WASHINGTON, D.C. - APRIL 27 - The Washington Nationals defeated the New York Mets today in stunning fashion by a score of 8-7. A nightmare start for Mitchell Parker was saved in the late innings by stellar offense as the Nationals walked off their division rivals.​

Mitchell Parker took the mound and had his toughest outing of the season, allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits and five walks over five innings. The Mets capitalized early, scoring five runs in the first inning and batting around off of Parker's lack of command and a throwing error by center fielder Dylan Crews. Despite the rough start, Parker managed to get through five innings, saving the bullpen from incredible overuse with a Trevor Williams start coming tomorrow and five innings of work yesterday. The Nationals' relievers (Lucas Sims, Colin Poche, Jackson Rutledge, and Jorge López) held the Mets scoreless over the final four innings, with López securing the win by recording the final out in the top of the ninth, leaving two Mets runners stranded in scoring position. ​

Offensively, the Nationals were quiet until the seventh inning. Crews did get an early spark with a solo homer in the second, but it wasn't until the seventh that the offense got going. Josh Bell and Alex Call delivered RBI singles, setting the stage for Riley Adams' three-run homer, narrowing the deficit to 7-6. In the ninth, Alex Call led off with a double, and CJ Abrams tied the game with an RBI single. A subsequent throwing error by Mets first baseman Pete Alonso on the potential second out allowed Abrams to score the winning run, completing the Nationals' comeback. ​

This victory marked yet another Nationals' comeback win early in the season and their second walk-off against the Mets in three days. The win improved their record to 13-15, moving them closer to .500 while demonstrating their newfound resilience in close games.

In other incredible news, the pitching staff is getting some help back! RHP Cade Cavalli, who underwent Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2023, will be making a rehab start for Triple-A Rochester soon. It is unclear what his role will be when he returns, but the staff is certainly looking forward to his return.

Up next…

The Nationals will end their four-game series against the Mets tomorrow, with Trevor Williams set to face off against Griffin Canning. A win would not only secure a series victory but also give some great momentum as the Nationals prepare for a road trip to Philadelphia and Cincinnati. Keeping this offensive energy and bullpen effectiveness will be massive as they aim to climb the National League East standings. They currently have sole possession of third place in the division.