Mets single their way to early lead vs. Voth (Nats lose 7-4)

NEW YORK - These days, it feels like it takes four singles in a row for the Nationals to score one run. Imagine how aggravating it was for them when they watched the Mets turn that into a three-run outburst in today's game.

Despite relatively weak contact and nothing more than a single, the Mets managed to manufacture three runs in the bottom of the second today against Austin Voth and take a 3-0 lead on the reeling Nationals.

And then, just when it looked like he might close out his major league debut on a high note, Voth served up a big blast to leave his team in a 6-0 hole.

Voth wasn't hit hard by New York's lineup the first two times through the order. But he endured through a tough stretch of perfectly placed singles, productive outs and smart baserunning to dig himself into the early, three-run hole.

Singles by Wilmer Flores and Kevin Plawecki opened the inning and set the stage. Then, a rookie mistake by Voth: He took too much time corralling José Reyes' chopper back to the mound and then throwing to first, ultimately getting the ball there too late to catch the still-speedy veteran infielder.

With the bases now loaded and nobody out, No. 8 hitter Amed Rosario sent a sharp grounder through the right side of the infield, bringing home the afternoon's first run and keeping the line moving. Zack Wheeler's flyout to left-center brought home the second run, and when Bryce Harper's throw went directly to third base (and too late to get Reyes), the trailing runner took second and left Voth still in a jam.

Brandon Nimmo's groundball to first produced the second out of the inning but also the third run. And though Voth settled down after that, he couldn't finish out his start in a positive fashion. Despite retiring 10-of-11 batters through one stretch, the rookie issued back-to-back, one-out walks in the bottom of the fifth. Then Michael Conforto crushed a 1-2 fastball to right-center, and suddenly that 3-0 deficit had ballooned to 6-0. Three more singles after that extended it to 7-0 before Voth finally got the hook.

Update: The Nats finally got on the board in the top of the sixth, but they wasted a chance to really get back into this game. With one out, they loaded the bases for Harper. And the struggling slugger was able to rip an 0-2 pitch to center field to drive in one run. He probably could've driven in another run, but Juan Soto didn't get a good read on the line drive coming off second base and could only advance to third. And that proved costly when Matt Adams grounded into a double play moments later to end the inning and leave the Nats still facing a 7-1 deficit.

Update II: The Nats are trying to make this interesting. They scored three runs in the eighth, two of them via Adams' homer off Wheeler. So they now trail 7-4, but they're running out of time to complete an improbable comeback.

Update III: They indeed ran out of time. Nats lose 7-4. They're back below the .500 mark, with one day to go before the All-Star break.