doubled, and pinch-hitter Wilson Ramos and Juan Lagares hit runscoring singles with one out. Dominic Smith hit an infield popup and Robinson Cano reached on an infield hit that loaded the bases.

Broxton swung through a 2-2 fastball, dropping his average to .143.

“It worked out as well as it could for those guys to come off the bench and get hits and keep us going like that and give us a chance with two outs, bases loaded, down one,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said.

Doolittle got his seventh save in eight chances.

Michael Conforto hit a tying, three-run homer off Erick Fedde in the third inning but left with a concussion in the fifth after colliding with second baseman Cano’s shoulder while chasing Howie Kendrick’s popup down the right-field line. Rather than fly with the Mets to Miami, Conforto planned to take a train back to New York.

“I called it right away. He called it really late,” Cano said. “It could have been something worse. Hopefully, he’s good tomorrow.”

Mets left fielder Jeff McNeil left in the third because of abdominal tightness.