Brandon Nimmo’s 3-run HR caps 9-run 4th inning as Mets finish sweep of Nationals

NEW YORK — If you heard an explosion in Flushing on Wednesday, don’t worry, it was just the Mets‘ bats.

Questions about how the Mets would produce offense without Francisco Lindor have quieted for another night after they used a nine-run fourth inning to finish a sweep of the Washington Nationals. The Mets smacked the Nats, 10-0, at Citi Field with Brandon Nimmo and Luisangel Acuña both homering and every member of the starting lineup reaching base.

Jose Quintana continued his shutout streak by blanking Washington over seven innings for his third-straight scoreless outing.

After mustering only seven runs in three games against the Philadelphia Phillies and Nats (Sept.14-16), the Mets have now scored 20 over their last two against Washington. They’ll need every bit of that lineup length this week when Philadelphia comes to town for the final four home games of the season, but so far, the Mets have risen to the occasion without their best player.

Rookie left-hander DJ Herz cruised through the first three innings before imploding for seven earned runs in the fourth. He struck out the side in the third, battling the Mets’ Nos. 9, 1 and 2 hitters. They made him throw 15 pitches, and had seen them all by the time he got to the bottom of the fourth.

He put the first four batters on and gave up three runs before getting the first out, striking out Francisco Alvarez for his fourth and final out.

Herz (4-8) walked Nimmo to lead off the inning and Pete Alonso extended his hitting streak to six games with a single to left. Tyrone Taylor then extended his own hitting streak to six games when he drove a double to the right-center gap to score Nimmo. Mark Vientos cleared the bases with a two-run single to put the Mets ahead, 3-0.

With one out, Herz walked Harrison Bader to put runners on first and second. Acuña sent another hitter home and Jose Iglesias loaded the bases with a single. The Nats went to the bullpen for right-hander Jacob Barnes, who was of little use.

Starling Marte hit a two-run single and Nimmo then crushed a three-run homer that nearly hit the Shea Bridge to cap off the scoring rally.

Quintana (10-9) limited Washington to only two hits and two walks while striking out four. The veteran lefty hasn’t allowed a run in 23 1/3 innings and he’s allowed only one earned run (two unearned) over his last five starts (32 innings).

Right-handers Phil Maton and Huascar Brazobán finished the job by holding Washington scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively.

Acuña’s second career home run came in the bottom of the eighth. Right-hander Zach Brzykcy couldn’t finish him off on 1-2, throwing the rookie infielder a changeup he took over the left field fence. It was the second home run in as many nights for the younger brother of reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr.

The Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds to stay within striking distance of the Mets, who are now tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second NL wild-card spot with an 84-68 record.

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