WASHINGTON — Francisco Lindor quickly ended the Mets’ scoring drought Saturday with a home run — and then continued his rampage throughout the game.
In the kind of carry-the-team performance that was envisioned when the All-Star shortstop was acquired from Cleveland and then signed his $341 million contract extension, Lindor smashed two homers and drove in all five of the Mets’ runs in their 5-1 victory over the Nationals in Game 1 of a doubleheader.
Lindor hit a two-run homer in the first inning, which ended a 21-inning Mets scoring drought. He also crushed a two-run blast in the fifth, giving him the first multi-homer game of his Mets career.
In between, Lindor delivered an RBI single in the third, helping the Mets end a two-game skid in which they had combined for four hits.
David Peterson gave the Mets a second straight solid start, allowing one earned run on two hits and three walks over 4 ²/₃ innings. It followed the left-hander’s best career performance, a six-inning shutout against the Cubs last Monday.
But the Mets also needed a big bullpen effort to escape this one with the victory. Aaron Loup, Miguel Castro and Seth Lugo got the Mets through 1 ¹/₃ innings before Trevor May pitched a scoreless seventh. Lugo entered with two runners on base in the sixth and retired Kyle Schwarber to escape and keep the Mets’ lead at 5-1.
May was tested in the seventh, allowing a leadoff single to Trea Turner before Juan Soto walked. But Josh Bell hit into a double play and Josh Harrison struck out.
Peterson didn’t allow a run until the fifth, when Turner doubled and scored on a single by Soto off Loup. In the top of the fifth, Peterson doubled for his first major league hit and he was on base when Lindor’s blast cleared the right-field fence.
Jonathan Villar singled leading off the game against Joe Ross and was on base when Lindor homered to left-center. Lindor’s RBI single in the third came after Peterson was hit by a pitch leading off the inning.