NEW YORK (AP) — Daylen Lile hit an inside-the-park homer in the 11th inning that sent the Washington Nationals past the New York Mets 5-3 on Saturday.
With a runner on first base and one out, Lile drove a 2-2 sinker from Tyler Rogers (4-6) off the center-field wall. The ball caromed far away from Cedric Mullins as the speedy Lile circled the bases. He scored easily with a headfirst slide when the relay throw from shortstop Francisco Lindor was high.
PJ Poulin retired the side in order in the bottom half for his first career save, throwing a called third strike past Juan Soto to end it.
It was a costly defeat for the sloppy Mets, who began the day with a two-game lead over Cincinnati for the final National League wild card. New York has lost 10 of 14 overall.
The victory snapped a six-game skid for the last-place Nationals and ensured they won’t lose 100 games this season.
New York was held scoreless for seven innings by three Washington pitchers, but pinch-hitter Mark Vientos delivered a two-run double in the eighth and Soto tied it 3-all with an RBI single in the ninth off Jose A. Ferrer.
Lile, who has seven big league homers, also singled and drove in three runs. The rookie is hitting .377 over his last 20 games.
Sauryn Lao (1-0) threw a scoreless inning for his first major league win, stranding the automatic runner at third.
Mets rookie Nolan McLean allowed three runs — one earned — in five innings. Errors by Soto in right field and Pete Alonso at first base helped Washington score runs, and McLean also threw a couple of costly wild pitches.
Cade Cavalli pitched five shutout innings for the Nationals.
Key moment
After tying the game in the ninth, New York had the bases loaded with one out. Ferrer struck out Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte to force extra innings.
Key stats
Lile’s two-run shot was the first inside-the-park homer by a Nationals player in extra innings. It was the first inside-the-park homer at Citi Field since Charlie Blackmon hit one for Colorado in Jult 2017. … New York remained winless this season when trailing after eight innings. … Soto’s fielding error was his first this year.
Up next
Mets LHP Sean Manaea (2-3, 5.40 ERA) returns from the paternity list Sunday to face Nationals RHP Jake Irvin (8-13, 5.76) in New York’s final regular-season home game.
___
AP MLB:
