After a 6-run tenth inning, Martinez and Iglesias homer, and the Mets defeat the Nationals 9–7, ruining Wood’s debut.

Precious outfield prospect James Wood’s major league debut was marred by the New York Mets’ 9-7 victory against the Washington Nationals on Monday night, as J.D. Martinez and Jose Iglesias each hit home runs in a six-run inning.

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With two extra-base hits and three RBIs, Francisco Alvarez helped the Mets (41-41) snap a two-game losing streak and increase their record to 17-6 over their previous 23 games.

Harrison Bader was hit by pitch in the first inning of the first game in a four-game series between NL East rivals, loading the bases with two runners on base. After that, Martinez hit his tenth home run off Hunter Harvey (2-4), ending a 0-for-12 slump.

Martinez stated, “I’m just trying to get something up because swinging at that splitter in the dirt was the last thing I wanted to do.”

After Tyrone Taylor doubled with two outs, Alvarez hit his first career triple that bounced high off the right-field wall to score. Iglesias welcomed Jordan Weems with a two-run home ball to center field, making it 9-3. It was his first major league home run since July 13, 2022, with Colorado.

“We had a string of really good at-bats and pressure after the three-run home run, and that was the difference in the game,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza stated.

Before Reed Garrett recorded his fourth stop with two on and outing Luis García Jr., Washington scored four goals in the second half.

Tyler Jay gave up a two-run double to Ildemaro Vargas and an RBI double to Jesse Winker. Before fanning García, Garrett gave up an RBI single to Keibert Ruiz.

Mendoza remarked, “You’re trying to avoid Reed Garrett because we’ve been running this guy pretty hard.” We needed to see him. I’m relieved he entered, closed the door, and secured a W for us.

This season, New York has improved to 4-8 in extra innings, while being outscored 33-15 in those contests.

Thanks in part to Taylor’s game-saving catch in right field, Jake Diekman (2-2) pitched a hitless ninth to earn the victory.

CJ Abrams committed a two-out error at shortstop, and Alvarez immediately followed with a two-run double to give New York a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning.

In the ninth, the Nationals drew even at three. After a bloop hit to right by Joey Meneses bounced past Taylor for an RBI double, Winker scored runs all the way from first.

Meneses led Washington, which has dropped six straight games, with two singles and two RBIs.

Earlier in the day, Wood, a 21-year-old prospect for Washington, was called up from Triple-A Rochester. In his first plate appearance, he singled. Later, he reached on a mistake, going 1 for 4 with a walk. Wood, a native of neighboring Olney, Maryland, was acquired in the sensational transaction that brought Juan Soto to San Diego in August 2022.

When asked to sum up his debut in one word, Wood responded, “Unique.” “It feels like it’s your first time doing something, like playing in front of that kind of crowd and obviously in the major leagues,” the player said.

Against Mets starter David Peterson, Wood went behind 1-2, worked the count full, and then lined an opposite-field single into left-center after garnering a standing ovation from the 26,719-strong crowd in the bottom of the second.

Wood remarked, “I was just kind of looking for a fastball.” “He has a run and sink fastball that runs. Particularly when I swung through the one down, I was attempting to push it up and away. After that, I was only able to obtain one.

Diekman’s two-base throwing mistake in the ninth inning allowed Wood to reach after he struck out in the fourth and grounded out in the seventh.

The 6-foot-7, 234-pound outfielder, who was one of baseball’s top prospects, was hitting.353 in the minors with 10 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a 1.058 OPS.

Meneses and Harold Ramírez each drove in runs to give the Nationals a 2-0 lead in the third inning.

Derek Law entered the game with two outs in the sixth to face Mark Vientos, who singled to drive in Bader. Alvarez then followed with a two-run double to left center after Taylor blasted a ground ball between Abrams’ legs.

In 6 1/3 innings, Peterson gave up two runs and seven hits.

In five and a third innings, MacKenzie Gore gave up one run and five hits. He walked one and struck out eight times.

ROOM FOR TRAINER

Mets: OF After cutting his forehead, Brandon Nimmo passed out in his hotel room that night. According to Mendoza, Nimmo is not out of the woods and could play again on Tuesday. .. R.H. On Wednesday, Class A Brooklyn will send Kodai Senga (right shoulder) on his first rehab assignment. He is expected to toss up to forty pitches.

Next up

Tuesday’s matchup pits Nationals LHP DJ Herz (1-2, 5.48) against Mets LHP Sean Manaea (5-3, 3.89 ERA).