CJ Abrams hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning and the Washington Nationals beat the Mets 5-4 Thursday, dealing reeling New York its 17th loss in 20 games.
Nationals Mets Baseball New York Mets' Freddy Peralta pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals Thursday, April 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Nationals Mets Baseball Washington Nationals' Miles Mikolas (36) pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Thursday, April 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Nationals Mets Baseball Washington Nationals' Mitchell Parker (70) pitches during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Thursday, April 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Nationals Mets Baseball New York Mets catcher Luis Torrens, right, tags out Washington Nationals' Nasim Nuñez at home plate during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Nationals Mets Baseball Washington Nationals' Jorbit Vivas (84) and CJ Abrams (5) celebrates with James Wood and Jacob Young after a baseball game against the New York Mets Thursday, April 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Nationals Mets Baseball New York Mets pitcher Luke Weaver, left, reacts as Washington Nationals' CJ Abrams runs the bases after hitting a two run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
Nationals Mets Baseball Washington Nationals' James Wood (29) catches a ball hit by New York Mets' Juan Soto for an out during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
AP Photo/Frank Franklin II
APTOPIX Nationals Mets Baseball Washington Nationals' James Wood makes a leaping catch at the wall on a ball hit by New York Mets' Juan Soto during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
NEW YORK (AP) — CJ Abrams hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning and the Washington Nationals beat the Mets 5-4 Thursday, dealing reeling New York its 17th loss in 20 games.
James Wood robbed Juan Soto of a home run with a leaping catch at the right-field wall in the first inning and Washington dropped the Mets to a major league-worst 10-21. New York’s .323 winning percentage through April is its fourth-lowest behind starts in 1962 (3-13), 1964 (2-10) and 1981 (4-10).
New York, which opened with the season with the major leagues’ highest payroll at $358.4 million, went 3-6 on its homestand and headed to California for a nine-game trip.
After overcoming a 3-0 deficit to take a 4-3 lead on MJ Melendez’s three-run homer in the third off Miles Mikolas and Mark Vientos’ RBI double in the sixth against Mitchell Parker (1-0), the Mets lost a game in which they were ahead for the 10th time this year.
Luis García Jr. singled on the first pitch of the eighth from Luke Weaver (2-1) and Daylen Lile beat out the relay throw to avoid a double-play grounder. Abrams drove a hanging changeup 403 feet to right-center.
Gus Varland got four outs for his second save. He retired Tyrone Taylor on a flyout in the eighth that stranded Soto on second and struck out Ronny Mauricio on a full-count slider for the final out with Francisco Alvarez at second.
Washington went ahead 2-0 in the first. Jorbit Vivas raced home from first after pitcher Freddy Peralta threw the ball wildly past first on Nasim Nuñez’s comebacker and Nuñez came home on Jacob Young’s single. Abrams added an RBI single in the third.
Up next
Nationals: RHP Jake Irvin (1-3, 4.85) starts Friday against visiting Milwaukee and RHP Jacob Misiorowski (1-2, 3.31).
Mets: RHP Christian Scott (0-0, 6.75) starts Friday at the Los Angeles Angels, who send RHP Walbert Ureña (0-3, 4.76) to the mound.
