Washington Nationals vs New York Mets Box Score on Aug 26, 2018

Juan Soto's RBI groundout in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon snapped Washington's 32 1/3-inning scoreless drought, and the Nationals added their most prolific inning of the season, an eight-run, eighth-inning outburst that lifted them to a 15-0 rout of the host New York Mets.

The Nationals, who tied a franchise record by being shut out in their previous three games, salvaged the finale of the three-game series. The Mets have won 14 of 23.

The Nationals, who hadn't scored since Ryan Zimmerman's two-run walk-off homer Wednesday in an 8-7 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, were closing in on the franchise record for longest scoreless streak when they finally built a run against Mets starter Steven Matz (5-11).

Trea Turner led off the sixth with a double and went to third on Anthony Rendon's single. After Zimmerman struck out, Turner raced home on Soto's grounder in between the pitcher's mound and first base.

The scoreless streak was the longest in baseball this season and the second-longest in Expos/Nationals history, behind only a 34 1/3-inning drought from April 11-16, 2004, the franchise's final season in Montreal.

The Nationals piled on in the eighth, when eight runs scored against Paul Sewald and Tyler Bashlor. With the bases loaded and no outs, Soto drew a run-scoring walk. Pinch hitter Bryce Harper laced a three-run double, and Wilmer Difo and Adam Eaton each hit two-run homers. The eight-run outburst exceeded the seven-run innings Washington enjoyed against the Miami Marlins in an 18-4 win July 7 and against the Mets in a 25-4 win on July 31.

The Nationals nearly did it again against Corey Oswalt in the ninth, when Difo had an RBI single and Spencer Kieboom drew a bases-loaded walk before Mark Reynolds hit a grand slam.

Eaton had four hits and Rendon had three hits for the Nationals, who received two hits apiece from Turner, Difo and Harper.

Washington starter Jefry Rodriguez (2-1) earned the win by allowing two hits and four walks while striking out three over six innings. Four other relievers combined to finish the three-hitter -- including Kelvin Herrera, who sustained a leg injury while racing to the bag to record an unassisted putout for the second out of the ninth. He was carted off the field.

The Mets got just three runners as far as second base. Rookie Jeff McNeil went 1-for-2 with a walk to extend his hitting streak to 11 games before he exited due to right quad tightness.

Matz allowed just one run on five hits and one walk while striking out seven in seven innings, his longest start since June 26.

--Field Level Media