Brett Baty sparked a late charge with his 15th homer to slice a 5-1 deficit, and Jeff McNeil delivered two more RBIs as the Mets clawed within a run in Washington. Kodai Senga showed flashes of his top-end stuff but still coughed up five runs, and New York couldn’t finish the comeback after loading the bases in the sixth. Washington’s offense struck early with Soto and Bell and rode a mix of bullpen work and timely hitting to hold on for a 5-4 win. The Mets, meanwhile, kept fighting in a season defined by steps forward and relapses, ending with a hard-luck loss that left their pulse visible but their record still short of consistent dominance.

The Mets leaned on Baty’s lefty power and McNeil’s hot bat, while Senga remained the enigmatic piece whose early-season brilliance hasn’t fully translated to a string of dominant starts. Washington countered with Soto’s big moment and Bell’s RBI production, plus a steady contribution from a developing lineup that teased a brighter future. It was a game of small margins: bases loaded in the sixth, a flyout that didn’t chase McNeil home, and a few defensive plays that could have swung momentum. The Mex of the night centered on the Mets’ resilience and the Nationals’ ability to capitalize when it mattered most.