NEW YORK (AP) — Jose Iglesias had three more hits, including a two-run single that snapped a sixth-inning tie and vaulted the New York Mets over the Washington Nationals 6-2 on Wednesday night.
Brandon Nimmo homered for a career-best third straight game and Mark Vientos hit a tying double as the Mets (46-45) won for the 10th time in their last 12 at home to pull within a half-game of San Diego for the final NL wild card.
New York was 11 games under .500 on June 2, two days after Iglesias was called up from Triple-A Syracuse.
“The guys are playing really good baseball and I’m just very humbled to be a part of it,” he said.
Luis Severino (6-3) pitched effectively into the seventh inning and a struggling bullpen came through, with three relievers combining to allow one hit in 2 2/3 scoreless innings.
José Buttó, a converted starter making his fifth big league relief appearance, retired all four batters he faced — striking out two — for his first career save. Buttó became the eighth Mets pitcher to earn a save this season.
“I like how he came in and attacked the zone,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Very good job by the bullpen today.”
The 34-year-old Iglesias, who spent last season in the minors, is hitting .526 (10 for 19) with runners in scoring position. He’s batting .338 overall with 14 RBIs.
“When you’ve got runners in scoring position, putting the ball in play means a lot, and this guy’s been doing it for a long time,” Mendoza said.
Vientos tied it 2-all with a double off the base of the right-field wall in the sixth. Iglesias gave New York a 4-2 lead and scored its final run of the inning on a throwing error by second baseman Luis García Jr.
Tyrone Taylor drove in another run with his second eighth-inning triple in two nights. He became the first Mets player to hit a triple in consecutive games since Nimmo in May 2023.
Severino gave up two runs in 6 1/3 innings. The veteran right-hander didn’t back up home plate on Juan Yepez’s RBI single in the fourth, when the throw from Taylor in right field skipped past catcher Francisco Alvarez for an error that allowed Lane Thomas to score the go-ahead run.
“He knows that he let the play develop and didn’t get to where he needed to get,” Mendoza said.
Severino stranded runners at the corners by retiring Jacob Young on a liner to left. The Nationals didn’t get a runner beyond second base in the final four innings.
“I thought we were going to jump him there — we scored a couple runs and then he settled back in, kept us to just those two runs,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said.
Patrick Corbin (1-9) permitted four runs in five-plus innings as his winless streak reached a career-high 11 starts. He was chased by three straight hits in an eight-pitch span to open the sixth.
“He had 65 pitches going into that inning and then he got up on everything,” Martinez said. “When he kept the ball down, he was really good.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: RHP Reed Garrett (elbow inflammation) went for an MRI and was placed on the 15-day injured list. ... RHP Kodai Senga (right shoulder) could make his next rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Syracuse.
MAN IN MOTION
Right-handed reliever Phil Maton joined the Mets but didn’t pitch, one day after he was acquired from Tampa Bay for a player to be named or cash.
“It was a quick turnaround,” said Maton, who said the travel was easier because he was home in Florida, where the Rays were playing the New York Yankees. “We hustled a little bit, but that’s what me and my wife signed up for, so it’s all good.”
Maton is the first Mets player to wear No. 88.
UP NEXT
The three-game series concludes Thursday afternoon, when Mets LHP David Peterson (3-0, 3.58 ERA) opposes LHP MacKenzie Gore (6-7, 3.83).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
