Mets finish off three-game sweep of Nationals, move into NL playoff spot

NEW YORK — For the first time in over two months, the Mets own a piece of a playoff spot.

The Mets’ 7-0 win over the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Thursday afternoon moved them into a tie with the San Diego Padres for the third and final National League wild card slot.

Brandon Nimmo’s three-run double against Washington starter MacKenzie Gore broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning and served as the big blow in a five-run frame.

That was more than enough run support for Mets starter David Peterson, who hurled six scoreless innings to help finish off a three-game sweep of the Nationals.

The Mets’ 47-45 record is percentage points higher than San Diego’s 49-47 mark. The Padres, who were off Thursday, have lost four games in a row.

It’s the first time since May 9 that the Mets have held a share of a playoff position. It’s also the first time since April 24, when they were 13-11, that the Mets are at least two games above .500.

Indeed, a roller-coaster season in which the Mets began 0-5 and fell a season-worst 11 games below .500 on May 29 is trending upward.

Early in Thursday’s outing, Peterson appeared to be in for a long afternoon.

He allowed four of the Nationals’ first seven hitters to reach base and made a throwing error on a first-inning pickoff attempt. Back-to-back hits to begin the second inning put runners on the corners with no outs.

But Peterson dialed in. He extinguished that second-inning scoring threat with three consecutive strikeouts, freezing first-time All-Star CJ Abrams with a 3-2 sinker for the third out.

Peterson cruised from there, holding Washington to one hit over his final four frames. The left-hander finished with five strikeouts against four hits and three walks and exited to a standing ovation.

Peterson is now 4-0 with a 3.09 ERA through eight starts after beginning the season on the 60-day injured list as he recovered from November surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip.

The Mets started slowly offensively on Thursday, going hitless through the first three innings against Gore and beginning 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position against the left-hander.

Luis Torrens’ double to lead off the fifth inning and back-to-back two-out walks by Jeff McNeil and Francisco Lindor loaded the bases for Nimmo, who then lined a 97-mph fastball into the left-center gap to clear the bases.

Nimmo, who admitted he was surprised he was left off of the NL All-Star roster, now leads the Mets with 62 RBIs to go with a .252 average and 16 home runs.

J.D. Martinez and Pete Alonso added RBI singles in the fifth to put the Mets up, 5-0. RBI singles by Mark Vientos and Harrison Bader in the ninth completed the scoring.

Gore, who allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings, and Abrams were among the touted prospects the Nationals acquired in the 2022 trade that sent Juan Soto, now of the Yankees, to the Padres.

Thursday marked the Mets debut of reliever Phil Maton, whom they added Tuesday in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. Maton pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning with two strikeouts.

The Mets are set to begin a three-game set against the Colorado Rockies in Flushing on Friday night in what will be their final series before the All-Star break. Sean Manaea (5-3, 3.43 ERA) is scheduled to pitch for the Mets, while Colorado’s Tanner Gordon (0-1, 7.11 ERA) is in line to make his second career start.