'Nimmo can fly': Baserunner's speed gives wing to Lindor's historic hit

WASHINGTON -- Because of the circumstances, Brandon Nimmo was off and running with the pitch. And because Nimmo was off and running with the pitch, he was nearly rounding second by the time the ball touched down on the outfield grass, having been struck on a line by Francisco Lindor in a most opportune time for the Mets.

Because Nimmo was rounding second by the time Alex Call fielded the ball in right-center field, he was past third by the time Call’s throw reached the infield. That positioned Mets third-base coach Joey Cora to give Nimmo an aggressive send and it allowed Nimmo to beat CJ Abrams’ relay to the plate. When he cruised in safely, it was behind two Mets runners who’d already scored.

• Box score: Mets 3, Nationals 2

“That’s very difficult, and not only that, [Cora’s] send there takes some courage,” Lindor said. “Nimmo can fly.”

Said manager Buck Showalter: “He gets as far as the first baseman will let him, and I guarantee -- I don’t even have to look at the tape -- he's sprinting when the guy throws the ball. Most people assume that's not going to happen. Nimmo doesn’t, and that’s why we love him.”

The result was one of the more consequential offensive sequences in weeks for the Mets, propelling them to a much-needed 3-2 victory over the Nationals on Friday night in the nation’s capital. Nimmo’s baserunning turned a likely game-tying hit into a two-out, full-count, go-ahead three-run single for Lindor. The three-run single was only the third in Mets history and the first since Edgardo Alfonzo’s on Aug. 27, 1997, against the Giants, per the Elias Sports Bureau. Lindor also added a sparkling bare-handed defensive play in the eighth to help New York secure just its third win in 10 games.

“That was an overall great team win,” Lindor said. “We haven't been playing to the level that we want to play, and winning today, we’re going to enjoy it, and it means something for sure. But we know we’ve got to come back tomorrow.”

The past couple weeks were supposed to be a soft spot in the Mets’ schedule, and perhaps they can salvage some of it over the course of this four-game weekend series. But Friday’s win notwithstanding, it has not been an easy stretch. The team arrived at Nationals Park having lost five consecutive series -- three of those to fourth- or fifth-place clubs -- and only barely ahead of the Nats for last place in the National League East. That gap is now 2 1/2 games, with the Mets now 19-20 as they approach the season’s quarter mark.

Still only 39 games into 2023, it is far from over for New York. But it is also far from an ideal situation for a team coming off a 101-win season that entered the year with the highest payroll in the sport and its sights set squarely on October. Little has gone according to plan since, from injuries in the starting rotation to trouble falling behind early in games to slow starts from Lindor and others.

“It doesn't always follow a script,” Showalter said. “The game throws you a [new] script every night, and you have to deal with it.”

For a while, Friday’s script looked like it would mirror some familiar unfortunate storylines for the Mets. They again fell behind early behind a solid but inefficient Tylor Megill, hit into some bad luck and watched multiple threats fizzle before Lindor’s game-breaking hit in the sixth. His one swing exceeded his team’s offensive output in the previous 24 innings.

The bullpen held firm from there, with David Robertson recording five outs, including his 1,000th career strikeout -- making him just the 14th reliever to reach that mark -- and Drew Smith stranding the potential tying and winning runs on base in the ninth to record his first career save.

“It was only a matter of time before they broke out,” said Megill.

The Mets also are hopeful things may begin to turn a corner in the macro. Getting Lindor (.223 average) on track and Max Scherzer back from injury (likely Sunday) could go a long way toward stringing a few wins together and turning things around, which make this a big weekend for New York.

“Winning today doesn't mean that everything is fixed and that we're going to go on an absolute tear,” Nimmo said. “But it also doesn't not mean that as well. We just have to come in and lay it on the line and go give it everything we’ve got. And [things are] going to change from day to day. So it's a win, and we're happy about that. Then we forget about it tomorrow and try to win again."