WASHINGTON — The Mets defied the odds on July 4 by playing a relatively uneventful game. After a month of offensive explosions, the series finale between the Amazins’ and the Washington Nationals featured few balls in play and a scoreless duel that lasted until the bottom of the eighth inning.
But Jesse Winker pinch-hit a home run off of right-hander Adrian Houser (1-5) to break the scoreless tie, and the Mets fell 1-0 to split a four-game series on Thursday afternoon at Nationals Park.
Left-hander Jose Quintana scattered four hits over seven innings. He faced traffic on the base paths only once, with the Nats putting two on in the fifth inning. But even then, it wasn’t much.
Riley Adams led off with a single to left and was moved over on a sacrifice bunt by Ildemaro Vargas. Quintana then walked Jacob Young, but struck out CJ Abrams and got Lane Thomas to ground out to third base to end the inning.
Quintana shut Washington out over seven innings, holding the Nats to four hits and walking three while striking out one.
It was a solid start, but right-hander Cole Irvin (7-6) was even better. He held the Mets to only one hit and one walk, striking out eight. He faced only two over the minimum through eight innings.
Each pitcher gave their bullpens badly-needed length, but neither was able to benefit from any run support until Winker came through in the eighth, driving Houser’s 1-0 curveball into the right-field stands.
Right-hander Derek Law replaced Irvin in the ninth, carrying an American flag with him in the bullpen cart. He pitched a scoreless ninth to convert the save, his first of the season, and help the Nats (41-46) to their second straight win.
One hit was all the Mets could manage in the entire game. There were only six between the two teams.
The Mets (42-43) head to Pittsburgh next for a four-game series that will feature NL Rookie of the Year candidate Paul Skenes on Friday night.
