Mets continue losing ways, this time against lowly Nationals

Luis Rojas wouldn’t acknowledge as much, at least not publicly and not in as blunt terms as the circumstances merit, but this weekend marks the start of a potential season-saving opportunity for the Mets: Fifteen consecutive games over two weeks against the Nationals and Marlins, two of the worst teams in the National League.

For all that has gone wrong in recent weeks — and previously — and for as unlikely as the Mets’ postseason prospects seem with 34 games to go, the baseball scheduling gods have delivered them a chance to make up much of the ground they lost. If it is not now or never for the 2021 team, it is awfully close.

On Friday, it looked like never. The Mets dropped the series opener to the Nationals, 2-1, for their fourth consecutive loss.

The Mets, 61-67 and 8 1⁄2 games back in the NL East, are as close to first-place Atlanta as they are to last-place Miami.

"Obviously, we need to start winning," Rich Hill said. "That’s something that is on everybody’s mind."

Measure the Mets’ misery any way you want. Five runs in four games this homestand. Losses in each of their past eight one-run games. A 6-19 record this month, with half of those wins coming in a sweep of Washington.

One reason they led the division for so long was their ability to minimize losing streaks. But now their inability to do so is a major reason they are sinking in the standings.

Through July, they maxed out at three losses in a row. In August, they have lost four straight on three separate occasions.

"We had different guys step up and get the big hit when it was needed," Rojas said. "We just don’t have that right now."

The problem this time was the same problem the Mets have almost every night: They were terrible at hitting. Aside from Javier Baez’s home run in the fourth inning, they barely touched Paolo Espino (five innings, one run) and a series of relievers who would not be pitching high-leverage innings for most teams.

The Mets had one at-bat with a runner in scoring position. That came in the first inning after Francisco Lindor tripled with two outs. Baez struck out swinging at a slider not particularly close to the strike zone.

Pete Alonso worked a leadoff walk in the ninth, but Baez grounded into a game-ending double play.

With the season four-fifths over, the Mets are still waiting for the bats to get hot.

"It’s not like we’re down about it," Baez said. "It sucks to be on this streak losing, but we’re trying. We’re giving it our best."

Hill held the Nationals (55-72) to two runs and five hits in five innings. In seven games with the Mets, he has a 4.83 ERA.

Both runs came during a third-inning rally started by Espino’s line-drive single to left. Juan Soto, who has reached base in more than half of his plate appearances since the All-Star break, had an RBI groundout to first base. Josh Bell added an RBI single.

"I take the blame for this one," Hill said. "It’s disappointing, having that third inning. I expect more out of myself."

Espino scattered three hits, struck out seven and walked none. The 34-year-old journeyman has limited the Mets to two runs in 12 innings (four appearances) this season. That is a 1.50 ERA, far better than his 4.13 season mark.

And so the Mets will continue with 14 more games against the Nationals and Marlins.

They are 9-12 against those clubs, by the way.

"It starts with one game at a time," Hill said. "I know everybody is tired of talking about it and wants to see results. Believe me, we in the locker room want to start seeing Ws going up on the scorecard. It’s extremely important.’’