Lucas Duda Shines, Mets Beat Nats Again

The Mets are now just one game behind the Nationals in the NL East after winning game two of their series Saturday night in comeback fashion as Yoenis Cespedes made his Mets debut. But it was Lucas Duda who provided all the offense.

Jacob deGrom dug a hole for the Mets in the first, allowing two runs as the Nationals built a 2-0 lead. deGrom did not have his best stuff but he muscled through six innings, allowing just the two runs on six hits. He struck out seven and walked one.

Meantime the Mets offense looked like its usual self, utterly mystified by rookie Joe Ross. All except Duda, who hit two solo home runs in the fourth and seventh innings to tie the score at two. Duda now has 20 homers on the season, including eight in his last seven games.

Curtis Granderson led off the eighth inning with a double. After Daniel Murphy grounded out to the pitcher, National manager Matt Williams chose to intentionally walk Cespedes, who went 0-3 in his first game, to face the red-hot Duda. It didn’t work — Duda doubled to left to drive in Granderson to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. With runners on second and third with one out, Wilmer Flores struck out and Kelly Johnson fouled out to end the inning.

Then it was Jeurys Familia in the ninth, trying to successfully complete a save for the first time since the All-Star break. He retired the Nats in order to preserve the win.

Mets win 3-2. They go for the sweep and a tie for the division lead Sunday night.