Rivera hit a game-deciding solo home run off Washingtn Nationals closer Mark Melancon in the 10th inning after a rare blown save by Jeurys Familia in Tuesday’s 4-3 win at Nationals Park.
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Washington Nationals starting pitcher Mat Latos (38), throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets in Washington, Monday, Sept. 12, 2016. The Nationals will be crowned division champions with any combination of 11 wins and Mets losses.
RHP Noah Syndergaard will start on Tuesday against the Nationals in Washington.
He has since appeared in two games with Washington, pitching 2.1 innings earlier this month.
“I thought he put on a great at-bat the other day”, manager Terry Collins said. “I really had an out pitch where I could put away some hitters”. The Mets retained their hold on the second NL wild-card spot.
NY and Washington have split the 16 games that they’ve played in the nation’s capital over the last two seasons.
NY was just three outs away from a 3-1 win when the Nationals rallied against Familia, largely due to a throwing error by Jose Reyes.
Murphy has now picked up a hit in all 18 games he has played against the Mets this season after going 2 for 5 tonight.
Melancon had not given up a home run since July. Rivera responded in the very next frame, picking up a two out RBI single to tie the game at one.
“Somebody has to surprise you”, Collins said.
“Unbelievable”, Terry Collins said a couple of times afterward, and that pretty much summed up the 4-3 win over the Nationals in 10 innings. Bryce Harper then reached on a bad throwing error by Jose Reyes, which allowed the tying runs to move to scoring position. Anthony Rendon drove in Murphy with a single to left and Wilson Ramos tied the game on an infield single that went right over Familia’s glove. “He was frustrated by it and we certainly understand it, but we wouldn’t be sitting where we are without him”.
Collins was glad to see Blevins use his curveball there. He got ahead 0-2 with two curveballs, the second Murphy swung at, and then tried to get him to chase.
“He’s so good and an MVP candidate for a reason”, Blevins said. Matz and RHP Jacob deGrom (forearm inflammation), who has not pitched since September 1, could figure into the spot in the starting rotation after RHP Rafael Montero gave up six runs in less than two innings Monday, Collins said.
“When you run probably your best pitcher out, you have to win that game”, Collins said.
No, this one wasn’t good for the hearts of Mets fans, as their team blew a two-run lead in the ninth, but in the end it sure felt good for the soul, when T.J. Rivera, a kid from the Bronx getting his first taste of the big leagues at age 27, hit his first major-league home run in the 10th. Washington chose the 24-year-old A.J. Cole for that vacancy.
Washington reliever Marc Rzepczynski retired the lone Met he faced and has not allowed an earned run in nine appearances since being acquired from Oakland on August 25.
INF Wilmer Flores (neck contusion) got some treatment before the Monday game in Washington. Flores was injured Saturday after a home plate collision with Atlanta Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski. OF Justin Ruggiano, on the DL since August 27, underwent left shoulder surgery.
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Rays 6, Blue Jays 2 • Alexei Ramirez and Steven Souza Jr. hit home runs and Tampa Bay beat host Toronto for the seventh time in the teams’ last 11 meetings. The Nationals waited until Sunday afternoon to announce that the veteran, who will make his first start with Washington and his third appearance overall, will start for the series opener. It continued on Monday night in our nation’s capital even though they were trounced by the Washington Nationals 8-1.
