COMING UP CLUTCH
Nimmo drives in 4, Stroman strong, Mets beat Nats 4-1
NEW YORK » Brandon Nimmo hit a three-run homer and drove in all the Mets’ runs, Marcus Stroman took a shutout into the sixth inning and New York beat the Washington Nationals 4-1 in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday.
The four RBIs tied a career high for Nimmo, who homered in the second against Sean Nolin (0-1) and singled in the fourth to make it 4-0.
“He’s been swinging the bat like that all season now,” Mets manager Luis Rojas said. “He’s been clutch for us. He got all our runs in. He’s on the fastball. That’s what I like the most.”
The Mets won for only the third time in 10 games, a stretch that saw them fall from first to third in the NL East.
“It was definitely a good win for the team,” Stroman said. “I just feel like it’s a momentum we can continue to carry on into the next game.”
Victor Robles hit an RBI double for depleted Washington, which traded away eight players at the deadline and
dropped to 5-15 in its last 20 games.
Stroman (8-11) allowed one run and three hits in 5 1/3 innings to break a three-start losing streak. He struck out eight and walked two.
Stroman cruised before finding bit of trouble in the sixth. Riley Adams led off with a walk, pinchhitter Andrew Stevenson singled and Robles’ double scored Adams.
Stroman then struck out Alcides Escobar and reliever Aaron Loup walked Juan Soto to load the bases before inducing a double-play grounder from Josh Bell.
Edwin Díaz tossed a scoreless seventh for his 25th save in 29 chances.
Stroman, who hadn’t won since throwing a onehitter at Cincinnati on July 21, battled through hot, humid conditions at Citi Field. In the fourth, he grimaced after fielding a grounder. He hunched over briefly, was visited by a trainer and resumed his outing after drinking a bottle of water.
“It was really hot. He’s known to sweat profusely on days like this and that’s exactly what was going on out there,” Rojas said. “That’s what happened there when we came out to check on him.”
Stroman had a bunt single in the third that eluded Nolin on the third-base side of the mound as Nationals third baseman Carter Kieboom played back. Nimmo followed by hitting Nolin’s full-count cutter over the right-field fence to make it 3-0.
“I’m not a great hitter, so anytime I see an opportunity to lay one down and push it to the next guy, especially Nimmo who has been great with the bat all year,” Stroman said. LONG TIME
Nolin’s day ended on Nimmo’s run-scoring hit in the fourth. He allowed four runs on eight hits in three-plus innings in his first major league appearance since Oct. 3, 2015 with the Oakland Athletics.
“I definitely wasn’t as nervous this time,” Nolin said. “I feel like I had a lot of positive, good energy. Just the last couple of days and early morning probably helped as well but I wasn’t too overenergetic.” OUCH
Reliever Andres Machado replaced Nolin and hit his first batter, Pete Alonso, on the hand with a 95 mph fastball.
Alonso fell down and said something to Machado, and a few Mets jumped over the dugout railing. Umpires spoke to Machado briefly and things did not escalate further.
TRAINER’S ROOM Mets: SS Javier Báez (lower back) was held out of the lineup.
UP NEXT Erick Fedde (4-8, 5.15 ERA) started the second game for Washington. Trevor Williams (42, 5.06) made his debut for New York.
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