Edgin saves Mets' 7-5 win over Nats as Harper hits into DP (Apr 28, 2017)
WASHINGTON (AP) With Bryce Harper coming to the plate with the bases loaded and the Mets clinging to a two-run, ninth-inning lead, New York manager Terry Collins went to the mound and replaced closer Jeurys Familia with left-hander Josh Edgin.
''If we'd have won seven in a row, I probably would have left Jeurys out there, because that's what he's here to do,'' Collins said.
But the Mets had lost six in a row and 10 of 11, falling 7 1/2 games behind NL East-leading Washington.
Edgin got Harper to hit a comebacker the reliever turned in a game-ending double play as the Mets held on for a 7-5 victory Friday night.
''That's what you want,'' Edgin said. ''A ground ball somewhere in the infield to get that double play.''
Travis d'Arnaud homered twice and had five RBIs for the Mets.
Matt Wieters singled leading off the ninth against Familia, and Adam Lind's single sent pinch runner Joe Ross to third. Adam Eaton followed with an infield single to shortstop and injured his left ankle as he stepped on first base. Eaton needed to be helped off the field and was replaced by pinch runner Chris Heisey.
Familia struck out Trea Turner, and Collins brought in Edgin to face the left-handed-hitting Harper.
Harper hit a one-hopper to Edgin, who threw home for a forceout, and d'Arnaud threw to first for the double play, giving Edgin his second big league save and first since 2013.
''Threw me a back-up slider the second pitch. I hit that over the dugout, then he threw me a regular slider and he got me,'' Harper said after dropping to 2 for 12 against Edgin.
Collins said he continues to have confidence in Familia, who has not been sharp since he returned from a 15-game suspension under baseball's domestic violence policy.
''I know we're going to look up in a month and he's going to have 20 saves and he'll be OK,'' Collins said. ''But as he's getting his feet back on the ground here, I just didn't like the matchup.''
New York had put star slugger Yoenis Cespedes on the disabled list before the game with a strained hamstring.
''The way things have been going, that's a big weight off our shoulders tonight,'' Collins said. ''That was a big pitch for us.''
Eaton will have an MRI on Saturday.
''We'd have much rather lost the game then lose Adam,'' Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. ''We all knew on the bench it didn't look good.''
Jacob deGrom (1-1) struck out 12 in his third consecutive double-digit strikeout game and the 13th of his career. The right-hander retired 15 of his last 19 batters, striking out nine.
Ryan Zimmerman homered twice for the Nationals, who had won 10 of their previous 11. Zimmerman tied Andre Dawson for second on the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals franchise list with 225.
D'Arnaud hit a two-run homer in the second and a three-run drive in the fourth off Max Scherzer (3-2), who lasted six innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: Collins did not know much more on Cespedes' prognosis. ''It's probably better news than we thought,'' he said of the MRI. ''It's still going to be awhile, obviously, but it's in a different part of (the hamstring) where the injury was last week.'' ... The Mets recalled LHP Sean Gilmartin from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Cespedes' roster spot.
Nationals: LHP Sammy Solis (left elbow inflammation) had an MRI. Solis (0-0, 8.31) was placed on the DL on April 19. ''We wanted to ease his mind, we wanted to ease the training staff's mind,'' Baker said. ''It's not getting progressively better with rest.''
SYNDERGAARD TO START SUNDAY
Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard will start Sunday after experiencing no discomfort during a bullpen session Friday. Syndergaard was scratched from his start Thursday because of biceps and shoulder discomfort.
METS ON THE MEND
New York 1B Lucas Duda was 1 for 3 while playing six innings for Single-A St. Lucie on a rehabilitation assignment on Friday. OF Brandon Nimmo played nine innings in center in the same game, going 1 for 5 with an RBI.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Zack Wheeler (1-2, 5.40), who gave up four runs in seven innings against the Nationals on Sunday in his longest outing since 2014, gets another chance to face Washington.
Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (2-0, 2.89) is on the mound Saturday after coming off the paternity leave list.
