Nats bullpen collapses as playoff hopes fade away in devastating 8-7 loss

On a night that began with Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo calling this a must-win game, the bullpen that Rizzo constructed collapsed, as the playoff hopes crumbled in a mind-boggling 8-7 loss to the Mets. New York has now taken a commanding six-game lead over Washington with just 24 games remaining.

"We got ourselves backed up against a wall here, but I don't think anyone in this clubhouse doesn't think that we can overcome this," closer Jonathan Papelbon said. "If we come out here and accept this challenge, anything can happen."

After Washington charged seven runs across the plate against Matt Harvey, matching a career-high surrendered by the right-hander, the Nats bullpen fumbled a six-run lead, all in the top of seventh.

David Wright started the marathon frame with a single off Nats right-hander Blake Treinen. But then Treinen quickly secured two outs before walking Michael Conforto to open the flood gates.

Wilmer Flores ended Treinen's night with an RBI base knock as Nationals manager Matt Williams turned to lefty Felipe Rivero to get the final out. The rookie couldn't find the strike zone for the second straight night, walking Juan Uribe and Curtis Granderson, plating another Mets run. Of the ten pitches Rivero tossed, only two were strikes.

Trying to stop the bleeding, Williams called on the once dominant Drew Storen to face slugger Yoenis Cespedes, a last-minute Mets addition at the trade deadline.

On a 1-0 fastball, Cespedes blistered a three-run double into the left field corner bringing the Mets within one. Then the strike zone closed up shop on Storen.

Daniel Murphy and Wright drew consecutive free passes to load the bases. With Lucas Duda at the dish, Storen missed with a slider and then three straight fastballs to let Cespedes trot home for the game-tying run.

"It's a fine line, not trying to give in there," Storen said. "You gotta still try to hit your spot. But the ball just wasn't staying on the plate. I was trying to hit the outside corner."

Storen, who at one point saved 29 of 31 games this season before seemingly having his confidence crushed when Rizzo bumped him aside in favor of Papelbon at the trade deadline, threw 22 pitches in 1/3 of an inning. Only seven were strikes.

"Drew, it just happens that way sometimes," Bryce Harper said, defending his teammate. "He's a great pitcher. He's battling his tail off every single day he goes out there. He's doing what he's doing to win a ballgame. That's all you can ask. You want a guy out there competing and doing what he's doing."

Papelbon took over in the eighth with hopes of the Nats somehow salvaging a victory. But with two outs, the veteran closer missed on a fastball and Kirk Nieuwenhuis made him pay with a solo pinch-hit homer to the seats in deep right-center field.

"I made one bad pitch tonight," Papelbon said. "That's basically what it boils down to. It's tough because I had really good stuff tonight. I was ready to pitch as long as I could. I had (Nieuwenhuis) taking in a 1-0 count, trying to get back into the count. I get out there and I think too much sometimes and that's what happens. I've been beat many a times in my career and I've won many a times. It boils down to one pitch. It basically does. Try to keep the team in the ballgame.

"Some nights you go out there and as the last man coming out of the bullpen, sometimes you get beat when you're not perfect. And unfortunately, I wasn't exactly perfect tonight, I made one bad pitch."

In two innings, a six-run advantage evaporated for the Nats as New York led 8-7. Not coincidentally, the Mets turned to former Nationals security blanket Tyler Clippard to pitch the eighth. Clippard, another Mets coveted trade deadline acquisition, turned the tables on his old mates, whiffing Michael A. Taylor and Danny Espinosa to end a perfect frame.

Jayson Werth singled in the ninth off Mets closer Jeurys Familia. But Werth was forced out at second when Anthony Rendon questionably bunted a 3-1 98 mph heater too hard at Duda. After Harper walked, Yunel Escobar hit into a double play to end the agonizing loss.

"When we're at 7-1, you expect to win the ballgame," Harper said. "We fought back and had some good at-bats. There's nothing we do about it right now."

The Nats are left with trying to rebound from the heartbreaker to somehow salvage at least one game in Wednesday's series finale.

"It's gonna be tough," Werth said. "We gotta win tomorrow. I come from the school of never say die. It's not over 'til it's over. We're not out 'til we're out. But this one is tough to swallow."