The story tonight begins and ends with David Peterson, who pitched eight innings of one run ball, giving up four hits, one run, and one walk while striking out 10. Peterson was a ground ball machine, getting nine ground balls that led to outs, including two double plays behind him.

There were only two moments of the game where Peterson looked like he may run into trouble. In the bottom of the sixth, Andrés Chaparro led off the sixth with a double. After a strikeout to Brady House, Jacob Young singled, putting men on the corners with one out. However, a strikeout of James Wood and a CJ Abrams fly out would end the frame without a run scoring.

In the eighth, Dylan Crews led off the inning with a triple, only the second extra base hit against Peterson. Crews would score on a ground-ball double play that would help get Peterson out of the eighth with just one run scoring. After a really poor start last time out, Peterson rebounded spectacularly and continues to be the only Mets’ starter to throw a pitch in the eighth inning.

But even with a fantastic starting pitching performance, unless the Mets scored, it would’ve all been for naught. But for naught it was not. The scoring got under way when Brandon Nimmo knocked in Francisco Lindor in the top of the third to give the Mets an early 1-0 lead. Later in that inning, Jeff McNeil doubled, scoring both Juan Soto and Nimmo to put the Mets up 3-0. For good measure, Mark Vientos cracked a two-run shot to end the inning’s offense and put the Mets up 5-0.

But that would not be all the Mets got off of Nationals starter Jake Irvin. Leading off the sixth was an absolute moonshot by Brett Baty. Irvin would make it through the sixth before giving way to Konor Pilkington, who was greeted with a Juan Soto solo shot to extend the lead further. The final blow against the Nats came in the form of a third solo home run of the night when Jeff McNeil hooked out over the right field wall to put the Mets up 8-1, a score that would stick.

Ryne Stanek, a player whose stock has fallen considerably as of late, closed the game out with a scoreless frame, including a bare-hand play off the bat of Wood that was as cool and casual as could be. This team feels so different than they did a week ago. Let’s keep this up, shall we?

Tomorrow evening sees Kodai Senga facing off against Brad Lord in the second game of this three-game series.

Big Mets winner: TIE! David Peterson and Jeff McNeil, +20.7% WPA
Big Mets loser: Pete Alonso, -10.2% WPA
Mets pitchers: +20.8% WPA
Mets hitters: +29.2% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Jeff McNeil’s two-run double, +16.6% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Andrés Chaparro’s third inning single, -2.5% WPA