Francisco Lindor, Jared Young's home runs lift Mets to 4-1 win over Nationals

The Mets had just one hit through five innings, but woke up in the sixth inning and would go on to beat the Washington Nationals, 4-1, on Friday night.

New York has now won seven of their last 10 games.

-- Francisco Lindor's season-long defensive issues continued Friday night. The SS misplayed a ball up the middle in the top of the third inning, allowing CJ Abrams to score and give the Nationals an early 1-0 lead. It's Lindor's ninth error of the season in just his 65th game (he had 13 errors in 2025 over 158 games).

-- Although Lindor made up for the mistake later in the bottom of the sixth inning, crushing a breaking ball to left field for a solo home run that tied the game at 1-1. The homer off of LHP Andrew Alvarez was just his fourth from the right side of the plate this year and 12th home run overall.

New York then found a way to take the lead as Bo Bichette reached first on a strikeout-wild pitch, Luis Robert Jr. singled against Jake Bird, and Carson Benge drove in the run to go up 2-1.

-- Robert Stock took the mound for the first time since his rough start against the Pirates (eight earned runs in 3.0 IP) and put together a solid outing. He allowed one unearned run on three hits with five strikeouts and three walks over 4.1 IP and a career-high 84 pitches.

The 36-year-old started strong, leaving two Nationals stranded in the first inning and tossing a quick 1-2-3 second inning. Washington got to him in the third, scoring an unearned run on Lindor's error, but he powered through to leave two runners stranded. Stock bounced back for a four-batter fourth inning and came back out for the fifth, but was pulled after a walk and hit-by-pitch. 

-- LHP Nate Lavender cleaned up in the fifth, recording two flyouts on three pitches to keep it a 1-0 game. Jonathan Pintaro pitched a scoreless sixth inning thanks to a 4-6-3 double play with two Nats on base, and kept it going with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.

-- Jared Young gave the Mets an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh, blasting a hanging curveball 408 feet to right field to make it 3-1. The inning stayed alive after two walks and Bichette took advantage, tacking on another with an RBI single to push the lead to 4-1.

-- Pitching with a three-run lead, RHP Daniel Duarte breezed by the Nats in the eighth with a scoreless frame. Kodai Senga ran into some trouble in the ninth, allowing a single and hitting a batter, but was able to record his second career save by striking out Abimelec Ortiz on a ghost fork.

A two-strikeout inning for Robert Stock 🙌 pic.twitter.com/aLAZNTY0AB

Robert Stock makes the play to third for the out pic.twitter.com/F4gvr9mFCR

Francisco Lindor with a swing and a drive! pic.twitter.com/5HV4cO1ZEh

Carson Benge gives the Mets the lead! pic.twitter.com/R1WwkfFKaE

Carson Benge makes the sliding catch 🔥 pic.twitter.com/U8Hk3cgc1H

Jared Young crushes a home run! pic.twitter.com/YaB4S02jbj

Bo Bichette drives in another run! pic.twitter.com/tvc20dRW6g

The Mets and Nationals continue their series on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. on SNY.

LHP Sean Manaea (4-5, 4.13 ERA) takes the mound, while the Nats have yet to announce a starting pitcher.