New York Mets Prove NL East Dominance With 8-5 Win Against Nats

In Game 1 of a ridiculously huge series for the Washington Nationals, the New York Mets come back to win the game and crush hopes and dreams.

By Robby Sabo

Over the last week and change we started to feel the tide turning just a bit. Those Washington Nationals – the team who everybody knew had the talent, just not the production – were finally starting to get hot.

Smashing home runs and five in a row coupled with the New York Mets losing recent series against the lackluster Red Sox and Marlins had the NL East lead cut down to only four-games.

After Labor Day it’s now back up to five.

The Mets walked into D.C. and put a hurting on the Nats chances to win the NL East today with their 8-5 victory.

SAFE! http://t.co/iBDEubbnNu #Mets pic.twitter.com/STWFqX57vN

— New York Mets (@Mets) September 7, 2015

METS WIN!!! pic.twitter.com/vCBdqXTSRm

— SportsNet New York (@SNYtv) September 7, 2015

Yoenis Cespedes goes 3-5 with 2 2B and a HR to help Mets top Nationals, 8-5. NY now leads Washington by 5 games. pic.twitter.com/2lEOWkq36p

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 7, 2015

Rookie Michael Conforto was assertive in this, the biggest game of his young career. On the first pitch he saw, in the second-inning, he hit a solo shot off Max Scherzer to give the Mets an early lead.

Something you might be interested in. @mconforto8 HR: http://t.co/LucBpduMJ4 Johnson HR: http://t.co/QN4lh1Hl7e pic.twitter.com/0rbIVz9pZi

— New York Mets (@Mets) September 7, 2015

After the Mets stretched their lead to 3-0, thanks to solo home runs by Kelly Johnson and Yoenis Cespedes, the Mets-killer once again played his usual role. Wilson Ramos clubbed a grand slam off Jon Niese to suddenly give Washington a 4-3 lead.

All in all the Nats scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth-inning to chase Niese after just 62 pitches.

All that did was set the stage for the captain, David Wright. In the top of the seventh-inning Wright came through clutch with an RBI single to give his team a 6-5 lead.

#DAVIDWRIGHT!!!! SO CLUTCH! WE TAKE THE LEAD!!! pic.twitter.com/ejCGNtTZYo

— New York Mets (@Mets) September 7, 2015

After two more runs made it 8-5 the Mets never looked back. Jeurys Familia came in and struck out Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman.

The biggest surprise – now that we know the lineup is capable of clutch hitting – was the bullpen leading up to Familia. Carlos Torres, Erik Goeddel, Dario Alvarez, and Hansel Robles pitched 4.2 scoreless innings.

Game 2 will go down tomorrow night with New York now holding a five-game lead in the division.