NEW YORK — Jeff McNeil doubled home the winning run in the 10th inning and the New York Mets rallied past the Washington Nationals 5-4 on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series between NL East foes.
Juan Soto hit a solo homer and an RBI double for the Mets against his original team. He also threw out a runner at home plate from right field.
Pete Alonso delivered a tying single in the eighth after Soto's two-out double trimmed it to 4-3.
New York (43-24), which has the best record in the National League, has won four straight and 13 of 16 to move 19 games over .500 for the first time since finishing 101-61 in 2022.
CJ Abrams homered, doubled twice and drove in two runs for the Nationals. Nathaniel Lowe launched a two-run homer off Griffin Canning in the first, and MacKenzie Gore pitched six steady innings in his latest terrific performance.
The left-hander had six strikeouts, taking over the major league lead with 114, and walked none.
Washington pitchers retired 12 straight batters before Starling Marte drew a two-out walk from Jose A. Ferrer in the eighth.
Soto laced an RBI double that eluded diving right fielder Robert Hassell III for New York's first hit since the fourth, and closer Kyle Finnegan was summoned to face the red-hot Alonso. He lined a single off the left-field wall that tied it 4, but was thrown out at second trying for a double.