WASHINGTON — The rookie pitcher debuting in the major leagues gave the Mets a chance on Wednesday.
So too did the lineup that took hacks against the Nationals, but hardly with enough success. This was a reversion to before the last homestand, when the Mets routinely underperformed offensively, regardless of the opposing pitcher.
On a night that overall could be summed up as uninspiring, the Mets sputtered to a second straight loss, 8-4 at Nationals Park.
Juan Soto kept the Mets in the game by blasting two homers, including a two-run shot in the eighth that brought hope of a comeback victory. Soto has five homers in the past seven games.
Zach Thornton, selected from Triple-A Syracuse to replace Clay Holmes (fractured right fibula) in the rotation had a rough first inning, allowing a three-run homer, before getting on a roll following another run surrendered in the second. The left-hander retired nine of the final 10 batters he faced.
Thornton kept the Mets competitive by allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 ¹/₃ innings. He was removed at 80 pitches before he could face the Nationals a third time through the batting order.
It’s possible Thornton won’t stay long: The Mets may promote Jonah Tong to start this weekend in Miami, giving extra rest to the rotation, and Thornton could lose his roster spot in the transaction.
A day after Nick Morabito debuted for the Mets, the rookie was on the bench as manager Carlos Mendoza started MJ Melendez against right-hander Zack Littell.
Thornton was welcomed to the major leagues with CJ Abrams’ three-run homer in the first inning. Curtis Mead singled and Andrés Chaparo walked before Abrams unloaded to right-center.
The Mets pulled to within 3-1 in the second on Brett Baty’s RBI single after Mark Vientos doubled leading off. A.J. Ewing provided an additional single in the inning before Littell struck out Hayden Senger.
Nasim Nuñez walked in the second and stole second, reaching third when Senger’s throw sailed into the outfield. Keibert Ruiz’s ensuing RBI single extended the Nationals’ lead to 4-1.
But the Mets reclaimed the run in the third on Soto’s massive blast off the mezzanine in right.
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Carson Benge’s arm helped save the Mets a run in the fifth. Luis Garcia Jr. stroked a two-out single to right field, on which Benge threw a strike to Senger, who tagged Ruiz sliding into the plate for the final out. Ruiz doubled for the Nationals’ final base runner against Thornton.
Austin Warren surrendered a run in the sixth that extended the Nationals’ lead to 5-2. Abrams and Dylan Crews both singled before Daylen Lile hit a sacrifice fly.
Nuñez’s sacrifice bunt brought in the Nationals’ sixth run after Jacob Young’s double. Craig Kimbrel got the final two outs in the sixth.
Young hit a two-run homer against Kimbrel in the eighth that completed the Nationals’ scoring.
