Germany Boss Focused On Jamal Not Yamal In QF
WASHINGTON -- — Jake Irvin allowed just one hit and issued one walk in eight innings, Jesse Winker hit a pinch-hit home run and the Washington Nationals beat the New York Mets 1-0 on Thursday in the traditional 11 a.m. Fourth of July game in the nation’s capital.
Irvin (7-6) pumped his chest and gestured to the crowd for applause after striking out Tyrone Taylor on his 99th pitch and walking off the mound following the longest outing of his major league career. That was Irvin's eighth strikeout, and he faced just one batter over the minimum, retiring the final 17 batters he faced.
“It was a fun day, and (catcher Riley Adams) and I were on the same page all day,” Irvin said. "Being able to pitch on this holiday, it’s something truly special to me, really near and dear to my heart and I loved it, had a lot of fun.”
The Mets were blanked for the seventh time this season and were held to only one hit in a game for the first time since a loss to Milwaukee on opening day, something manager Carlos Mendoza chalked up to Irvin's masterful performance.
"We had a hard time catching up to his fastball," Mendoza said. “I thought we were late at times for his fastball, and then the way he used the breaking ball kept us off balance, so we couldn’t get much going.”
Winker made sure Irvin left with the victory by hitting a curveball from Adrian Houser 407 feet to right-center field. It was his fifth career pinch-hit home run and his 10th of any kind this season.
“He was biting at the bit, I can tell you that," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "He said, ‘I’ll be ready.’ I said, ‘Oh, I know you’re going to be ready.’ But to come up here and do what he did, it’s awesome. Big win. Big win for us.”
Houser (1-5) became the latest Mets reliever to give up a big hit as the beleaguered bullpen slogs on without suspended closer Edwin Díaz.
Before Winker's home run, the game was a pitcher's duel — one New York wasted for left-handed starter Jose Quintana, who allowed four hits, walked three and struck out one over seven scoreless innings. He gave the Mets the kind of start they needed given the amount of work the relievers have had to put in with Díaz unavailable.
“It means a lot, especially the state of the bullpen," Quinta said. “If you can save one, two innings (for) the bullpen, that’s really good for us.”
Derek Law tossed a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season and the Nationals' second consecutive win, while the Mets fell back below .500 at 42-43.
“It happens," Mendoza said. "Just got to turn the page and be ready for another series.”
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: RHP Kodai Senga (shoulder/triceps) is scheduled to throw roughly 50 pitches in his next minor league rehab start next week, which Mendoza said will likely be Tuesday with Triple-A Syracuse.
UP NEXT
Mets: Unless rain derails it, the series opener Friday at Pittsburgh features RHP Luis Severino (5-2, 3.42 ERA) against Pirates rookie RHP Paul Skenes (4-0, 2.06).
Nationals: Continue their homestand Friday against St. Louis, with LHP Patrick Corbin (1-8, 5.49) starting against Cardinals RHP Sonny Gray (9-5, 2.98).
------
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Ad21866947918e96a08d45bf03e5379e B7d853f016b7650c6f3a367d11daca1b Andy Warhol And Pop Art Exploring Artists Art Lessons For Children POP ART DAY Pop Art Day 2a5d09119978faba5ef61c804da1351a 55274052315dc460ef847321e2c53633 2 Pop Art 6a0d6df10d23052dcd90c7de27764932 6af560f68ee69fb973ce8527f2e6c08c 0bae33295d31e588accd00dc744df9d6 163bb4eacbf5d8a2d5f62e129d2f02ea 1c5eaf4fa2afd5c9408aea415fa289a2 Attachment 12802618117e58b18ed7da52d67b3d8da1d34f7c5 Ecfb6c86b6427435761a0d01a530d333 Popart Google Images 6f27b10c36e4a4e5fb4378132e7eb102 1208871e6f5e78772a98527857967ed3 42069cbce3afc04260a6d55c1a06685f Thaeyne New Pop Art A41ba6d3 Abd8 4346 A60d 78a2a7093047 C4e0eb9be5215cb3452e438ac94ecd6a Pop Art 3c27bff97f5f375b9b6e9eb4c6c4dd87 Bfa9cc8807f8225aad0ca247349504a6 Flat,1000x1000,075,f.u4 3967460ba284b42d42cb5371a7c7d42a 21979b78ffc60c0cea20a1f4dd8de027 Attachment 132802261Hero ?fit=1280%2C782&ssl=15350f8393fb7f26338d7c90a273d5355 2023 Pop Art Logo Text Hd Png 116652293364mjfenxqb3 02 02 2023 155549 Resized 4926f7e00522bd24674ee455dab45027 F2a75bd6260857b14ead1fa7e14c89a5