Final Score: Nationals 3, Mets 2 — Bats go quiet behind Colon, blow chance for a win

Jordan Zimmermann and three Nationals relievers held the Mets' bats in check, and a strong outing from Bartolo Colon went to waste.

Bartolo Colon pitched a fine game but the Mets managed just two runs against Jordan Zimmermann and three Nationals relievers. A furious ninth-inning rally provided fleeting hope but our heroes came up short.

The Mets scored first tonight, thanks to a comical error by Nats left fielder Kevin Frandsen in the fourth inning. Lucas Duda scored from first base with two outs after Frandsen dropped a routine fly ball off the bat of Travis d'Arnaud. Colon had a shutout going headed into the seventh inning, but three hits and two sacrifice flies later the Nationals took a 2-1 lead. The Mets blew a prime chance to turn the game around in the bottom half of the seventh, thanks in large part to a pair of Nats errors and a Juan Lagares hit-by-pitch. However, with the bases loaded and one out, Wilmer Flores grounded out and pinch-hitter Kirk Nieuwenhuis struck out.

Asdrubal Cabrera then hit what turned out to be an important solo home run in the top of the eighth inning off Jeurys Familia to extend the Nats' lead to 3-1. It was important because d'Arnaud homered in the bottom of the ninth to close the Mets' deficit to 3-2. That would be as close as our heroes got, despite two base hits after d'Arnaud's dinger. Curtis Granderson grounded out to Nats closer Rafael Soriano with Eric Young Jr. on second base to end the game.

GameThread Roll Call

Nice job by MetsFan4Decades; her effort in the GameThread embiggens us all.