Ramos puts Nats on top early with double (Mets win 4-3 in 10)

Right-hander A.J. Cole, making his second start against the Mets in 11 days, allowed a double and a walk in the first inning against New York.

But the Mets' Jay Bruce flew out to center field to end the inning.

In the second, Cole surrendered back-to-back singles to Rene Rivera and Noah Syndergaard with two outs. But Cole struck out leadoff hitter Jose Reyes for the second time in as many at-bats to end the threat.

The Nationals scored a run in the second off of Syndergaard. Bryce Harper was walked and stole second, his 21st theft of the season.

With one out, Wilson Ramos drove a double down the right field line to score Harper for a 1-0 lead.

The Mets countered in the third. Asdrubal Cabrera doubled for the second straight at-bat. Cole struck out the next two batters, Cabrera stole third and Jay Bruce walked. T.J. Rivera delivered a run-scoring single to left to even the game at 1-1.

Update: The Mets went at Cole in the fifth. Yoenis Cespedes led off with a single. Curtis Granderson then smacked a triple that Harper had trouble getting out of the corner. Cespedes scored to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. One batter later, T.J. Rivera connected on a sacrifice fly to Trea Turner in center field. Granderson scored from third for a 3-1 Mets lead.

Update II: Cole finished five innings, allowing three runs on nine hits with two walks and six strikeouts. He fired 96 pitches, 62 for strikes. Koda Glover pitched the sixth inning and did not allow a run.

Daniel Murphy doubled with one out in the bottom of the sixth. He now has an 18-game hitting streak against his former club.

Update III: Facing Mets closer Jeurys Familia in the bottom of the ninth, Murphy worked a 2-2 count and connected on an infield single. Harper's grounder to third turned into a throwing error by Jose Reyes. Murphy and Harper ended up in scoring position at second and third, respectively.

Rendon's single to left got by a diving Reyes to cut the Mets' lead to 3-2. Harper held at third base.

Ramos singled off Familia and Cabrera bobbled the ball. Ramos was safe on the infield single and Harper slid head first into home plate to tie the game 3-3.

Zimmerman popped out to the first baseman. Clint Robinson pitch-hit for Danny Espinosa. Robinson lined out softly to second base and pinch-runner Wilmer Difo was doubled up off of first base.

It's a 3-3 game heading to the 10th.

Update IV: T.J. Rivera slammed a solo homer over the left field fence for his first major league homer to give the Mets a 4-3 lead in the 10th. It was the first home runs Nationals closer Mark Melancon had allowed since Murphy hit one off of him here at Nats Park in the bottom of the ninth on July 17. It was only the third homer Melancon had allowed this season.

Fernando Salas got two outs to begin the bottom of the 10th for the Mets before Jayson Werth singled to left field. Former Nationals left-hander Jerry Blevins then faced former Met Murphy. Blevins was able to strike out Murphy on a full count to end the game.

The Mets defeated the Nationals 4-3 in 10 innings, snapping the Nationals' win streak at four games.

The magic number remains at nine for the Nationals to clinch the National League East.