Mets blow early 5-run lead in 9-6 loss to Nationals

Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News on May 19, 2026

Published in Baseball

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WASHINGTON — There really is no such thing as a normal day for the Mets.

A wild day started with the club calling up two heralded prospects, outfielder Nick Morabito and right-hander Zach Thornton, resulting in positive attention for the player development department. Then, the Mets promptly took a 5-0 lead over the Washington Nationals in the first 1 1/2 innings, with Bo Bichette hitting two home runs in two at-bats off left-hander Foster Griffin.

Then, it promptly disappeared.

A 9-6 loss Tuesday night at Nationals Park was punctuated by an inside-the-park grand slam in the second inning, and a third and fourth inning full of errors, misplays, passed balls and an inability to even play catch. The two NL East foes are tied 1-1 in the four-game series.

Right-hander Nolan McLean (2-3) gave up nine runs over 5 2/3 innings, but only six were earned. He walked two and struck out five in the loss, with the trouble starting with two outs in the second inning. Facing Washington’s 7-8-9 hitters, McLean gave up a double, hit a batter, then gave up a single to load the bases, bringing up James Wood at the top of the order.

Wood drove a 1-1 sweeper 379 feet to left field. Morabito jumped for it at the wall, and the ball hit off his glove. Center fielder Tyrone Taylor initially seemed more concerned that Morabito hit his head, unaware the ball was still in play. Morabito recovered and chased after the ball as two runs scored, then a third. Marcus Semien, the cutoff man, caught the ball on the bounce and turned to throw home, but the throw wasn’t in time. Wood was safe.

The Mets’ five-run lead was down to one run.

In the bottom of the third, Jose Tena sent the first pitch over the fence for a game-tying home run. Two more runs scored in the inning, one on a passed ball. The Mets were lucky to get out of the bottom of the fourth having given up only two runs. Semien dropped what should have been a double-play ground ball and overthrew second base. Bichette, the shortstop, threw home for a force out, but catcher Luis Torrens missed the catch. They couldn’t get a guy out in a rundown.

The Mets had no response. They stranded two runners in the third, went down in order in the fourth, and did nothing with a two-out single in the fifth. Foster held them to five earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts over five innings.

McLean pitched into the sixth, somewhat out of necessity. The bullpen was taxed after a 10-inning game Sunday, then 12 innings Monday. The Mets debated getting a fresh arm from Triple-A for Tuesday’s game, but ultimately opted not to. Right-hander Daniel Duarte went the next 2 1/3 innings, holding the Nationals (24-25) scoreless.

He’ll likely be rewarded with a DFA on Wednesday. The Mets (21-27) may have no choice but to call up another arm.

Juan Soto hit his seventh home run of the season off Brad Lord in the seventh. It failed to spark any sort of comeback effort. Richard Lovelady was awarded the save for the Nationals for his scoreless ninth.