Nats, down 6 in 9th, stun Mets in wild walk-off

WASHINGTON -- Kurt Suzuki capped the largest ninth-inning comeback in Nationals franchise history with a game-ending, three-run homer, helping Washington score seven runs in its final at-bat to beat the New York Mets 11-10 on Tuesday night.

Mets relievers Paul Sewald, Luis Avilan and Edwin Diaz pitched through the meltdown, retiring just one Nationals batter while Washington rallied for its 20th win in 26 games.

New York led 10-4 after scoring five runs in the top of the ninth. Wilson Ramos extended his hitting streak to 26 games and Pete Alonso crushed his 44th homer to put the Mets in position for a win over the current leaders in the National League wild-card hunt.

Mets manager Mickey Callaway lifted reliever Seth Lugo after he pitched a perfect eighth inning. Lugo routinely gets six outs per outing, but Callaway thought the lead was safe enough to go deeper into the bullpen.

Sewald allowed four hits to his five batters, including Trea Turner's RBI double and Anthony Rendon's RBI single. Avilan allowed a single to load the bases, and then Diaz (1-7) relieved and allowed a two-run double to pinch hitter Ryan Zimmerman, followed by Suzuki's blast.

Suzuki pointed into the home dugout before rounding first base, pumped his fist at second and was swarmed by teammates at home plate. It was his 16th homer of the season.

The Nationals/Expos franchise had never won a game after trailing by at least six runs in the ninth or later.

Javy Guerra (3-1) retired the only batter he faced to end the Mets' ninth.

Washington is the first team to allow five or more runs in the top of the ninth and get even more in the bottom of the inning for a walk-off win since the Red Sox on June 18, 1962, against the Washington Senators, according to STATS.

New York's five-run ninth was aided when Turner, the Nats' shortstop, forgot how many outs there were and passed on a possible double-play grounder, instead throwing to first.

The game began as a duel between the most recent NL Cy Young Award winners. Washington's Max Scherzer allowed four runs and five hits while striking out seven in six innings, the longest of his three starts since coming off the injured list last month.

New York's Jacob deGrom was in firm control for much of his outing, which ended abruptly in the eighth after Anthony Rendon's infield single and Juan Soto's two-run blast to right-center pulled Washington within 5-4. In seven innings, deGrom yielded four runs while striking out six.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mets: 2B Robinson Cano (torn left hamstring) was activated from the injured list less than a month after suffering what had the potential to be a season-ending injury. "I don't want to say that I'm surprised because I worked really hard," Cano said. "I'm just happy to be back right now."

Nationals: An MRI revealed OF Adam Eaton has a bone bruise near his right knee. Eaton, who was injured Wednesday and left Monday's game after two innings when his knee stiffened, was available to pinch hit.

CALLUPS

Washington recalled INF Wilmer Difo from Triple-A Fresno and OF Michael A. Taylor from Double-A Harrisburg. Difo hit .300 with four homers and 30 RBI after his mid-May demotion, while Taylor hit .248 with nine homers and 35 RBI in 57 games for Harrisburg.

METS PROMOTIONS

New York promoted Bryn Alderson, son of former general manager Sandy Alderson, to professional scouting director and Jeff Lebow to assistant director of professional scouting. Lebow joined the Mets' organization in 2011, while Alderson did in 2012.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Zack Wheeler (9-7, 4.41 ERA), who is 0-2 with a 7.94 ERA in four starts against Washington this season, is set to start for New York.

Nationals: RHP Anibal Sanchez (8-6, 3.80), who is 8-0 with a 3.21 ERA in his last 16 starts, takes the hill as Washington concludes an eight-game homestand.